Shear, moment, and torque diagrams

You can create shear, moment, and torque (SMT) diagrams in post-processing for 1D, 2D, and 3D elements. The SMT diagrams show you the evolution of forces and moments along a path, such as a wing, fuselage, or tail. The following is an SMT diagram of shear force along a path of a simple beam. You can use the diagrams to monitor the structural behavior and identify critical load cases.

You use a two-step process to create SMT diagrams:

• Set up and generate nodal force reports along a path.Use the Nodal Force Reports on Path command to set up nodal force report output along a path you define using a query curve. You select the forces acting on a set of free-body nodes along the vertices of the query curve. The forces are taken from solver outputs, such as reaction or contact forces from Simcenter Nastran.

• Specify the output for the SMT diagrams and plot.Use the right-click Shear Moment Torque Diagrams command to extract the results for the SMT diagrams from the nodal force reports on path. The Shear Moment Torque Diagrams command is available when you select more than one nodal force reports on path. You can extract shear force, axial force, bending moment, and torque. You can create an SMT diagram from any subcase or step in the selected solution. Because you can select any subcase or step, you can use the same elements to cycle through subcases or steps in a solution.

Defining the nodes and elements for the nodal force calculations

You define the nodes and elements to be used in the nodal force calculations:

• When creating a nodal force reports on path of a grid point force, you specify the elements connected to the grid point force.

• For all forces, you specify the nodes on which the forces in the report are calculated, including specifying all nodes.

You can select the elements or nodes directly, or select the following entities or a combination of them:

• Polygon geometry

• Other geometries (such as a curve, point, end of curve, or mesh point)

• Meshes

• Groups

• Selection recipes

You can display the nodal force reports on path with respect to the global (absolute) coordinate system or another selected coordinate system.

Specifying the query curve for the nodal force reports on path

You specify a query curve to define the location of the forces you want displayed in the nodal force reports on path. You report the results on the vertices of the query curve within a Z-direction tolerance. All nodes within the tolerance are included in the nodal force reports on path.

For more information about query curves, see Using query curves to define paths.

Choosing the output for the nodal force reports on path

The software creates a nodal force reports on path for each vertex in the query curve you select. It stores them in the Nodal Force Reports node of the Simulation Navigator. It uses the prefix NFR, the name of the query curve, the type of force, and the vertex count for the names. For example, the following shows nodal force reports on path generated for a query curve with two vertices.

You can work with the nodal force reports on path as you do any nodal force report. For example, you can use the reports to generate loads in breakout models or to display free-body diagram output in a post view. For more information, see Generating nodal force report output.

Specifying the output and plotting SMT diagrams

To create SMT diagrams, you select the nodal force reports on path from which you want to generate the SMT diagrams. You then select any subcase or step in the selected solution. You also choose the forces to be displayed: shear force, axial force, bending moment, or torque.

The software creates SMT diagrams for each output force you select. It stores them in the Graphs node of the Post Processing Navigator with a prefix you select. For example, the following shows SMT diagrams generated with the SMT prefix.

Editing nodal force reports on path

You can edit a nodal force reports on paths to improve the selection of nodes and elements. You edit a nodal force reports on path as you do a nodal force report using the Nodal Force Report dialog box.

Where do I find it?

Creating nodal force reports on path

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisites	The Simulation file as the work part and displayed partAn active, solved solution containing the results that you intend to use for the nodal force reports on path
Simulation Navigator	Right-click a solution node→Nodal Force Reports on Path

Creating SMT diagrams

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisite	Multiple nodal force reports on path
Simulation Navigator	Hold Ctrl and select multiple nodal force reports on path, and then right-click→Shear Moment Torque Diagrams

How do I

Set up and generate nodal force reports on path

Specify the output and plot SMT diagrams

Example of creating SMT diagrams

Quick links

Command reference

Pre/Post video examples

Bulk Entry Descriptions

Simcenter 3D tutorials

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Shear, moment, and torque diagrams, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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