Use Shell 99 in Ansys Workbench

[Blasques]

Hi

All the structural materials i find in ANSYS Workbench are isotropic and I would like to model orthotropic and anisotropic material. I would specially like to use Shell 99 as the element in my mesh. The question is when i create the mesh Workbench chooses automatically the kind of element to use. So once in Ansys the element is chosen and i can't change it.

Does any one has any idea how to solve this?

Best regards

José Blasques

 

[Drej]

Surface modelling in Workbench is limited to say the least. The product is primarily designed for models using 3D CAD geometry. As far as I'm aware you can only use the standard 4-noded shell in Workbench (shell181 I believe), although you could try and use the pre-processing command builder facility to modify this for another type of shell. However, shell99 is a layered shell, and Workbench cannot facilitate this type of element/analysis directly. Again, you could try the command builder, but this type of analysis should really be carried out using ANSYS, especially with orthotropic and anisotropic modelling.

Cheers,

-- drej --

 

[Blasques]

Well thank you for the fast answer. The question is the geometry i'm working with has some curved surfaces wich turns it into a rather complex geometry to model in ANSYS. I've been trying to work with an IGES file to import the model to ANSYS. The problem is when in ANSYS I'm having lots of problems gluing the areas. I started using workbench to see if i could fix this problem. After finding a solution for it (the mesh created by workbench was fine) i found out i could only use isotropic elements.

Do you have any suggestion for this problem?

Thank you

José Blasques

 

[Drej]

Hard for me to say without knowing exactly what you're trying to do. You can use bonded contact between the areas if you can't glue them - if applicable for your geometry. Other than that, use your CAD system to glue the areas or to create them.

Which version of ANSYS/WB are you using? If using version 9 you should be able to mesh the surfaces with higher order plane strain/stress elements. Then, if your mesh in Workbench is fine and you're happy with it, transfer the model to ANSYS, then EMODIF the shells created in Workbench to your specified shell99 (you will have to mesh in workbench with the higher order quads in order to convert the mesh to higher order shell99 in ANSYS.

Cheers,

-- drej --