MET 210W
Handout – ANSYS Examples
Page 1 of 13
ANSYS is a software tool used by engineers to perform variety of analysis on mechanical parts and systems.
The focus of this handout is using ANSYS to determine reactions, stresses and deflections in beams and
frames.
ANSYS uses the finite-element method to determine the reactions on a structure as well as the stress and
deflections at various points on the structure. The basic component of a finite-element model is the element.
Graphically, beam elements appear as a line, but to the software, an element is a series of equations that
predict how the ends of the element will deform when loaded. For each two-dimensional beam element, six
equations are needed to determine the rotation and translations of each node. Nodal translations are
defined parallel and perpendicular to the element. Elements connect with each other at nodes. The
response of an element to an applied load affects each of the elements connected to it at nodes. A model
will have three equations for each node in the model. The deformations at each node are found by ANSYS
using matrix math to solve all of the equations for the model simultaneously.
Beam element
i Node
Length
j Node
2D Beam element
The basic procedure for solving a beam problem using ANSYS is as follows:
1. Start the ANSYS program.
2. Specify the element type to be used. In ANSYS, the 2D beam element is designated as BEAM3.
3. Specify the real constants for the element: area (in2), height (in) and moment of inertia (in4). The
area cannot be zero. The height is used to find bending stress. In ANSYS, the distance c is always
taken as half of the height. Be aware of this when working with sections which are not symmetrical.
4. Indicate the material properties: modulus of elasticity (psi) and Poisson’s ratio.
5. Create nodes. A node is needed at each load and support as well as at any point of importance in
the structure, which is any point where the stress or deflection is to be found. Each node will have a
unique number. Nodes are located by Cartesian coordinates determined by the user. The length
units used MUST be consistent with those used to define the real constants and material properties.
6. Create elements between nodes. Each element will have a unique number. Elements are defined
by selecting a node for each of its end. Elements cannot have zero length.
7. Apply support constraints to nodes. Translation can be constrained parallel and perpendicular to the
element to create pins and rollers. Rotation can also be constrained at a node when creating a fixed
support.
8. Apply concentrated loads and moments to the model at nodes. Loads are typically applied
horizontally or vertically. All units must be compatible with other units used in the model. Distributed
loads can be applied as pressures to the elements. Warning: the value specified for pressure is
applied per unit length of the element. If an element is 12 inches long, a distributed load of 100
lbs/foot would be applied as 100/12 = 8.3333 lbs/inch.
9. Solve.
10. Retrieve the reactions.
11. Retrieve the deflection results at each node.
12. Retrieve the stress and internal reaction results at each node as needed.
13. Verify solutions using hand calculations remembering that the necessary conditions for equilibrium
are Fx = 0, Fy = 0, M = 0. Also recall that bending stress is the predominate stress in a beam.
Bending stress is determined by  = Mc/I.
EXAMPLE: A rectangular beam, 2-inches wide and 6-inches deep is shown in the figure below. Determine
the magnitude and direction of the reactions and the deflection and bending stress at the midpoint of the
beam. Use E = 1,500,000 psi and 0.24 for Poisson’s ratio.
50 lbs/ft
200 lbs
2 in
6 in
3 feet
3 feet
4 feet
MET 210W
Handout – ANSYS Examples
Page 2 of 13
1. Start ANSYS using the sequence: Start Button > Programs > Engineering Programs > Ansys
11.0 > Ansys
Toolbar Menu
Main Menu
This portion of the screen
will appear black
Coordinate Triad
Zoom Controls
2. Select the following from the Main Menu to specify the element type: Preprocessor > Element Type
> Add/Edit/Delete
 Pick the Add… button
 Specify Beam and 2D elastic 3
 Pick OK to close the Library of Element Types. Pick Close to
shut the Element Types dialog box. BEAM3 is now element
type 1.
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Handout – ANSYS Examples
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3. Add the real constants to the model using Preprocessor > Real Constants > Add/Edit/Delete
 Pick the Add… button. Type 1 BEAM3 should be listed in the new
dialog box.
 Make sure Type 1 BEAM 3 is selected and
pick OK to open the Real Constant for
BEAM3 dialog box. Specify area, area
moment of inertia and total beam height as
shown below.
 Pick OK, then Close.
A  b * h  (2 in)( 6 in)  12 in 2
I
b * h 3 (2 in)( 6 in)3

 36 in 4
12
12
4. Add the material properties to the model using Preprocessor > Material Props > Material Models
 Double-Click each one:
Structural > Linear >
Elastic > Isotropic for
Material Model Number 1.
 Specify EX = 1500000 psi
and Poisson’s Ratio
(PRXY) as .24.
 Pick OK to close the dialog box.
 Select Material > Exit to close the Define Material Model
Behavior dialog box.
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Handout – ANSYS Examples
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Planning ahead, five nodes will be needed as shown in the figure below. At nodes 1 and 5, a support will be
built. At node 2, a load will be applied. At node 3, results are required. The element between nodes 4 and 5
will have a distributed load.
Node 1
(0, 0, 0)
Node 2
(36, 0, 0)
Node 3 Node 4
(60, 0, 0) (72, 0, 0)
Node 5
(120, 0, 0)
36 in
60 in
72 in
120 in
5. Create nodes using the sequence Preprocessor > Modeling > Create > Nodes > In Active CS
 Specify node number and X, Y, Z
coordinates in the active
coordinate system which is a
Cartesian coordinate system by
default. If the node number is left
blank, ANSYS automatically
assigns the next number. Pick
Apply to set the node and reopen
the dialog box for the next node.
 Repeat for remaining nodes.
Pick OK to set the last node and
close the dialog box.
 The screen should contain 5 numbered nodes.
 To plot nodes, select from the toolbar menu: Plot > Nodes.
 To generate a list of nodes, select from the toolbar menu: List > Nodes… Select the Coord.
w/Angles button, then OK. The nodes and their coordinates are listed in another window. This list
can be saved or copied and pasted in another program such as Word or Excel.
Planning ahead, four elements will be needed:
Node 1
Node 2
Element 1
Node 3
Node 5
Node 4
Element 2
Element 4
Element 3
6. Create elements using the sequence Preprocessor > Modeling > Create > Elements > Auto
Numbered > Thru Nodes







Pick node 1 on the screen, then node 2, then pick Apply. Order is important.
Choose the i-node, then the j-node – be consistent left to right.
Pick node 2, then node 3, then pick Apply.
Pick node 3, then node 4, then pick Apply.
Pick node 4, then node 5, then pick OK. This creates the last element and closes
the dialog box.
Four elements should appear on the screen at this point.
To plot elements, select from the toolbar menu: Plot > Elements
To generate a list of elements, select from the toolbar menu: List > Elements >
Nodes + Attributes. The elements are listed in another window by element
number. The list contains the material number, element type number, real
constant numbers, nodes and other information for each element. This list can
be saved or copied and pasted in another program such as Word or Excel.
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Handout – ANSYS Examples

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To display node and element numbers, select from the toolbar menu: PlotCtrls > Numbering…
Node numbers on and off
The displayed numbers for
each element can be set to
show any of these:
 No numbering
 Element number
 Material number
 Element type number
 Real constant number
 others
Planning ahead, three support constraints have to be created. A pin is at node 1 which will constrain
translation in both the x- and y-directions. A roller at node 5 will constrain translation in the y-direction.
Node 5
Node 1
ANSYS constraint symbol
7. Create constraints (supports) using the main menu sequence Solution > Define Loads > Apply >
Structural > Displacement > On Nodes
 On the screen, select nodes 1 and 5 and pick OK on the dialog box.
 Pick UY in the DOFs to be constrained window, then OK to apply the supports.
These nodes are constrained vertically. UY is ANSYS for displacement in the
y-direction. Since the displacement value was applied as zero (empty window
in dialog box) the node will not move vertically.
Constrains translation in
x-direction at the node.
Constrains translation in
y-direction at the node.
Constrains rotation
about the z-axis at the
node.
 Repeat this process by selecting node 1 and applying the UX constraint to it. Blue triangles should
appear for each constraint applied to the model.
 Note that if a fixed support is needed, its node would have UX, UY, and ROTZ all applied.
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Handout – ANSYS Examples
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8. Create the concentrated load using the Main Menu sequence Solution > Define Loads > Apply >
Structural > Force/Moment > On Nodes. Pick node 2 on the screen and pick OK on the dialog box.
FX = horizontal force
FY = vertical force
MZ = moment
Value of the force or moment.
+ is for right or up or CCW. – is
for left or down or CW.

Set the direction of the force to FY and specify the value of the force as -200 which will represent 200
pounds down at node 2. Pick OK. A red arrow should appear on the model to represent this force.

Create the distributed load using the main menu sequence Solution > Define Loads > Apply >
Structural > Pressure > On Beams. Pick element 4 on the screen and pick OK on the dialog box.
Specify the pressure in lbs/in. This is
determined as
Pr essure 
50 lbs / ft
 4.1667 lbs / in
12 in / ft
Pick OK to apply load and close the
dialog box.
Note: positive values are down,
towards the element and negative
values are up, away from the element.
At this point, the model should look like this:
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Handout – ANSYS Examples
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9. To solve the model, use the following main menu sequence: Solution > Solve > Current LS. Pick
OK from the information box that appears. Pick the Close button when ANSYS indicates that the
solution is done. It should take less than a minute to solve simple beam and frame problems.
10. To obtain beam reactions, use the following main menu sequence: General Postproc > List
Results > Reaction Solu. Pick All Items in the window and pick OK.
At node 1, the horizontal reaction is 0, the
vertical reaction is 180 pounds up (+) and
there is no moment reaction at a pin.
These numbers match with the statics for
this problem.
Sum of the vertical reactions
At node 5, there is no horizontal reaction, the vertical
reaction is 220 pounds up (+) and there is no moment
reaction at a roller. These numbers match with the
statics for this problem.
11. Get the deflections of each node using the main menu sequence: General Postproc > List Results
> Nodal Solu.
Pick DOF Solution in the window, then
Y-Component of displacement, and
pick OK. (The X-Component of
displacement option gives the horizontal
deflection of each node and the ZComponent of rotation gives the rotation
of each node.)
Vertical displacement of each node. Negative is down and
positive is up. Note they are zero at the supports as
expected. The maximum value from this model is at node
3. Note that the actual maximum value will only appear if a
node exists at the point of maximum deflection.

To plot the deformed shape of the beam, use the main menu sequence: General Postproc > Plot
Results > Deformed Shape
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Handout – ANSYS Examples
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12. An Element Table has to be created to obtain the stress values and internal reactions at the nodes.
Use the main menu sequence: General Postproc > Element Table > Define Table. Pick the Add…
button.
4 quantities will be added to the
table. For each one, a five step
process is needed as shown in the
figure below. A label is specified,
By sequence num is selected,
the sequence is chosen and the
number is specified. Pick Apply
to add the quantity to the table.
Pick OK after the last one.
a. Add label name
c. Select sequence
SMISC or NMISC.
b. Pick By sequence num
d. Add sequence number
e. Apply or OK
Quantity at i-Node
Bending Stress
Bending Moment, M
Shear Force, V
Axial Force, F

Suggested Label
BENDSTR
MMOMZ
MFORY
MFORX
Sequence
NMISC
SMISC
SMISC
SMISC
Sequence
Number
i-node
j-node
1
6
2
1
3
12
8
7
To list the values in the element table use the main menu sequence General Postproc > Element
Table > List Elem Table
Select the table items to be
listed. Pick OK
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Handout – ANSYS Examples
Page 9 of 13
NOTE: These values are for the
i-node of each of the elements
listed.
Element 1 i-node
Element
Element21i-node
i-node
Element 4 i-node
Element 4 j-node
Elem 3
Elem 1
Elem 2
Elem 4
Element 1 j-node
Element 3 i-node
50 lbs/ft (4 ft) = 200#
MFORX = 0#
N2
MFORY = 20#
220#
MMOMZ = 6480 in-lbs

Mc 6480 in  lbs (3 in)

 540 psi
I
36 in 4
50 lbs/ft (4 ft) = 200#
N3
MFORX = 0#
MFORY = 20#
220#
MMOMZ = 6000 in-lbs

Mc 6000 in  lbs (3 in)

 500 psi
I
36 in 4
50 lbs/ft (4 ft) = 200#
N4
MFORX = 0#
MFORY = 20#
MMOMZ = 5760 in-lbs
13. Verify that each of the freebody diagrams is in equilibrium.

Mc 5760 in  lbs (3 in)

 480 psi
I
36 in 4
220#
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Handout – ANSYS Examples
Page 10 of 13
If a model has more nodes, say one per foot, the MMOMZ values could be copied to Excel to create an
XY(Scatter) chart which would be the moment diagram for the beam. Of course, the moment for the last node
would have to be added manually.
It should be noted that each of the options used to add items to the model has a delete option which is used
to remove the items from the model. Hunt around as needed to use these options. If nodes and elements
are deleted from the model, their numbers are automatically reused when new ones are created. Be sure to
use the PlotCtrl > Numbering to check the numbers used in the model. The numbers can be compressed
by using the menu sequence Preprocessing > Numbering Ctrls > Compress Numbers. For example, if
the following are all nodes that are created in a model:
1
3
5
6
7
3
4
5
Compressing the node numbers does this:
1
2
If you wish to save the ANSYS model, use the File > Save As option. Specify a location and filename.
EXAMPLE: Determine the reactions at the supports and internal pin of the frame shown below. Use E =
29000000 psi,  = .3, A = 1 in2, height = 1, and moment of inertia = 1 in4.
B
XYZcoordinate
coordinate
coordinate
0
1
0
0
0
2
0
72
0
3
0
96
0
4
0
96
0
5
36
48
0
6
72
0
Note: we need two nodes at an internal pin!
Node
400 lbs
2 ft
300 lbs
6 ft
A
C
3 ft
3 ft
The ANSYS solution for this problem is pretty much the same as it was for the beam. The frame has an
additional step.
1. Start ANSYS.
2. Specify the element type as BEAM3
3. Specify the real constants: area = 1, moment of inertia = 1, and height = 1. The stress isn’t going to
be determined in this solution, so these numbers aren’t really that important but they can’t be zero.
4. Specify the material properties: EX = 29000000, PRXY = .3
5. Create the nodes indicated in the table above. Note that two nodes are needed at each internal pin –
point B in this case.
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Handout – ANSYS Examples
Page 11 of 13
6. Create the elements for this model as follows:
Element Number
i-node
j-node
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
4
5
4
5
6
Note that each member of the frame is constructed with two elements. The members are not
connected at this point. Before the model can be solved, the translational degrees of freedom for
nodes 3 and 4 have to be “coupled”. Use the main menu sequence Preprocessor > Coupling/Ceqn
> Couple DOFs to begin the coupling process. Select the two nodes to be coupled. Use the box
option in the select dialog box. Pick OK when selected.







Specify 1 for the reference number.
Pick DOF Label UX
Pick Apply
Specify 2 for the reference number.
Pick DOF label UY
Pick OK to apply and close the dialog box.
Two green triangles should appear at the
internal pin indicating that the two degrees of
freedom have been coupled.
7. Create the pins at A and C. Use UX and UY at both nodes 1 and 6.
8. Apply the concentrated loads. At node 2, FX = 300 and at node 5, FY = -400.
9. Solve
ANSYS Model of the Frame
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Handout – ANSYS Examples
Page 12 of 13
10. List the reaction solutions:

To get the forces on all the nodes, use the main menu sequence General Postproc > List Results >
Element Solution. Scroll down and click on Structural Forces, then select X-Component of force.
Pick OK. The values in this list are the element forces acting ON the node. Show these forces in the
opposite directions on the element.
100#
5400 in·lbs
75#
2
E1
1
75#

100#
To get the moments on all the nodes, use the main menu sequence General Postproc > List
Results > Element Solution. Scroll down and click on Structural Moments, then select ZComponent of moment. Pick OK. The values in this list are the element moments acting ON the
node. Show these moments in the opposite directions on the element.
Note: This is a really small
number: -0.19398 x 10-11

If you are not sure of the proper directions, figure it out remembering that the element must be in
equilibrium, which is to say Fx = 0, Fy = 0, and M = 0.
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Handout – ANSYS Examples
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Page 13 of 13
An element table can also be created to determine the moment, shear and axial forces at each node.
In this case, the shear and axial forces are perpendicular and parallel to the element respectively.
This may be the easier approach!
11. The deflections are not required.
12. The stresses and internal reactions are not required.
The following are the proper free-body diagrams for each of the nodes and elements in the model. The
values are taken from the reaction solution and from the member force and moments lists shown on the
previous page. Notice that nodes 3 and 4 are attached to one another, so collectively, they are in equilibrium.
225#
N3
N4
225#
100#
100#
100#
225#
100#
225#
 Red forces are applied
 Blue forces are reactions
 Black forces are element forces
acting ON nodes
 Green forces are member forces
in directions opposite the
tabulated values.
4
3
E2
225#
5400 in·lb
5400 in·lb
E3
2
100#
225#
7200 in·lb
100#
N2
300#
5
225#
100#
75#
5400 in·lb
100#
100#
100#
75#
2
5400 in·lb
225#
N5
400#
7200 in·lb
225#
7200 in·lb
500#
E1
1
75#
225#
500#
7200 in·lb
5
100#
E4
100#
75#
100#
75#
6 225#
N1
500#
500#
225#
FBD of Frame Nodes and Elements
225#
N6
500#