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Appendix A
Linear Buckling Analysis
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Chapter Overview
In this chapter, performing linear buckling analyses in Mechanical
will be covered.
Contents:
A. Background On Buckling
B. Buckling Analysis Procedure
C. Workshop 7-1
The capabilities described in this section are generally applicable to
ANSYS DesignSpace Entra licenses and above.
Some options discussed in this chapter may require more advanced
licenses, but these are noted accordingly.
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A. Background on Buckling
Many structures require an evaluation of their structural stability.
Thin columns, compression members, and vacuum tanks are all
examples of structures where stability considerations are important.
At the onset of instability (buckling) a structure will have a very large
change in displacement {Ax} under essentially no change in the load
(beyond a small load perturbation).
F F
Stable Unstable
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Background on Buckling
Eigenvalue or linear buckling analysis predicts the theoretical
buckling strength of an ideal linear elastic structure.
This method corresponds to the textbook approach of linear elastic
buckling analysis.
The eigenvalue buckling solution of a Euler column will match the
classical Euler solution.
Imperfections and nonlinear behaviors prevent most real world
structures from achieving their theoretical elastic buckling strength.
Linear buckling generally yields unconservative results by not
accounting for these effects.
Although unconservative, linear buckling has the advantage of being
computationally cheap compared to nonlinear buckling solutions.
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Basics of Linear Buckling
For a linear buckling analysis, the eigenvalue problem below is
solved to get the buckling load multiplier
i
and buckling modes
i
:
Assumptions:
[K] and [S] are constant:
Linear elastic material behavior is assumed
Small deflection theory is used, and no nonlinearities included
It is important to remember these assumptions related to performing
linear buckling analyses in Mechanical.
| | | | ( ){ } 0 = +
i i
S K
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B. Buckling Analysis Procedure
A Static Structural analysis will need to be performed prior to (or in
conjunction with) a buckling analysis. The steps in italics are specific
to buckling analyses.
Attach Geometry
Assign Material Properties
Define Contact Regions (if applicable)
Define Mesh Controls (optional)
Include Loads and Supports
Solve Static Structural Analysis
Link a Linear Buckling Analysis
Set Initial Conditions
Request Results
Solve the Model
Review Results
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Geometry and Material Properties
Any type of geometry supported by Mechanical may be used in
buckling analyses:
Solid bodies
Surface bodies (with appropriate thickness defined)
Line bodies (with appropriate cross-sections defined)
Only buckling modes and displacement results are available for line bodies.
Although Point Masses may be included in the model, only inertial loads
affect point masses, so the applicability of this feature may be limited in
buckling analyses
For material properties, Youngs Modulus and Poissons Ratio are
required as a minimum
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Contact Regions
Contact regions are available in free vibration analyses,
however, contact behavior will differ for the nonlinear
contact types exactly as with modal analyses.
Discussed earlier (see chapter 5).
Initially Touching Inside Pinball Region Outside Pinball Region
Bonded Bonded Bonded Free
No Separation No Separation No Separation Free
Rough Bonded Free Free
Frictionless No Separation Free Free
Contact Type
Linear Buckling Analysis
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Loads and Supports
At least one structural load, which causes buckling, should be
applied to the model:
All structural loads will be multiplied by the load multiplier () to
determine the buckling load (see below).
Compression-only supports are not recommended.
The structure should be fully constrained to prevent rigid-body motion.
F x = Buckling Load
In a buckling analysis all applied
loads (F) are scaled by a
multiplication factor () until the
critical (buckling) load is reached
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Loads and Supports
Special considerations must be given if constant and proportional
loads are present.
The user may iterate on the buckling solution, adjusting the variable
loads until the load multiplier becomes 1.0 or nearly 1.0.
Consider the example of a column with self weight W
O
and an externally
applied force A.
A solution can be reached by iterating while adjusting the value of A until
= 1.0. This insures the self weight = actual weight or W
O
* = W
O .
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Buckling Setup
Buckling analyses are always coupled to a structural analysis within
the project schematic.
The Pre-Stress object in the tree contains the results from a structural
analysis.
The Details view of the Analysis Settings under the Linear Buckling
branch allows the user to specify the number of buckling modes to find.
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Solving the Model
After setting up the model the buckling analysis can be solved along
with the static structural analysis.
A linear buckling analysis is more computationally expensive than a
static analysis on the same model.
The Solution Information branch provides detailed solution output.
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Reviewing Results
After the solution is complete, the buckling modes can be reviewed:
The Load Multiplier for each buckling mode is shown in the Details view
as well as the graph and chart areas. The load multiplier times the
applied loads represent the predicted buckling load.
F
buckle
= (F
applied
x )
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Reviewing Results
Interpreting the Load Multiplier ():
The tower model below has been solved twice. In the first case a unit
load is applied. In the second an expected load applied (see next page)
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Reviewing Results
Interpreting the Load Multiplier ():
Load Unit ad BucklingLo _ * =
= ad BucklingLo
Load Actual ad BucklingLo _ * =
Factor Safety
Load Actual
ad BucklingLo
_
_
= =
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Reviewing Results
The buckling load multipliers can be reviewed in the Timeline
section of the results under the Linear Buckling analysis branch
It is good practice to request more than one buckling mode to see if the
structure may be able to buckle in more than one way under a given
applied load.
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C. Workshop AA.1 Linear Buckling
Workshop WSAA.1 Linear Buckling
Goal:
Verify linear buckling results in Mechanical for the pipe model
shown below. Results will be compared to closed form
calculations from a handbook.
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Goals
The goal in this workshop is to verify linear buckling results in
ANSYS Mechanical. Results will be compared to closed form
calculations from a handbook.
Next we will apply an expected load of 10,000 lbf to the model and
determine its factor of safety.
Finally we will verify that the structures material will not fail before
buckling occurs.
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Assumptions
The model is a steel pipe that is assumed to be fixed at one
end and free at the other with a purely compressive load
applied to the free end. Dimensions and properties of the
pipe are:
OD = 4.5 in ID = 3.5 in. E = 30e6 psi, I = 12.7 in^4, L = 120 in.
In this case we assume the pipe conforms to the following
handbook formula where P is the critical load:
For the case of a fixed / free beam the parameter K = 0.25.
( )
(

- -
- =
2
2
'
L
I E
K P
t
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Assumptions
Using the formula and data from the previous page we can
predict the buckling load will be:
( )
lbf
e
P 3 . 65648
) 120 (
771 . 12 6 30
25 . 0 '
2
2
=
(

- -
- =
t
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Project Schematic
1. Double click Static Structural in
the Toolbox to create a new
system.
2. Drag/drop a Linear Buckling
system onto the Solution cell of
the static structural system.
2.
1.
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When the schematic is correctly set up it should appear as shown
here.
The drop target from the previous page indicates the outcome of
the drag and drop operation. Cells A2 thru A4 from system (A) are
shared by system (B). Similarly the solution cell A6 is transferred to
the system B setup. In fact, the structural solution drives the
buckling analysis.
Project Schematic
Drop Target
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Project Schematic
Verify that the Project units are set to US Customary (lbm, in, s, F, A,
lbf, V).
Verify units are set to Display Values in Project Units.
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. . . Project Schematic
3. From the static structural system (A),
double click the Engineering Data
cell.
4. To match the hand calculations
referenced earlier, change the
Youngs modulus of the structural
steel.
a. Highlight Structural Steel.
b. Expand Isotropic Elasticity and
modify Youngs Modulus to 3.0E7 psi.
Note : changing this property here does not affect
the stored value for Structural Steel in the
General Material library. To save a material for
future use we would Export the properties as a
new material to the material library.
3.
b.
a.
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. . . Project Schematic
5. From the static structural
system (A), RMB the Geometry
cell and Import Geometry.
Browse to the file Pipe.stp.
6. Double click the Model cell to
start Mechanical.
When the Mechanical application opens the tree
will reflect the setup from the project schematic.
5.
6.
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Preprocessing
7. Set the working unit system to the U.S.
customary system:
a. U.S. Customary (in, lbm, psi, F, s, V, A).
8. Apply constraints to the pipe:
a. Highlight the Static Structural branch (A5).
b. Select the surface on one end of the pipe.
c. RMB > Insert > Fixed Support.
a.
b.
a.
c.
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Environment
9. Add buckling loads:
a. Select the surface on the opposite end of the pipe
from the fixed support.
b. RMB > Insert > Force.
c. In the force detail change the Define by field to
Components.
d. In the force detail enter 1 in the Magnitude field
for the Z Component.
c.
d.
a.
b.
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. . . Environment
10. Solve the model:
a. Highlight the Solution branch for the Linear
Buckling analysis (B6) and Solve.
Note, this will automatically trigger a solve for the
static structural analysis above it.
11. When the solution completes:
a. Highlight the buckling Solution branch (B6).
The Timeline graph and the Tabular Data will
display the 1
st
buckling mode (more modes can be
requested).
b. RMB in the Timeline and choose Select All.
c. RMB > Create Mode Shape Results (this will add
a Total Deformation branch to the tree).
c.
b.
a.
a.
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Click Solve to view the first mode
Recall that we applied a unit (1) force thus the result compares well with our
closed form calculation of 65648 lbf.
Results
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. . . Results
12. Change the force value to the expected load
(10000 lbf):
a. Highlight the Force under the Static
Structural (A5) branch
b. In the details, change the Z Component of
the force to 10000.
13. Solve:
a. Highlight the Linear Buckling Solution branch
(B6), RMB and Solve.
11b.
11a.
12a.
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. . . Results
When the solution completes note the Load Multiplier field now
shows a value of 6.56. Since we now have a real world load
applied, the load multiplier is interpreted as the buckling factor of
safety for the applied load.
Given that we have already calculated a buckling load of 65600 lbf,
the result is obviously trivial (65600 / 10000). It is shown here only for
completeness.
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Verification
A final step in the buckling analysis is added here as a best
practices exercise.
We have already predicted the expected buckling load and calculated
the factor of safety for our expected load. The results so far ONLY
indicate results as they relate to buckling failure. To this point we
can say nothing about how our expected load will affect the stresses
and deflections in the structure.
As a final check we will verify that the expected load (10000 lbf) will
not cause excessive stresses or deflections before it is reached.
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. . . Verification
14. Review Stresses for 10,000lbf load:
a. Highlight the Solution branch under the
Static Structural environment (A6).
b. RMB > Insert > Stress > Equivalent Von Mises
Stress.
c. RMB > Insert > Deformation > Total.
d. Solve.
a.
b.
c.
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. . . Verification
A quick check of the stress results shows the model as loaded is well
within the mechanical limits of the material being used (Engineering
Data shows compressive yield = 36,259 psi).
As stated, this is not a required step in a buckling analysis but
should be regarded as good engineering practice.