composite joints analysis with 3d elements problems.. 1

[winmeister]

Hi everyone.

I can do FEA with Laminate modeller (not expert but quite good) but I want to analyze bulkhead joints in details using solid elements because I wist to experiment with various flanges etc, and it's very thick.

I experimented with 3d orthotropic materials and did a quick flat honeycombe design and was ok, but when I did a curve design and eventhough I created lots of local coord to align the elements, the analysis fails.. It this something to do with 3d elements mix-match??

Can someone help me on how I can do this please?? I have not much ideas..

Later I want to design curved 'T' joints in tranverse elements properties, but I can't until I know what I am doing!!

Thanks for you help in advance...

 

[winmeister]

Oh...

I used extruded quad4 elements to Hex8 and deleted/equivalanced the quad4 nodes. For a simple flat honeycombe panel I used 'z' direction on the co-ord for my tranverse plane values, and that was ok, but on the curve surface, or T joints, it was no good!!

Please advice me!!

Thanks

 

[AeroFitz]

Im stuck in the same respect. Im an undergrad working under a navy grant in composites. Im new to Nastran and need to know how to create and test layers