BDA 31003
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
Laboratory Session 1
INTRODUCTION
About LISA
• LISA is a user friendly FEA software for Windows with an
integrated modeler, multi-threaded solver and graphical
post-processor.
• LISA can be found and downloaded from it’s website:
https://www.lisafea.com/index.html
• The latest release of LISA is 8.0.0
• The free version has 1300 node limit. The license is
perpetual and will never expire.
• LISA is a 32 bit program that will also run on 64 bit Windows
operating systems.
• 32 bit programs can access a maximum of 2GB RAM, so
LISA is suitable only for small finite element models.
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…About LISA
• There are 4 requirements to install LISA 8.0 in the computer:
1. Windows XP or later (other OS are not supported)
2. Graphics card supporting Shader Model 1.1
3. Microsoft.Net Framework Version 2.0
4. Microsoft XNA Framework 3.1
• Support various analyses such as Linear Static, Dynamic
Response, Modal Vibration, Steady & Transient Heat Flow,
Steady Fluid Flow, CAD Associativity and many more.
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Introductory Problem
The cantilever beam shown below is loaded by a single point load of magnitude
1000 N at it’s free end and in the negative Y-direction. The beam is of length 10
m with cross-section of 4 × 4 m. It is rigidly fixed at it’s left end. The material
properties are; Young’s modulus, E = 210 GPa, Poisson ratio, ν = 0.3 and density,
ρ = 7800 kg/m3. The stress distribution is required to be determined.
1000 N
4m
4m
10 m
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3 Stages of FEA
• Type of Analysis
Pre- •
•
Material Properties
Geometrical Model
Processing •
•
Element Meshing & Material Assignment
Constraints & Loads
Solving • Solve button / command!
• Results!
Post- •
•
Deformation
Animation
Processing • Data / Table
• Image Option
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Pre-Processing Stage
• Type of Analysis Selection
• Defining Material Properties
• Creating Geometrical Model
• Element Meshing and Material Assignment
• Applying Constraints
• Applying Loads (if any)
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Type of Analysis Selection…
l From the main screen, double click
Analysis (default Static 3D).
Double click!
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…Type of Analysis Selection
l A Global Properties dialog appears, then under General tab,
select 2D > Static 2D. The reason to select 2D (2-Dimensional) is
the beam will be seen from planar view (as a plate) and the cross
section of the beam is deemed as the thickness of the plate.
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Defining Material Properties
l Material properties defined in this step will later be assigned to
the elements that are going to be created. Select Materials menu
from the Model menu.
l A blank material dialog appear, click Add then in Geometric tab,
select Plate /shell/ membrane and enter a corresponding
thickness. In this case the thickness for the plate is 4 m, so you
just need to enter 4. Switch to Mechanical tab, select Isotropic
option. Enter the Young's modulus 210 GPa and the Poisson ratio
0.3 value then Close to exit the dialog.
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Material Properties > Geometric
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Material Properties > Mechanical
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Renaming the material
l Select Material > Right click > Select Rename
> Type “Steel” > Click OK.
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Creating Geometrical Model…
l On the main screen, select New node tab then enter the
coordinates of the 4 corners of the beam as seen on x-y plane.
Click “New node”
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…Creating Geometrical Model
l Enter (0; 0) > Click Add, (10; 0) > Click Add, (10; 4) > Click Add
and (0; 4) > Click Add. Hit Close button when you have entered
all the coordinates to exit the dialog.
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…Creating Geometrical Model
l To view in x-y plane, to re-size the model to fit
the screen and to show the node numbers,
click all the following tabs.
XY view Fit to screen Show node and
element numbers
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…Creating Geometrical Model
l All 4 nodes with numbers in x-y plane
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Creating Element…
l To create the 8 node elements, we could create more nodes in-
between the 4 existing nodes and then join them up to form 8
node elements or we could create 4 node quadrilateral elements,
and use a feature in LISA's pre-processor to automatically
convert the 4 node elements into 8 node elements. We shall
choose the latter alternative.
l Use the Add Single menu from the Elements menu
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…Creating Element
l On the displayed dialog,
select the quad4 plane
element.
l Type 1, 2, 3, 4 in the pop up
box, then click Add > Close.
Now you have an element.
l Alternatively, you can click
the nodes that you want to
use to create an element. In
this case click nodes 1, 2, 3,
and 4.
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…Creating Element
l You will have element 1 as follows:
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Assigning Material Properties to Element
l On the displayed menu, select Default <1 elements> and verify
that the element properties component being created is assigned
to the Default material which is Steel.
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Showing Node/Element Numbers
l To turn ON/OFF the element number, go to menu then click the
“Show node and element numbers” icon.
Show node and
element numbers
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Refining Element Size…
l To refine the element size, first click “Select element” icon, then
click on the element to be refined (Element 1). The selected
element should turn blue.
Select element icon
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…Refining Element Size
l Then, select
Mesh tools >
Refine >
Custom…
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…Refining Element Size
l From menu Elements .
Refine Custom, then in the
dialog enter the number of
vertical divisions as 10,
horizontal divisions as 4 and
element number 1.
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…Refining Element Size
l You will have element mesh as follows:
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Changing Element Shape…
l To change the mesh to 8 node
elements, you can either click the
icon on the main menu OR select
Change element shape from the
Mesh tools menu.
OR
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…Changing Element Shape
l Select the radio button to change from quad4 to quad8.
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…Changing Element Shape
l Now the all quad4 elements have been converted to quad8. You
can see this by looking at the nodes in every element.
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Checking Element List
l You can also verify the element shape and material from the
Element List. Go to Mesh tools > Node/Element List.
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Applying Constraints…
l The material at the left edge will remain in the vertical plane
which means the displacement along the X-axis for these nodes
must be constrained to be zero.
l In accordance with Poisson’s law displacement along the Y -axis
is however permitted as the material will expand or contract
laterally as it is stretched or compressed, so no constraint along
the Y -axis will be applied.
l To eliminate translational rigid body motion along the Y -axis a
single constraint along this axis will be applied at the bottom left
corner node
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…Applying Constraints
l Using the mouse, click the Select node icon above the element
model then select all the nodes at the left end. The nodes will turn
blue when selected.
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…Applying Constraints
Select Add/Edit from the constraints menu, then in the dialog Select
displx in the drop-down list.
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…Applying Constraints
To rename the constraint, go to Name Selections, bring the cursor
on Unnamed <9 nodes>, right click then select Rename. Change the
name to Displx in the dialog, then click OK. Now the name should
change to Displx <9 nodes>.
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…Applying Constraints
l Next, using the mouse, select the lower left corner node (Node 1)
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…Applying Constraints
To rename the constraint, go to Name Selections, bring the cursor
on Unnamed <1 nodes>, right click then select Rename. Change the
name to Disply in the dialog, then click OK. Now the name should
change to Disply <1 nodes>.
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Applying Load…
l A vertical load of magnitude 1000 N acts in the negative Y -
direction and has to be applied at the right tip of the beam.
l Select the node at the top right corner (Node 3).
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...Applying Load
l A vertical load of magnitude 1000 N acts in the negative Y -
direction and has to be applied at the right tip of the beam.
l Select the node at the top right corner (Node 3).
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…Applying Load
To rename the load, go to Name Selections, bring the cursor on
Unnamed <1 nodes>, right click then select Rename. Change the
name to Forcey in the dialog, then click OK. Now the name should
change to Forcey <1 nodes>.
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…Applying Load
l Click OK to exit the parent dialog. The model display will update
to show the applied load.
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Solving Stage…
l To solve the model, go to File menu then select Solve. Don't
forget to save your work, File . Save or File . Save as if you want
to save as different name.
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…Solving Stage
l After the solver has finished, click the Post Processor button to
see the result to to animation and other viewing results.
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Post Processing Stage
l Various viewing features
l To re-orient the view to be parallel to
the monitor use the following menu
item or tool-button.
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Viewing Results…
l Von Mises Stress
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…Viewing Results
l Displacement Magnitude
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Table of Data
l Double click Table under Solution menu list.
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Animation & Graphical Option
l Animation
l Graphical option
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FINISH!!!
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