APPENDIX A

Linear Static Analysis of a

Cantilever Beam Using Beam
Library (SI Units)

Objectives:
■ Create a geometric representation of a cantilever beam.
■ Use the geometry model to define an MSC.Nastran
analysis model comprised of CBAR elements.
■ Prepare an MSC.Nastran input file for a linear static
analysis.
■ Visualize analysis results.

MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook A-1

A-2 MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook
APPENDIX A Cantilever Beam (Sol 101)

Model Description:
Below is a finite element representation of the beam structure shown on
page A-1. The beam has a hollow, rectangular cross-section as shown
below in View A-A. The wall thickness is constant. The span of the beam
is 5 m and has a fixed boundary condition at X = 0 and a tip force of 1000
N is applied at X = 5 m in the negative Y-direction. The beam undergoes
pure bending as a result of this applied load.

Figure A.1 - Model Schematics

Y

1000.0
Z X
A
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
123456

A
Ye

D b C

0.01

a a Ze

0.2
View A-A

E b F
0.1

Table A.1 - Model Properties

Elastic Modulus: 7.1E+10 N/m2

Poisson Ratio: 0.3
Density: 2.704E+03 kg/m3
Area: 5.600E-03 m2
Iaa: 2.780E-05 m4
Ibb: 8.990E-06 m4
J: 2.090E-05 m4
MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook A-3
 Suggested Exercise Steps:
■ Open a new database.
■ Create a curve and mesh it with bar elements (CBAR). Use
the meshing feature so that elements and nodes (GRID) will
be generated automatically by MSC.Patran.
■ Define material (MAT1) and element (PBAR) properties.
■ Verify XY-orientation vectors for bar elements.
■ Apply a fixed boundary constraint (SPC1) at one end of the
beam and a transverse force to the free end of the beam
(FORCE).
■ Use the load and boundary condition sets to define a load
case (SUBCASE).
■ Prepare the model for a Linear Static analysis (SOL 101 and
PARAMs).
■ Generate and submit input file to the MSC.Nastran solver.
■ Post-process results.
■ Quit MSC.Patran.

A-4 MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook

APPENDIX A Cantilever Beam (Sol 101)

Exercise Procedure:
1. Create a new database called cantilever_beam.db.

File/New...
New Database Name: cantilever_beam
OK

In the New Model Preference form set the following:

Tolerance: ◆ Default
Analysis Code: MSC/NASTRAN
Analysis Type: Structural
OK

NOTE: Whenever possible, toggle off the ❑ Auto Execute option by

left clicking the check box.

2. Create a curve to define a geometrical representation of the beam.

◆Geometry
Action: Create
Object: Curve
Method: XYZ
Vector Coordinates List: <5, 0, 0>
Origin Coordinates List: [0, 0, 0]
Apply

3. Discretize the geometry model with BAR2 elements. The element

length is determined by the Global Edge Length parameter.

◆ Finite Elements
Action: Create
Object: Mesh
Type: Curve

MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook A-5

 Global Edge Length: 0.5
Element Topology: Bar2

Curve List: Curve 1

Apply

Show all entity labels by selecting the Show Labels icon on the Top
Menu Bar

Show Labels

The display should resemble Figure A.2.

Figure A.2

1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 16 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 211

Z X

4. Define a material using the specified modulus of elasticity, Poisson

ratio and density.

◆ Materials
Action: Create
Object: Isotropic
Method: Manual Input
Material Name: mat_1
Input Properties...
Constitutive Model: Linear Elastic

A-6 MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook

APPENDIX A Cantilever Beam (Sol 101)

Elastic Modulus = 7.10E10

Poisson Ratio = 0.3
Density = 2.65E4
OK
Apply

The Current Constitutive Models form should appear as below:

Linear Elastic - [,,,,] - [Active]

Cancel

5. Define the properties of your beam model using the specified section
properties data. Here is where the material defined in the previous
operation is referenced. Be sure to specify the XY-orientation vector
correctly. Also, remember to specify the stress recovery coefficients
correctly. Otherwise, it will be impossible to recover bending
stresses.

◆ Properties
Action: Create
Object: 1D
Method: Beam
Property Set Name: bar
Input Properties...
Material Name: m:mat_1
Bar Orientation: < 0, 1, 0 >

Now, activate the Beam Library by clicking the icon shown below.

Create

MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook A-7

 Standard Shapes
New Section Name: sect_1

Click on the icon shown below to access the Box Section menu.

Box Section

The menu should appear in the right half of the window. Enter the
following dimensions into it.

W= 0.1
H= 0.2
t1 = 0.01
t2 = 0.01
Calculate/Display

Figure A.3

OK
OK
Select Members: Curve 1
Add
Apply

A-8 MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook

APPENDIX A Cantilever Beam (Sol 101)

6. Graphically assess the orientation vectors that are required on the

CBAR entries in the MSC.Nastran input file. These vectors define
the local XY-plane for each bar element. Since the element property
created was applied to the geometry model instead of the analysis
model, graphical display of respective attributes will appear on the
geometry model by default. To display attributes such as the
orientation vectors on our analysis model, we must change an option
in Display/Load/BC/Elem. Props... The node labels may be
deactivated for clarity.

Display/Load/BC/Elem. Props...

■ Show on FEM Only

Beam Display: 3D: Full-Span+Offsets
Apply
Cancel

Change the action in the Element Properties form to Show.

Action: Show
Existing Properties: Definition of XY Plane
Display Method: Vector Plot
Select Group: default_group
Apply

Figure A.4

1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000

1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 61 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11
2

Z X

MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook A-9

 7. Reset the Functional Assignment Display back to geometry.

Display/Load/BC/Elem. Props...

❑ Show on FEM Only

Apply
Cancel

7a. Define the cantilever boundary condition by creating displacement

constraints and applying them to the geometry model.

◆ Loads/BCs
Action: Create
Object: Displacement
Type: Nodal
New Set Name: fixed
Input Data...
Translation < T1 T2 T3 > < 0, 0, 0 >
Rotation <R1 R2 R3> < 0, 0, 0 >
OK

Select Application Region...

Geometry Filter: ◆ Geometry
Select Geometric Entities: Point 1
Add
OK
Apply

8. The tip force which causes the beam to bend is defined as follows:

◆ Loads/BCs
Action: Create
Object: Force
Type: Nodal

A-10 MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook

APPENDIX A Cantilever Beam (Sol 101)

New Set Name: y_load

Input Data...
Force <F1 F2 F3> < , -1000, >
OK
Select Application Region...
Geometry Filter: ◆ Geometry
Select Geometric Entities: Point 2
Add
OK
Apply

Refresh the display by selecting the brush icon on the Top Menu
Bar.

Refresh Graphics

Create a load case which references the forces and boundary

conditions that have been defined.

◆ Load Cases
Action: Create
Load Case Name: sub_1
Load Case Type: Static
Assign/Prioritize Loads/BCs
(Click each selection until all Displ_fixed
Loads/BCs have one entry in the Force_y_load
spreadsheet)*

* REMINDER: Make sure that the LBC Scale Factor column shows
the proper value for each entry (= 1.0).

OK
Apply

MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook A-11

 9. For clarity, create a new group called fem_only. This group will
contain only analysis model entities.

Group/Create...

New Group Name: fem_only

■ Make Current
■ Unpost All Other Groups
Group Contents: Add All FEM

Apply
Cancel

10. Again, for clarity, shrink the elements by 10%; this allows us to
easily assess the element connectivities. Use the Display/Finite
Elements... option.

Display/Finite Elements...

FEM Shrink: 0.10

Apply
Cancel

11. To display the load and boundary conditions on the analysis model,
change the action in the Loads/BCs form to Plot Markers.

11a. Recall that because the loads and boundary conditions you defined
were applied to the geometry model, the Functional Assignment
Display must be set to FEM.

Display/Load/BC/Elem. Props...

■ Show on FEM Only

Apply
Cancel

11b. Plot the load and boundary condition markers.

◆ Loads/BCs
Action: Plot Markers
A-12 MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook
APPENDIX A Cantilever Beam (Sol 101)

Select all sets in the Assigned Load/BC Sets box by highlighting

them. Apply to the current group fem_only.

Assigned Load/BCs Sets: Displ_fixed

Force_y_load

Select Groups: fem_only

Apply

The load and boundary conditions should resemble Figure A.5.

Figure A.5

1000.

1123456
1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11

Z X

Reset the display by selecting the broom icon on the Top Menu Bar.

Reset Graphics

12. Generate an input file for analysis.

Click on the Analysis radio button on the Top Menu Bar and
complete the entries as shown below.

◆ Analysis
Action: Analyze
Object: Entire Model
Method: Analysis Deck

MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook A-13

 Job Name: cantilever_beam
Translation Parameters...
OUTPUT2 Format: Binary
MSC.Nastran Version: ???
OK (set to current version 70.)

Solution Type...
Solution Type: ◆ Linear Static
Solution Parameters...
■ Database Run
■ Automatic Constraints
Data Deck Echo: Sorted

Wt.- Mass Conversion = 1.000

OK (for SI units)

OK
Subcase Select...
Subcases For Solution Sequence: sub_1
Subcases Selected: Default
OK (click to deselect)

Apply

An input file named cantilever_beam.bdf will be generated. This

process of translating the model into an input file is called the
Forward Translation. The Forward Translation is complete when the
Heartbeat turns green.

A-14 MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook

APPENDIX A Cantilever Beam (Sol 101)

Submitting the Input File for Analysis:

13. Submit the input file to MSC.Nastran for analysis.

13a. To submit the MSC.Patran .bdf file for analysis, find an

available UNIX shell window. At the command prompt
enter: nastran cantilever_beam.bdf scr=yes. Monitor
the run using the UNIX ps command.

14. When the run is completed, edit the cantilever_beam.f06 file

and search for the word FATAL. If no matches exist, search for
the word WARNING. Determine whether existing
WARNING messages indicate modeling errors.

15. While still editing cantilever_beam.f06, search for the word:

D I S P L A C E (spaces are necessary)

What is the y-component of the tip deflection vector?

disp Y =

What is the %error of this deflection versus the theoretical tip

deflection?

%error =

Search for the word:

S T R E S S (spaces are necessary)

What is the maximum positive stress due to bending?

max. stress =

What is the %error of this stress versus the theoretical

maximum positive bending stress?

%error =

MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook A-15

 16. MSC.Nastran Users have finished this exercise.
MSC.Patran Users should proceed to the next step.
17. Proceed with the Reverse Translation process, that is, attaching the
cantilever_beam.xdb results file into MSC.Patran.

To do this, return to the Analysis form and proceed as follows:

◆ Analysis
Action: Attach XDB
Object: Result Entities
Method: Local
Select Results File...
Filter
Available Files: cantilever_beam.xdb
OK
Apply

18. When translation is completed and the Heartbeat turns green, bring
up the Results form.

◆ Results
Action: Create
Object: Quick Plot

Choose the desired result case in the Select Result Cases list and
select the result(s) in the Select Fringe Result list and/or in the
Select Deformation Result list. And hit Apply to view the result(s)
in the viewport.

Reset Graphics

Quit MSC.Patran after finishing this exercise.

A-16 MSC.Nastran 120 Exercise Workbook