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Finite Element ShareWare

Finite Element ShareWare

Finite Element ShareWare

(OP)
I want to model a steel-post being levered in a timber socket. I would like to see the stress concentrations around the socket as the lever is pulled.

Are there any finite element programs about that are free. I could buy an add-on for my program but it will cost me £280 and I want to do this exercise out of personal interest.  A trial download for 1-month would do if anyone could recommend a 3D program.

I have used LUCAS with some success.

RE: Finite Element ShareWare

I think you mean "LUSAS" !

As for "stress concentrations around the socket", I think your expectations are rather high to expect to get anything meaningful from shareware software, since your problem would probably require non-linear contact analysis, orthotropic (non-linear?) material properties for the wood, and probably also a non-linear geometric solution.

I would normally recommend CalculiX but I think even getting an accurate solution from a premium commercial software like Abaqus is not going to be straightforward.


www.Roshaz.com

RE: Finite Element ShareWare

I think for freeware, Calculix may be your only hope, but as JohnHors says...it won't be very easy.  www.bconverged.com I believe is the Windows version.  www.calculix.com for the original, but the orthotropic nature of the wood may require some playing around with the input files in Calculix...but I haven't used it for quite some time.

You may be able to download some demo version or have them sent to you.  www.nenastran.com for Noran Engineering used to offer a 30-day demo.  I think AutoDesk's Algor may allow you to download one from the website at www.algor.com.  I'm sure there are others.

As an alternative, local universities may have some that you can use.

RE: Finite Element ShareWare

You can get a free month of just about any FEA software.  You will probably have to contact a sales rep though.

Rob Stupplebeen

RE: Finite Element ShareWare

Leaving the software aside, doesn't the problem he wants to examine effectively reduce to a 2d beam with  two distributed elastic foundations, one at the end of the beam and the other at the edge of the socket?

As such you could make a very good stab at it by hand, tho it would be quicker in FEA.

Cheers

Greg Locock

I rarely exceed 1.79 x 10^12 furlongs per fortnight

RE: Finite Element ShareWare

You might want to check out Elmer:
http://www.csc.fi/english/pages/elmer

Not sure of it will handle the non-linear contact, though, if that is what you are really after.

RE: Finite Element ShareWare

(OP)
Dear All. Thanks for the advice. I am going to try the Calculix and Elmer programs - both look very good.

As for modelling the socket, although timber is anisotropic, I wish to analysis the socket with the load applied perpendicular to the grain, so could I not assume that the material is isotropic for my model?

RE: Finite Element ShareWare

Not to forget there is an entire LINUX system, called CAELinux entirely free. It seems very good, have not tried yet, but plan to do. It is quite a good distro, installs well, what is not as common as it should be for LINUX distributions. I think it can run both from a dedicated computer or partition and as well from a DVD; for trials I no doubt will use the DVD since the bootloaders for LINUX many times ruin companyon Windows system installations. Or let a LINUX guru do the thing.

RE: Finite Element ShareWare

calculix works on Windows and linux.  It has a steep learning curve, but can do some neat things. It actually only has one element type, a 3D solid, and uses that for shells also. There are mailing lists for Calculix that are quite active.

CAELinux is not quite a finished product. In a year I would say it will be pretty good.  

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