Submodeling in ANSYS WorkBench 14.

Roberto Silva
ESSS
TOPICS

What is submodeling?

Submodeling procedure

Using submodeling in WorkBench Mechanical 14.5

Comparison with Mechanical APDL submodeling

WHAT IS SUBMODELING?

Submodeling is a modeling approach that allows to

solve a small part of a bigger model, with more
refined meshes and results.
 WHAT IS SUBMODELING?

Submodeling is based on St. Venants Principle.

Far away from loading regions and constraint boundaries,
mechanical behavior is not affected.
If submodel boundaries respect this principle, good
results are obtained.

http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plik:Zasada_de_Saint-Venanta.jpg
WHAT IS SUBMODELING?

This technique allows an initial evaluation of a

coarser (and faster to solve) global model, followed
by a detailed analysis of regions of interest.

The smaller submodel geometry allows one to:

Use a more refined mesh at the critical regions to provide
better results;
Include small geometric details (like welds) that are not
represented in the global model.
WHAT IS SUBMODELING?

Submodeling has been available in Mechanical

APDL for years!
NWRITE, CBDOF

WorkBench users needed to use

Its now available directly in Workbench Mechanical

14.5 interface.
SUBMODELING PROCEDURE

Create and solve the global model;

Create the submodel;

Apply cut-boundary interpolation;

Solve the submodel;

Verify results and cut boundary position.

SOLVING THE GLOBAL MODEL

No special setup for global model.

CREATING THE SUBMODEL

To create a submodel analysis, Solution from Global

model is connected to Setup of the submodel.

Available in
Static Structural and
Steady-State Thermal
Analyses
CREATING THE SUBMODEL

A Submodeling folder is automatically created, that

allows the definition of applied load.
Loads must be applied on cut-boundary.
CREATING THE SUBMODEL

Several options are similar to External Data.

Display Source Points
Mapping Controls
Rigid Transformation
CREATING THE SUBMODEL

Loads must be reapplied to submodel!

Pressure = 10 MPa
Pressure = 10 MPa

Force = 2.5 N
Force = 10 N
RESULTS VERIFICATION

Submodel with same mesh size.

RESULTS VERIFICATION

Submodel with more refined mesh size.

SUBMODEL GEOMETRIC DETAILS

The submodel geometry can be different from the

global model!
As long as cut-boundaries are far away from region of
interest.

This allows the user to include some geometric

details that are not considered in the global model.
Welds
Small fillets and chamfers
Defects, like dents and cracks
SUBMODEL GEOMETRIC DETAILS

Example: pressure vessel with nozzle.

Weld fillets were

inserted in submodel
SUBMODEL GEOMETRIC DETAILS

Mesh comparison

61 126 nodes 188 239 nodes

30 101 elements 40 651 elements
SUBMODEL GEOMETRIC DETAILS
SUBMODEL GEOMETRIC DETAILS

Weld Region
SUBMODEL 2D to 3D

WorkBench submodeling can also be used to read

results from a 2D analysis in a 3D model.

2D Axisymmetric model 3D model

SUBMODEL 2D to 3D

Cut-boundary surfaces must include the original 2D

model faces.

Both revolution section

faces must also be selected!
SUBMODEL 2D to 3D

Its necessary to select a cylindrical coordinate

system, aligned with the original plane.

2D Y-axis = 3D Z-axis
2D X-axis = 3D X-axis
SUBMODEL 2D to 3D
WORKBENCH x MECHANICAL APDL

PROS:
User-friendly operation No manual file handling!
No need of APDL commands.
Global mesh data can be adjusted no need to worry
about origin position!

CONS:
No shell-to-solid submodeling yet
WORKBENCH x MECHANICAL APDL

but it can be done with an ACT extension!

Available at ANSYS Customer Portal for download!

SUBMODELING FINAL REMARKS

Submodeling is an useful technique to study large

structures in detail.
Optimizes mesh refinement;
Optimizes geometric detail modeling.

The user must be careful to define suitable cut-

boundary limits.
Submodel boundary must be far from critical regions.