Textbook recommendations for learning structural analysis and FEA

[mech_eng]

Hi All,

In the spirit of continuing education I'm going to teach myself some basic structural analysis. I want to (re)learn the basics and the theory behind FEA rather than just modelling in CAD and applying loads and seeing what the results are.
I use SolidWorks at my job, and have made some simple press stands out of basic steel shapes such as angle and square tubing. These have so far been built out of material on-hand and are grossly overbuilt for the application. However, I want to become familiar enough with the hand calcs that I can work out some of the loads without having to resort to using the computer.

I'm looking for some learning materials (textbooks likely, web reference sources would be helpful too) covering basic structural design, analysis, and welded joints. Almost all of what I'll be designing will be using basic steel shapes and bolted or welded connections.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[GregLocock]

Of the university structures textbooks I liked this one

https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Materials-Structures-Fourth-FRINA/dp/0340719206

Cheers

Greg Locock


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[allgoodnamestaken]

My favorite book on FEM for structural analysis is Matrix Analysis of Structures by Aslam Kassimali. It's used enough in schools that if you do some googling you can find a solution manual (and even the textbook sometimes). Goes through 2d and 3d structures of different types and the differences in analysis, coming up with stiffness relationships, etc etc. If you look at it on amazon and click on the image you can see the table of contents to get a gist of what it covers.

For the most part very well written.

 

[canwesteng]

Design of Welded Structures by Omer Blodgett is far better than any university book in my opinion, and much cheaper (~$60 from Lincoln arc co iirc). I don't think there's a single textbook for basic structural design used in uni that won't be overpriced garbage, you're better off reading the fundamentals online or something and trying to apply them. Maybe there is a basic structures course available on coursera or something.

 

[GregLocock]

Have you read the one I suggested?

Ah, another one I like is

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Analysis-am...ctures-E-F-Bruhn-1965-Copyright-/200698543074

When we were developing FEA for cars that was our reference for structural analysis

Cheers

Greg Locock


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[mech_eng]

I haven't been through any of the suggested books yet, so thanks for the suggestions.

My eventual goal is to be able to use CAD/FEA to design or evaluate the design of welded, bent tubular steel structures. An example would be a frame for a go-cart or a roll-cage for a offroad vehicle.
I have a long ways to go yet, but don't want to just jump right into the CAD/FEA without knowing what the computer is basing its calculations on.

 

[JStephen]

On your question- can't help. All the theoretical stuff on FEA seemed just a bit too theoretical back when I took the class (and that was long ago!). The professor's presentation was a lot more helpful than the textbook.
Dover Books has some cheap(er) versions of classic texts if any of them will work for you.

But- one comment on the go-cart frame and the roll-cage.
On a normal structural analysis, you assume some load, or derive some load, or some design code specifies some load, you apply that load to your structure and see what it does and all is well.
In the case of a moving vehicle, your main load is from impact with the road, and that depends on the nature of the road. So the analysis is part of the problem, but figuring what load to analyze is a major part of it, too.
On the roll cage, you can check the upside-down vehicle okay, but how far does it move before it hits upside down? So you have the same issue. I'm think I've read in the past that rollcages for bulldozers, tractors, etc., are based on energy methods, absorbing a certain amount of energy, and not just force/deflection/stress.
Anyway, good luck on it, but don't assume you're jumping into some simple problems there, either, FEA or not.

 

[Sparweb]

Greg's suggestion (Bruhn's textbook) is about as far from FEA as you can get, yet it stands the test of time well.
The subject of energy absorption is covered by Bruhn, for example, and I have used such methods on landing gear.
I guess what I want to say is that there is a lot of "tribal knowledge" in both realms, computerized FEA or analytical methods, but it's hard to master both.
People tend to specialize in one or the other, and they don't get good unless they have good instruction to start on the right foot.
IMO the best way to learn FEA is to select a suitable design package, sign up for the courses, and practice, practice, practice.
If I were to add a recommendation on the "hand-calc" side, I would go to this book: Flabel, Practical Stress Analysis for Design Engineers.
The author offers distance learning courses from this website:

http://psa1.com/distantlearning.html

but I haven't taken the course, I just have the book.


STF

 

[nlgyro]

To answer the OP question on FEA:

The best books in FEA for self learning that I would recommend is:

1. Logan Daryl L "A first Course in Finite Element Method" 5th Edition, 2012

2. Chandrupatala, T. R., and Belegundu A.D "Introduction to Finite Elements in Engineering", 3rd Ed, Aug 2003

These explains the concepts of FEA in very simple terms without the use of complex mathematics (as the other classic books on FEA would do). Use these text for understanding the "nuts-and-bolts" of FEM/FEA.

In addition there are literally tonnes of recorded FEM lectures available on the web (especially Youtube). My favorites are:

Introduction to Finite Element Method by Dr. R. Krishnakumar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras. This introduction consists of a series of 33 videos available at:

(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR74TQesUoQ&list=PLbMVogVj5nJRjnZA9oryBmDdUNe7lbnB0)

Another excellent series of lectures is:

The lecture by Prof. K.J. Bathe (

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNqSzzycRhw&list=PLD4017FC423EC3EB5)

This video series is a comprehensive course of study that presents effective finite element procedures for the linear analysis of solids and structures. Professor K. J. Bathe, teaches the basic principles used for effective finite element analysis, describes the general assumptions, and discusses the implementation of finite element procedures.

Happy Learning!