Axisymmetric analysis

Axisymmetry occurs when a geometric part is a body of revolution and the loads and constraints acting on the part are only radial and axial, that is, they are cylindrical, with no tangential component.

In Pre/Post, you can perform axisymmetric analysis on body of revolution parts by creating the FE model on a section plane on one side of the rotational axis. This greatly reduces the degrees of freedom (DOF) and therefore also significantly reduces solution time.

The Nastran, ANSYS, and Abaqus environments support axisymmetric analysis in two ways:

• You can build and analyze axisymmetric models in the 2D Axisymmetric Structural and Axisymmetric Thermal environments.

• You can build and analyze models that contain axisymmetric, plane strain, and plane stress elements, along with non-axisymmetric elements, in the 3D Structural environment

Axisymmetric Structural and Thermal environments

Video: Perform an axisymmetric analysis

You can build and analyze axisymmetric models in the Axisymmetric Structural or Axisymmetric Thermal environments. Axisymmetric modeling is useful for body of revolution parts such as pressure vessels.

The model is built on an axisymmetric plane, and rotates around the rotational axis. The specific plane and axis of rotation depends on the solver type.

The Axisymmetric Structural environment lets you use axisymmetric, plane strain, and plane stress elements. The Axisymmetric Thermal environment lets you use axisymmetric elements only.

You can apply axisymmetric boundary conditions only in the directions and DOF that are relevant to the 2D plane and axis of rotation.

In the following example, the figure on the left shows axisymmetric elements and boundary conditions. The figure on the right shows an axisymmetric model in Post Processing, rotated 180 degrees.

Positioning the model in an axisymmetric environment

Axisymmetric analysis requires you to properly align the center of rotation and the radial axis of the axisymmetric model to the absolute coordinate system. For example, in the Simcenter Nastran environment:

• The center of rotation is the absolute Z-axis, and the axisymmetric plane is absolute XZ. The model must lie in the +X half of the XZ plane.

• The center of rotation is the absolute X-axis, and the axisymmetric plane is absolute XY. The model must lie in the +Y half of the XY plane.

Tip:

To move the model to the appropriate location for axisymmetric analysis, use the Reposition Master option. To find this option, right-click the idealized part node in the Simulation Navigator.

The following example shows a part in the Simcenter Nastran environment. The center of rotation aligns with the absolute Z-axis. The mesh is created on a section on the XZ plane.

Axisymmetric modeling in the Structural environment

In the Simcenter Nastran, ANSYS, and Abaqus Structural environments, as well as the Simcenter 3D Multiphysics environment, you can build models that include axisymmetric, plane stress, and plane strain elements, as well as non-axisymmetric elements.

To use axisymmetric, plane stress and plane strain elements in the Structural environment, set the 2D Solid Option, which defines the axis of rotation, as well as the plane on which to create the 2D elements.

The environment provides axisymmetric boundary conditions that you can apply to the axisymmetric, plane strain, and plane stress elements in the model. You can apply the axisymmetric loads and constraints only in the directions and DOF that are relevant to the axisymmetric plane and axis of rotation.

In the aerospace industry, the combination of axisymmetric elements and plane stress elements can be used to model a turbine engine with turbine blades, or a rotated part that contains bolt holes.

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Axisymmetric analysis, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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