FEM: Sequence of static structural analysis on Finite Elements Method

Have ever you asked: what is the sequence of static structural analysis on Finite Elements Method? In this article, we will briefly answer this question:

Are there basically five steps to be followed to do any of static structural analysis successful.

These are:

1.    Planning: Get all information before going to CAE software

1.1.   Which kind of geometry is enough to simulate: solid, surfaces or bars? Is the CAD model well generated? Are there gaps between faces or edges? Are there extra vertex or edge? How is the transition between body faces. is it smooth and clean?

1.2.   Which kind of analysis is necessary (linear or nonlinear)?

1.3.   What is important to represent on geometry? Do you need all geometry or only part of it?

1.4.   What is the material? Is it available on software library? Do you have all its necessary properties?

1.5.   How does the body works and interacts with the environment? Is there thermal or flows influences?

1.6.   Which are and how are the behavior and its values of all loadings?

1.7.   Which are and how are the behavior of all supports and connections?    

2.       Pre-processing: All information that will support to compute the solution must imputed at pre-processing step. The analysis quality strongly depends on the quality of data inputted in this step.

2.1.   Choice the analysis type and options.

2.2.    Simplify the geometry.

2.3.    Choice the material and set its properties and mechanical behavior.

2.4.     Set the boundary conditions: loadings, supports, and connections.

2.5.     Generate and check the mesh quality.

2.6.     Add other extra restrictions about how analysis should calculated.

3.       Solution: Solve the problem, normally called of Black Box, because this is the software internal parameters and there isn't interaction of user during this step, but some sequences happen during this step.

3.1.     All information of pre-processing is checked about mistakes.

3.2.     If there are errors, it returns to pre-processing step to user solves them, if not, the problem is calculated.

4.       Post-processing: After the problem has been calculated, the solution should be translated to visible information, easier and intuitive for the user, in which only information required by user that will be shown.

5.       Results Analysis:

Some questions should be asked: Does results make sense? Is it like reality? The convergence was gotten and the numerical error is admissible?

If there is some inconsistency on the result or it isn´t satisfactory, it´s necessary to return to pre-processing step and redo it with better parameters.