Page 67 - Using ANSYS for Finite Element Analysis A Tutorial for Engineers

54 • Using ansys for finite element analysis
• externally applied forces and pressures,
• steady-state inertial forces (such as gravity or rotational velocity),
• imposed (nonzero) displacements,
• temperatures (for thermal strain),
• fluences (for nuclear swelling).

2.1.3 linear versus nonlinear static analyses

A static analysis can be either linear or nonlinear. All types of nonlinear-
ities are allowed—large deformations, plasticity, creep, stress stiffening,
contact (gap) elements, hyperelastic elements, and so on. This chapter
focuses on linear static analyses, with brief references to nonlinearities.
Details of how to handle nonlinearities are described in Nonlinear Struc-
tural Analysis notes.

2.2 statiC analysis ProCedUre

2.2.1 PreProcessing: Building a Model

Building a finite element model requires more of your time than any other
part of the analysis. First, you specify a jobname and analysis title. Then,
you use the PREP7 preprocessor to define the element types, element real
constants, material properties, and the model geometry.

2.2.1.1 Defining the Jobname

The jobname is a name that identifies the ANSYS job. When you define a
jobname for an analysis, the jobname becomes the first part of the name of
all files the analysis creates. (The extension or suffix for these files’ names