What is in this Article?

1. Introduction

2. Surface Load

3. Condition of Surface Load

4. How to create Surface Load

1. Introduction

Create Load Case & Load is a main steps of Modeling process. This article provides information about a type of load: Surface load which represents for forces that affect the surface(s) of component(s). Following the topics, users will be prepared an overview about the Surface Load in Akselos Modeler, how to use it and control all the Surface Load parameters.

Add Load Cases is a part of the Modeling steps in Akselos Workflow to build any simulation model.

Terminologies

2. Surface Load

Only solid components and shell components have the surface(s), so this load is enabled for these component type. It is a higher level of Normal Load and differs in that the user can specify the direction of the load in the load properties.

Figure 1. A Load applied on surface

* See how to Create Load Case and Load first ? 

This type of load is used to model external pressure loads applied in arbitrary directions to surfaces of solid or shell components. For 2 component types, there are two respective surface loads: 

• Surface Load: for surfaces of the solid components.
• Shell Surface Load: for surfaces of the shell components.

Figure 2. Surface Load is applied on a surface of solid component

Figure 3. Shell Surface Load is applied on shell’s surfaces

Mesh importer default ID convention: Surface Load Operator is assigned for solid mesh sideset ID from 250 to 299.

Figure 4. Surface Load ID Convention

Surface Load Parameters

All properties of load are set as parameters, users can modify these parameters to have the load with right direction and magnitude.

The parameters of this load are the load vector in the global coordinate system. The direction of the vector will be the load direction, and the magnitude of the vector will be the load value.

• Stored Selection: the stored selection of boundary sets that the load applies on.
• Load Type: surface_load/ shell_surface_load
• surface_load_x (Pa): x component of the load vector, (in Pa).
• surface_load_y (Pa): y component of the load vector, (in Pa).
• surface_load_z (Pa): z component of the load vector, (in Pa).

Figure 5. Parameters of the Surface Load 

Figure 6. Parameters of the Shell Surface Load

The formula is used for Surface Load:

3. Condition of Surface Load

For any load type, there must be an Operator on the Component to define the load type which will be applied on that component. The operator for Surface Load is surface_load and can be created while importing mesh file (the sidesets are already set) or directly created in Akselos Modeler. Figure below will show that operator:

Figure 7. Surface Load Operator in Akselos Modeler

In Akselos Modeler, there must be a target that the load will be applied on. In this case, the target for Surface Load is stored selections Boundary Set. The stored selection for Surface Load can be found below.

Figure 8. Stored Selections for Surface Load

Figure 9. Stored Selections for Shell Surface Load

4. How to create Surface Load

Users can follow the below steps to create a completed Surface Load in Akselos Modeler.

STEP 1: On the Model Tree, right-click on Load Cases → select Add Load Case.

Figure 10. Add Load Case

STEP 2: Right-click on New Load Case → select Add Load …

Figure 11. Add Load

STEP 3: On New Load Case / Load dialog, select Material Volume Load → Click Save.

Figure 12. Add Surface Load / Shell Surface Load

STEP 4: On the new Surface Load 1 / Shell Surface Load→ Set Stored Selection: Surface_load or Shell_Surface_load which are already created.

STEP 5: On Other Properties → set value(s) for parameters.

Figure 13. Setting parameters for Surface Load

Figure 14. Setting parameters for Shell Surface Load

Some Related Articles:

• Stored Selections
• How to add Loads to your simulation model