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2008 International ANSYS Conference
Combining the strengths of ANSYS Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM
Peter R. Barrett, P.E.Vice PresidentCAE Associates
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Combining the strengths of Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM
• Challenges of Civil / Structural Engineers today:– Increase Construction efficiency– Save Material Costs– Extend the life of existing structures– Evaluate the Risks of Terrorist Events
• Solution– Develop more accurate structural analysis models– Develop automated analyses to save design time– Perform what if and design optimization tasks to create more
effective use of construction materials– Use the strengths of ANSYS Workbench and CivilFEM to achieve
these goals
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What is CivilFEM?• CivilFEM is an integrated Pre- and Post-
processor to traditional ANSYS developed by ANSYS’s Spain distributor INGECIBER
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CAE Associates• CAE Associates is one of the original ANSYS
channel partners and a CivilFEM channel partner with unique expertise in Civil Engineering
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Combining the Strengths of Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM
• Topics Addressed– Comparison of Workbench & CivilFEM– Applications where integration makes sense– Customization without Programming– Sample Case Study– Summary
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Comparison of Tool Strengths
• ANSYS Workbench: – Ease of use– Geometry manipulation– Graphics speed– CAD integration and
associativity– Robust meshing– Loads, BC application– Automatic assembly
and contact generation.– Uses ANSYS for
solution.
• ANSYS CivilFEM:– Automated Complex
analyses– Complex loading– Material Models– Specialized Post-
processing capabilities– Driven interactively or
with batch/input scripts– Uses ANSYS for
solution.
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Workbench / ANSYS/CivilFEM FEA Road Map
CAD System (ProE,UG,SolidWorks,SolidEdge,Inventor,CATIA)
ANSYS & ANSYS / CivilFEM Solver
geometry + parameters
“Black Window” ANSYS
ANF file(geometry only)
Nodes, Elements, BCs, Materials, ~CivilFEM Command Blocks
DesignModeler
Simulation
ANSYS/CivilFEM Preprocessor
Workbench
geometry + parameters
ANF file (geometry only)
Nodes, Elements, BCs, Materials, ~CivilFEM commands
Nodes, Elements, BCs, Materials
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Combining the strengths of Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM
• Workbench Strengths in Civil Engineering– Development of Parametric
Geometry models using DesignModeler and/or native CAD
– Defeaturing of CAD models – Robust Meshing– Named Selections for easy
interface with ANSYS/CivilFEM– Easy Accessibility to CivilFEM
features via command blocks
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Combining the strengths of Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM
• CivilFEM Strengths– Nonlinear Bridge Simulation– Pre-stressed Concrete– Nuclear Applications– Geotechnical Applications including tunnelling– Built-in Material Models and Code Checking
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Combining the strengths of Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM
• Applications where integration makes sense– 3-D Brick/Tet Modeling– Design of Experiments and/or Optimization
Applications– Model Defeaturing– Custom Material & Code Checking Required
• Customization without Programming• Accessing full suite of ANSYS and CivilFEM
options
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Example Sequential Simulation
• Nonlinear Incremental Construction• Automated Tunneling
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Combining the strengths of Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM
• CivilFEM Setup– Integrated Codes, Units, Materials
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CivilFEM Materials – Command Block Example
• CivilFEM Material Library and Units commands Accessed in Workbench via Command Block
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Combining the strengths of Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM
• Complex Material Laws – Concrete Cracking for Example
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Simple Beam Example
• Using DesignModeler a 3-d Parametric I-Beam Model is created.
• Ex. Parameters– Flange Geom.
• Depth• Thickness
– Web thickness– Beam Ht
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Simple Beam Example
• Example Command Block used to activate CivilFEM modules, define the CivilFEM working units and define material properties for the I-Beam
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Simple Beam Example
• Command Block is listed in the DS.DAT file:
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Simple Beam Example
• Example List of Material Properties
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Combining the strengths of Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM
• Workbench Parametric Model Results• Postprocess in WB
– Stresses– Deflections– Section Cuts
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Combining the strengths of Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM
• Example Beam Results from CivilFEM– Shear– Peak Stress– Section Data
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CivilFEM Post Accessed via Command Blocks in Workbench
• Postprocessing of Solids for Design checking using CivilFEM Solids to Shells Automation via Command Blocks:
• ∼SD2SH, NodeComp, ElemComp, SHVTXNUM, SHPRONUM, MatReinf, CoverIn, CoverOut, Th, TolTh
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CivilFEM Post Accessed via Command Blocks in Workbench
• Code Checking for Concrete Sections
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CivilFEM Module Example - Seismic Analysis
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Combining the strengths of Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM
• Current Capabilities of Workbench make it easy to access material laws from CivilFEM
• Current WB allows for all CivilFEM features to be accessed via Command Blocks
• Current CivilFEM allows a majority of its capabilities to be accessed via commands
• Models are easily passed to ANSYS / CivilFEM• More automated Integration is expected after the
release of WB2!