Random path plots for element table quantities in ANSYS APDL

[SuG89]

Hello everyone,

In the attached images, there are 3 surfaces- spherical calotte, cylindrical roof and hypar. I want to define paths along the lines on these surfaces to plot element table quantities. The size of these surfaces is 10 meter x 10 meter and the element size is 50 mm. It is difficult for me to go around the surface to select the nodes one by one.

Can I define lines, arcs through modelling tools (in pre-processing) and then select these lines/arcs as the paths? Or can you suggest another way of doing this task.

Also, I have material discontinuity in the model but the path plot doesn't show the expected jumps in bending stresses at material interface. Is less number of points and divisions on the path a possible reason for this problem?

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hhcohixmzdzoje1/AAB79cFzASsCZSTGreMl8tUWa

Best regards,
Sushant Goel
MSc Uni Stuttgart

 

[rickfischer51]

Yes. Add the line if necessary in Design Medeler with Extrude, Imprint Faces, or Tools, Projection, etc., then in Workbench in your Path detail, left click on Path Type. A scroll-down will appear on the right of the item. Use it to pick edge.

Get in the habit of exploring the detail for a tree item when you get stuck. Most of the items in the detail have hidden scroll-downs with multiple options.

Rick Fischer
Principal Engineer
Argonne National Laboratory

 

[SuG89]

Dear Mr Fischer,

Thank you for the reply. I am basically working with APDL. Can I do the same operations in APDL?

Best regards,
Sushant Goel
MSc Uni Stuttgart

 

[rickfischer51]

Something like this might work.

endkp=26 ! this is the number of the keypoint at one end of the path

lsel,s,... ! select your lines
nsll,s

ncount=ndinqr(0,13)

*do,j,1,ncount
*if,j,eq,1 then
nnum=node(kx(endkp),ky(endkp),kz(endkp))
*else
xx=nx(nnum)
yy=ny(nnum)
zz=nz(nnum)
nsel,u,node,,nnum
nnum=node(xx,yy,zz)
*endif
ppath,,nnum
*enddo

Rick Fischer
Principal Engineer
Argonne National Laboratory

 

[SuG89]

Thanks again! I will try this and let you know how it works.

Best regards,
Sushant Goel
MSc Uni Stuttgart

 

[SuG89]

Dear Mr Fischer,

I tried your script. It returns a warning message 'No path data active. PPATH command is ignored'. Do you know what's going wrong here?

Best regards,
Sushant Goel
MSc Uni Stuttgart

 

[rickfischer51]

Did you create the path before you used the script?

Rick Fischer
Principal Engineer
Argonne National Laboratory

 

[SuG89]

No. I thought this script helps me to create a path onto which I can map some data. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Best regards,
Sushant Goel
MSc Uni Stuttgart

 

[rickfischer51]

Come on, read the manual. look at the PATH, PPATH, PDEF etc. commands. There are examples in the manual. If you are really "basically working in APDL" then you need to dig in and learn it. You will never get anything done by expecting people on bulletin boards to write your scripts.

Rick Fischer
Principal Engineer
Argonne National Laboratory

 

[SuG89]

Dear Mr Fischer,

I read about PATH, PPATH and PDEF commands. I am using Path operations > Define Path > On working plane > Circular path option > x and y coordinate and circle radius. This requires adjusting the working plane origin to center of sphere (of which the spherical calotte dome is a part) with different plane orientations.

Thanks for your help.

Best regards,
Sushant Goel
MSc Uni Stuttgart