Mesh Deflection.

[BenderLT]

Hello everyone.

I have a thin 5 mm mesh made up of hard drawn low carbon wire.

To get a rough idea of the stiffness, the mesh similar to the wire used on old school shopping trolley’s.

I have a 5 x 2 m rectangular mesh structure which in worst case will be subject to a fairly high impact point load. The structure is welded too a 89mm CHS section either side.

I am looking for a way to approximate the deflection of the structure to calculate the expected force and stress.

I am assuming an inelastic collision hence the deflection energy of the mesh will be needed to bring the object to a stop.

I was wondering if I could use large deflection thin plate formulas to approximate the mesh as a plate element to calculate the deflection energy but though it may be too complex.

Anyone worked on thin plate, membrane or mesh structures that would know a suitible reference or have any advice.

Cheers.

 

[BenderLT]

Don't worry I think I have a solution.

Spacegass does non linear analysis. I will just model it as a grillage structure.

Apply a unit load and use that as my equivalent spring constant hence and then calculate my deflection energy.

 

[IJR]

Bender Lt

Your 5x2 will work one way-I mean most of the activity will be along the short(2m) direction

Thus you can use a strip 2m long, and solve manually

That will give you a very good approximation to whatever you are looking for.

 

[BenderLT]

Sorry I might not have been clear with my first post.

The span is 5m.

I guess I could just do a linear analysis and treat it as 1 way action for the 5 m and use strip methods.