Forces, Joints and Motions with NLFE Bodies

MotionSolve supports the use of almost all force, joint and motion types with the NLFE components with the exception of the following:
  1. 3D/2D generic contact is currently not supported.
  2. Point to deformable surface contacts and constraints are also not supported
  3. Distributed force application on the NLFE components is not supported

All the other supported force, joint and motion types are applied to the NLFE component via the use of markers. For example, consider the case where an NLFE cantilever beam is fixed to the ground at one end (Figure 1). A fixed joint is created between one end of the beam (NLFEBody 0) and the ground (Ground Body). In doing so, a marker is automatically created and attached rigidly to the NLFE body at the point of attachment (beam_ground).



Figure 1. A Cantilever Beam Fixed to Ground via a FIXED Joint
This marker will be rigidly attached at the corresponding grid of the NLFE component. Rigidly here means that 6 degrees of freedom of the grid are arrested - these are the X, Y and Z translation of the grid, as well as the relative rotation of the grid with respect to the marker about the X, Y and Z axes. However, as is noted in BEAM Elements, this leaves 6 degrees of freedom (lengths of the gradient vectors in the X, Y and Z direction, as well as the angle between the three gradient vectors) for the BEAM grid. These are not constrained and are allowed to change. This results in the following scenario:
Degree of Freedom of the grid
Constrained?
Rigid translation of the grid along X axis
Yes
Rigid translation of the grid along Y axis
Yes
Rigid translation of the grid along Z axis
Yes
Rigid rotation of the grid about X axis
Yes
Rigid rotation of the grid about Y axis
Yes
Rigid rotation of the grid about Z axis
Yes
Deformation (axial strain) along X axis
No
Deformation (axial strain) along Y axis
No
Deformation (axial strain) along Z axis
No
Deformation (shear strain) in XY plane
No
Deformation (shear strain) in YZ plane
No
Deformation (shear strain) in ZX plane
No
Rigid translation of the grid along X axis
No
The effect of the unconstrained additional 6 DOFs may become noticeable in some scenarios. For example, consider the same cantilever beam subjected to an end load of 100 kg-force. The deformation of the fixed end of the beam is visualized in Figure 2. The grey feature lines represent the model configuration or the configuration at time = 0.




Figure 2. Deformation of the Cantilever Beam Under an End Load

Looking closely at the end where the beam is fixed to the ground (Figure 2), it seems that the beam cross-section has rotated about the Y axis. This seems to be the wrong behavior, since the beam was fixed to ground and so should not rotate about any axis.

The reason the beam appears to rotate about the Y axis in this case is because of the additional 6 DOFs that are not constrained by the fixed joint. Due to this, the gradient vectors of the beam at the fixed end are free to stretch and twist relative to each other. This can be confirmed by plotting the gradient vectors at the start of the beam in the direction along the beam and normal to it.



Figure 3. Gradient Vector Along and Normal to the Beam at the Fixed End

As can be seen from the plot above, the gradient vector along the beam changes from (1,0,0) to ~(0.998574, 0, -0.0466717). Since the NLFE elements are drawn such that the gradient vector along the beam axis is always normal to the element, this results in what looks like a rotation of the beam cross section at the start.

To alleviate this, you need to "fully" clamp the grid at the fixed end of the beam to the ground. This is achieved by using the CONN0 element. The CONN0 element is a connector element that allows you to rigidify the gradient vectors of a single grid. Please see the NLFE reference manual for more information on this.

For this model, adding the CONN0 element, and "fully" clamping the grid at the fixed end of the beam to the ground results in the expected simulation result shown in Figure 4 below.





Figure 4. Deformation of the Cantilever Beam Under an End Load with the CONN0 Element

Further, the gradient vectors at the fixed end also do not change during the simulation, as is expected while fixing the beam to the ground at this end.



Figure 5. The Gradient Vector Along and Normal to the Beam at the Fixed End with the CONN0 Element
Note: MotionView provides a system definition for easy creation of the CONN0 element that can be imported into your model. This way, you do not have to hand-edit the XML deck.