SectionExpert - Analysis Procedure
Finite element procedure
The cross-section properties (geometric properties) are essential in the study of beam and bar elements.
SectionExpert 2010 allows the calculation of geometric properties for cross-sections of arbitrary shape
that may include any number of interior holes.
SectionExpert 2010 is particularly effective for the calculation of thin-walled section geometric properties.
For the calculation of the geometric properties,
SectionExpert 2010 uses a displacement based formulation of the finite element method.
The finite element method is used to solve physical problems in engineering analysis and design.
Since the finite element solution technique is a numerical procedure,
the idealization of the physical problem to a mathematical model is required.
The finite element analysis will then solve this mathematical model.
Hence, for the calculation of the geometric properties SectionExpert 2010 follows the procedure:
The above steps are illustrated in the figure below:
Definition of cross-section geometry (physical problem)
In SectionExpert 2010 a cross-section geometry is defined by an outer (main) section part (section),
plus any number of inner sections that represent interior holes of the cross-section.
A section part, whether it is a main part or a hole, is a closed polygon,
and is defined by its planar geometric points (vertices).
This is illustrated in the figure below:
This is a cross-section, of a rectangular shape, with three interior holes.
The geometry of this section is defined by four polygons:
two rectangular parts (one is the main section, part #1, and the other is the rectangular hole, part #2),
and two circular sections (part #3, part #4) which define the circular holes.
This geometry reflects the physical problem, and it is the input that the user must provide to SectionExpert.
Mathematical model
After the definition of the section geometry by the user,
SectionExpert automatically creates the mathematical model,
which leads to an isoparametric element formulation.
Once the model is prepared, SectionExpert proceeds to the next step,
where a finite element analysis is performed for the solution of the model.
Solution of this mathematical model and interpretation of the results
The final step of the procedure is the analysis of the mathematical model,
which is also handled automatically by SectionExpert.
Normally, the solution of the model and the interpretation of results are obtained in a fraction of second.
The results from the analysis, will provide the cross-section properties.
After a successful solution, SectionExpert performs two actions:
displays a selective subset of the calculated geometric properties,
and prepares a report with all the calculated properties.
The produced report by SectionExpert can be exported to Microsoft Excel, for further manipulation,
or saved as an Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf) document
Calculated properties by SectionExpert 2010
You can see all the calculated properties
here.
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