Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology

Modelling and Analysis Lab

SAEA2702
Mr. Madhan Kumar G

2025-2026
Lab Manual
 Experiment No. 1
Stress Analysis on Simply supported Beam with Uniformly Distributed Load
Aim:
To analyze the deformation and stress distribution in a simply supported beam subjected
to a uniformly distributed load (UDL) using ANSYS Workbench.
Tools Required:
• Software: ANSYS Workbench (any version 18.0 or above recommended)
• Modules Used:
o Static Structural
o DesignModeler or SpaceClaim
o Engineering Data
o Mechanical Solver
• Material Properties: Steel (default or user-defined)

Procedure:
1. Start a New Project
• Open ANSYS Workbench.
• Drag a Static Structural analysis system into the project schematic.
2. Geometry Creation
• Double-click on Geometry and use DesignModeler or SpaceClaim.
• Draw a 3D beam with appropriate dimensions (e.g., Length = 1000 mm, Width =
50 mm, Height = 10 mm).
• Use Extrude to convert 2D sketch into 3D solid.
3. Assign Material
• Go to Engineering Data, define material properties (e.g., Steel: E = 2×10⁵ MPa, ν =
0.3).
• Assign material to the beam in the Model workspace.
4. Apply Boundary Conditions
• Open Model in Mechanical.
• Apply Simply Supported conditions:
o One end as Frictionless Support (pinned).
 o The other end as Frictionless in vertical direction (roller).
• Select the top surface of the beam and apply a Uniformly Distributed Load (UDL)
in the negative Y-direction (e.g., −1000 N/m).
5. Meshing
• Click on the Mesh branch.
• Use default or refined mesh for better accuracy.
• Generate mesh.
6. Solution Setup
• Under the Solution branch:
o Insert Total Deformation and Equivalent (von-Mises) Stress results.
• Click Solve to run the simulation.
7. Post-Processing
• Observe maximum deformation at the mid-span of the beam.
• Identify stress concentrations near support regions.
• Use Probe to measure displacement or stress at specific points if needed.
Exact value
Maximum Deflection
5𝑤𝐿4
𝛿=
384𝐸𝐼

5 ∗ 10000 ∗ 14
𝛿=
384 ∗ 2 ∗ 1011 ∗ 5.2083 ∗ 10−7

𝛿 = 0.00125 m = 1.25 mm

Maximum stress
𝐸 𝜎 𝑀
Flexural Formula = =
𝑅 𝑦 𝐼

𝑤𝐿2 𝑎4 𝑎
𝑀= 𝐼= 𝑦=
8 12 2

𝑀𝑦 3𝑤𝐿2 3∗10000∗12
𝜎= = = =60 MPa
𝐼 4𝑎3 4∗0.053

Result:
• The maximum deformation occurs at the mid-span of the beam due to the UDL.
• Stress distribution is linear across the beam height, with higher values near
supports and tension/compression on top/bottom surfaces.
• The beam behaves as expected under simple bending theory, validating the use of
ANSYS for static structural analysis.
 Experiment No.2
Stress Analysis on Cantilever Beam with Point load at the free end
Aim:
To perform static structural analysis of a cantilever beam using ANSYS Workbench to
evaluate total deformation and equivalent stress under a central point load. The
simulation compares results using two different materials: Structural Steel and
Aluminum Alloy.

Tools Required:
• Software: ANSYS Workbench (with Static Structural Module)
• Material Models: Structural Steel and Aluminum Alloy
• Geometry Creation Tool: SpaceClaim or DesignModeler
• Hardware: System capable of running ANSYS simulation smoothly

Procedure:
1. Project Setup
• Open ANSYS Workbench.
• Drag and drop Static Structural into the Project Schematic.
2. Material Selection
• Double-click Engineering Data.
• Add Structural Steel and optionally Aluminum Alloy from the material library.
3. Geometry Creation
• Right-click Geometry → New Design Modular Geometry.
• Sketch a rectangle (e.g., 40 mm × 40 mm).
• Extrude the sketch to a length of 1000 mm to form the beam.
• On the top surface, split the middle section (e.g., 20 mm) to define the load
application region.
• Save and close Design Modular.
4. Meshing
• Double-click Model to open ANSYS Mechanical.
• Set Element Size ≈ 10 mm (under Mesh → Sizing).
 • Generate the mesh.
5. Boundary Conditions
• Fixed Support: Apply at one end of the beam (the root).
• Force: Apply a downward force on the split central 20 mm face (e.g., 2000 N to
simulate ~200 kg).
6. Solution Setup
• Insert the following under Solution:
• Total Deformation
• Equivalent (Von-Mises) Stress
7. Solve and Analyze
• Click Solve.
• View and interpret the stress and deformation results.
8. Optional – Material Comparison
• Add another Static Structural system in Workbench.
• Share the Geometry with the new system.
• Change the material to Aluminum Alloy.
• Repeat the meshing, boundary condition, and solution steps.

Result:
Material Max Equivalent Stress (MPa) Max Deformation (mm)
Structural Steel ~24 MPa ~0.25 mm
Aluminum Alloy ~24 MPa ~0.7 mm
• The stress levels are similar for both materials under the same loading conditions.
• Deformation is higher in aluminum due to its lower Young’s modulus.
• The stress values are within elastic limits, indicating safe design conditions.
 Experiment No. 3
Determination of buckling failure of dog bone shaped
specimen
Aim
1. Perform static structural analysis of a dog bone shaped geometry under tensile
loading to evaluate deformation and stress.
2. Perform Euler buckling analysis to determine the critical buckling load and mode
shapes of the geometry under compressive loading.

Tools Required
 ANSYS Workbench (DesignModeler/SpaceClaim and Mechanical modules)
 Computer with ANSYS installed
 Basic knowledge of ANSYS Workbench interface

Procedure
Part A: Static Structural Analysis

a) Launch ANSYS Workbench

o Open ANSYS Workbench.
b) Create Static Structural Analysis
o Drag Static Structural into the Project Schematic.
c) Create Geometry
o Right-click Geometry > New Geometry to open DesignModeler.
o Sketch two large rectangles connected by two parallel lines (dog bone
shape).
o Example dimensions: rectangles 40×20 mm, neck width 10 mm, thickness 10
mm.
o Extrude sketch to 10 mm thickness.
o Save and close DesignModeler.
d) Define Material Properties
o In Engineering Data, assign Structural Steel (E = 210 GPa, ν = 0.3).
e) Mesh the Geometry
o Right-click Model > Edit (Mechanical).
o Generate mesh and refine around the neck region.
f) Apply Boundary Conditions
o Fixed Support on one rectangle face.
o Apply tensile Force on opposite rectangle face.
 g) Solve
o Solve the model.
h) Review Results
o Insert Total Deformation and Equivalent (von Mises) Stress.
o Observe deformation and stress concentration at the neck.

Part B: Euler Buckling Analysis

a) Setup Buckling Analysis

o Return to the Project Schematic.
o Drag and drop a Buckling analysis system into the project.
o Link the geometry and material from the Static Structural analysis to the
Buckling system.
b) Apply Boundary Conditions for Buckling
o In Mechanical for Buckling:
 Apply Fixed Support on one rectangle face (same as static case).
 Apply Compression Load on opposite rectangle face (direction
opposite to static tensile load).
o Ensure load is compressive to simulate buckling conditions.
c) Define Number of Buckling Modes
o In Buckling solution settings, specify number of buckling modes to solve (e.g.,
5).
d) Solve Buckling Analysis
o Run the solver to obtain critical buckling loads and mode shapes.
e) Review Buckling Results
o Review critical buckling loads (eigenvalues).
o Visualize mode shapes to understand deformation patterns at buckling.

Result
 Static Structural:
o Shows deformation and stress distribution under tensile load.
o Maximum stress at the neck indicates critical area for failure risk.
 Euler Buckling:
o Critical buckling load indicates the maximum compressive load before
buckling occurs.
o Mode shapes show how the dog bone geometry deforms when buckling.
o Useful for stability analysis in compression applications.
 Experiment No. 4

Stress analysis of 2D Truss

Aim

To perform a 2D truss structural analysis using ANSYS Workbench to determine:

 Total deformation of the truss members

 Reaction forces at supports
 Axial forces in truss elements
 Stress distribution in the truss

Tools Required

 Software: ANSYS Workbench 19.2 or later

 Material: Structural Steel
 System Requirements: PC capable of running ANSYS simulations

Procedure

Step 1: Start ANSYS Workbench Project

 Open ANSYS Workbench.

 Drag and drop the Static Structural system into the project schematic.

Step 2: Geometry Setup (DesignModeler)

 Open DesignModeler.
 Select 2D Space as the working plane.
1. Create the 2D Truss Structure using Line Bodies.
Example: Total span: 4000 mm, Height: 1732.1 mm
2. Cross-section: Rectangular: 100 mm × 100 mm, Cross-section area: 10000
mm²
 Assign Structural Steel as the material to all elements.

Step 3: Define Cross-Section

 In Engineering Data, select Rectangular Section.

1. Dimensions: Width: 100 mm, Height: 100 mm

Step 4: Mesh Generation

 Go to the Mesh module.

  Use Beam Elements suitable for truss analysis.
 Set the element size to 10 mm.
 Generate the mesh.

Step 5: Setup Boundary Conditions

 Apply Fixed Support at one end (one of the truss nodes).

 Apply Forces:
1. Force 1: X-direction: 6000 N, Y-direction: -5000 N
2. Force 2: Y-direction: -10000 N

Step 6: Solve the Model

 Insert the following result outputs:

1. Total Deformation
2. Reaction Forces
3. Axial Forces
4. Beam Tool for stress evaluation
 Click Solve.

Step 7: Review Results

 Total Deformation:
o Maximum deformation: 0.02367 mm
 Reaction Forces:
o At fixed support: up to 11328 N
 Axial Forces:
o Maximum: 8058.6 N
o Minimum: -4176.3 N
 Stress Distribution:
o Direct Stress range: -1.3055 MPa to 0.80586 MPa
o Combined Stress: Maximum 1.0492 MPa

Result

The 2D truss structure shows:

 Minimal deformation under the applied loads.

 Stresses are significantly below the yield strength of Structural Steel (250 MPa).
 Reaction forces and axial forces confirm the correct load distribution within the
truss.
 Experiment No. 5

Modal Analysis of a Cantilever Beam

Aim:

To perform the modal analysis of a cantilever beam using ANSYS Workbench to

determine its natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes.

Tools Required:

 ANSYS Workbench (Version 19.2 or higher)

 Basic knowledge of structural analysis and modal analysis
 Computer system with sufficient computational capacity

Procedure:

1. Start ANSYS Workbench

 Open ANSYS Workbench.

 Drag and drop the Modal Analysis system into the Project Schematic.

2. Geometry Setup

 Create Geometry:
o Open the DesignModeler.
o Create a Line Body representing the beam with a length of 1000 mm.
 Define Cross Section:
o Assign a rectangular cross-section with:
 Width (B): 40 mm
 Height (H): 40 mm
 Assign Material:
o Select Structural Steel with:
 Young’s Modulus: 2×10⁵ MPa
 Poisson’s Ratio: 0.3
 Density: 7.85×10⁻⁶ kg/mm³

3. Mesh Generation

 Use default meshing settings.

 Ensure:
o Element size: 10 mm
o Number of nodes: 201
o Number of elements: 100
4. Boundary Conditions

 Apply Fixed Support at one end (Cantilever condition).

5. Analysis Settings

 Set number of modes to extract: 6

 Use default solver settings.
 Damping: Not included
 Pre-stress: Enabled from static structural analysis (if considered).

6. Solution and Results

 Solve the model.

 Obtain the following natural frequencies (Hz):
1. 32.554
2. 32.574
3. 202.52
4. 202.62
5. 560.64
6. 560.68
 View mode shapes for each frequency.

Results:

Mode Frequency (Hz) Maximum Deformation (mm)

1 32.554 17.835
2 32.574 17.832
3 202.52 17.739
4 202.62 17.741
5 560.64 17.594
6 560.68 17.596

 The mode shapes indicate the typical vibration patterns of a cantilever beam.
 The first mode is the fundamental mode with the largest deformation.
 Experiment No. 6

Simulation of Flow over an Airfoil for Various Angles of Attack

Aim:

To simulate the flow over an airfoil at different angles of attack (AOA) and determine the
aerodynamic parameters like lift coefficient, drag coefficient, and flow pattern.

Tools Required:

 ANSYS Workbench (preferably version 19.2 or higher)

 Fluent (CFD solver)
 Airfoil geometry (NACA 0012, NACA 2412, or any other profile)
 Basic knowledge of CFD and boundary layer theory

Procedure:

1. Geometry Creation

 Import or create the airfoil geometry using DesignModeler or import a NACA profile.
 Create a rectangular domain around the airfoil (extend upstream ~5 chord lengths,
downstream ~10 chord lengths, and vertically ~5 chord lengths above and below).

2. Mesh Generation

 Use structured or unstructured mesh.

 Refine the mesh near the airfoil (boundary layer region) using inflation layers.
 Ensure a fine mesh near leading and trailing edges.
 Check mesh quality (aspect ratio, skewness).

3. Setup in Fluent

 Solver Type: Pressure-based

 Flow Type: Steady, Incompressible (or compressible if Mach number > 0.3)
 Model: Turbulence model (usually k-ε or k-ω SST)
 Material: Air (standard properties)
 Boundary Conditions:
o Inlet: Velocity Inlet (e.g., 30 m/s)
o Outlet: Pressure Outlet (0 gauge pressure)
o Walls: No-slip condition on airfoil surface
 Reference Values:
o Set based on free stream velocity, airfoil chord length, and fluid properties.

4. Angle of Attack (AOA) Variation

  Either:
Rotate the airfoil geometry by the desired AOA.
o
Or set the flow direction at the desired angle in boundary conditions.
o
 Common AOAs: 0°, 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, and up to stall.

5. Solution Controls

 Use second-order discretization for pressure and momentum.

 Set appropriate convergence criteria (residuals < 10⁻⁵ for continuity and velocity).
 Monitor lift and drag coefficients during iterations.

6. Solution and Post-Processing

 Solve the simulation.

 Plot:
o Velocity contours
o Pressure distribution over the airfoil
o Streamlines to visualize flow separation
 Calculate:
o Lift coefficient (Cl)
o Drag coefficient (Cd)
o Observe stall behavior as AOA increases.

Results:

You will obtain:

 Variation of Cl vs. AOA

 Variation of Cd vs. AOA
 Pressure coefficient distribution over the airfoil surface
 Visualization of flow separation and wake development at high AOA
 Experiment No. 7

Simulation of Flow in a Convergent-Divergent Nozzle

Aim:

To simulate the compressible, high-speed flow through a convergent-divergent (C-D) nozzle

to analyze pressure, Mach number, and velocity distribution.

Tools Required:

 ANSYS Workbench (preferably version 19.2 or higher)

 Fluent (CFD Solver)
 Geometry file or design of C-D nozzle
 Basic knowledge of compressible flow and shock waves

Procedure:

1. Geometry Creation

 Create the 2D axisymmetric profile of the C-D nozzle in DesignModeler.

o Define: Convergent section, Throat, Divergent section
o Common example: Inlet diameter: 0.1 m, Throat diameter: 0.05 m
o Exit diameter: 0.1 m
o Total length: ~0.3 m

2. Mesh Generation

 Use structured mesh for better accuracy.

 Mesh should be finer near the throat and along the nozzle walls.
 Enable axisymmetric meshing.

3. Setup in Fluent

Solver:
 Type: Density-based solver (suitable for compressible flows)
 Flow: Steady (initially, later you can try unsteady for shock capturing)
Models:
 Viscous Model: Initially inviscid or k-ε / k-ω SST turbulence model for viscous flows.
Material:
 Air (ideal gas, enable compressibility)
4. Boundary Conditions

 Inlet: Pressure Inlet

o Total Pressure: e.g., 300,000 Pa
o Total Temperature: e.g., 300 K
o Flow Direction: Normal to boundary
 Outlet: Pressure Outlet
o Static Pressure: e.g., 100,000 Pa (ambient)
 Wall: No-slip condition for viscous simulations
 Axis: Symmetry boundary at the nozzle centerline

5. Solution Controls

 Use second-order discretization for density, momentum, and energy.

 Enable energy equation.
 Set Courant number to ~2 for stable convergence.
 Convergence criteria: Residuals less than 10⁻⁵.
 Monitor outlet Mach number and pressure ratios.

6. Solving the Case

 Initialize the flow (Standard or Hybrid Initialization).

 Run iterations until residuals stabilize and the flow pattern is physically reasonable.

7. Post-Processing

 Plot Mach number contours to observe supersonic expansion.

 Plot pressure and velocity contours.
 Extract pressure and Mach number variations along the nozzle centerline.
 Identify:
o Subsonic, sonic (throat), and supersonic regions.
o Shock locations if over-expanded or under-expanded.

Results:

 Mach Number Distribution: Accelerating flow from subsonic to supersonic.

 Pressure Profile: Decreasing pressure from inlet to outlet.
 Shock Waves: In case of pressure mismatch at the exit.
 Velocity Field: Velocity increases rapidly past the throat.
 Experiment No. 8

Simulation of Flow over a Circular Cylinder

Aim:

To simulate the flow over a circular cylinder to analyze the formation of vortices, pressure
distribution, and drag force.

Tools Required:

 ANSYS Workbench (preferably version 19.2 or higher)

 Fluent (CFD Solver)
 Basic knowledge of external flow and vortex shedding

Procedure:

1. Geometry Creation

 Create a 2D rectangular domain with a circular cylinder in the center.

 Suggested domain dimensions:
o Upstream length: 5D (D = cylinder diameter)
o Downstream length: 15D
o Height: 10D
 Example:
o Cylinder diameter (D): 0.1 m
o Inlet distance: 0.5 m
o Outlet distance: 1.5 m
o Domain height: 1 m

2. Mesh Generation

 Use structured or unstructured mesh.

 Refine mesh near the cylinder wall using inflation layers to capture the boundary
layer.
 Use a finer mesh in the wake region to capture vortex formation.
 Recommended:
o y+ < 1 for turbulence wall treatment (if simulating turbulent flow).

3. Setup in Fluent

Solver:
 Type: Pressure-based solver
 Flow: Steady (initially), switch to Transient to capture vortex shedding.
Models:
 Flow Type: Incompressible (or compressible if high-speed)
 Turbulence Model:
o Laminar for Re < 200
o k-ε or k-ω SST for Re > 1000 (turbulent flow)
Material:
 Air (standard properties)

4. Boundary Conditions

 Inlet: Velocity Inlet

o Velocity: e.g., 1 m/s (can vary based on Reynolds number)
 Outlet: Pressure Outlet (0 gauge pressure)
 Cylinder Wall: No-slip condition
 Top and Bottom: Symmetry or far-field condition

5. Solution Controls

 Use second-order discretization for momentum.

 For transient simulation:
o Time step: Start with 0.001 s (adjust based on vortex shedding frequency)
o Total time: At least several vortex shedding cycles
 Convergence:
o Residuals < 10⁻⁵
o Monitor drag coefficient (Cd) and lift coefficient (Cl) over time

6. Solving the Case

 Initialize the flow (Hybrid Initialization)

 Run steady-state simulation to get initial flow field
 Switch to transient simulation to capture vortex shedding

7. Post-Processing

 Plot:
o Velocity contours
o Pressure distribution on the cylinder surface
o Streamlines and vortex patterns
 Monitor:
o Drag coefficient (Cd)
o Lift coefficient (Cl) (should oscillate due to vortex shedding)
 Calculate:
o Strouhal Number (St): St=f D/ U
 f = vortex shedding frequency (can be measured from lift coefficient
vs. time plot)
  Visualization:
o Animate the velocity and vorticity contours to observe the von Kármán
vortex street.

Results:

 Steady flow at low Reynolds number (laminar).

 Unsteady vortex shedding at higher Reynolds number (typically Re > 200).
 Variation of Cd and Cl over time.
 Visualization of vortex formation and flow separation.