Limit analysis

Code_Aster, Salome-Meca course material

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Outline

Purpose of the limit analysis

Theory

Usage in Code_Aster

Example

Documentation

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Purpose of the limit analysis

The objectives of the limit analysis include :

the safety study of a structure subjected to severe loads (Ultimate Limit State, ULS) ;
the rapid estimation of a limit load without describing in-depth the failure process ;
the understanding of the energetic process of the failure and its mechanisms ;
the simple characterization of the non-linear behaviour of the structure.

Details about the structure are required :

its exact geometry and measures ;
the direction of the loads ;
a yield limit for the material.

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Theory

u : u  U d
Loads
Fixed loads : F0, f0
Limit loads (continuation) : F, f

 Resistance criteria
Von Mises criteria for a rigid-plastic material
f0   f
g    J     y  3 .  D . D   y
2
 f :  .n  F0   F
2
.   1   2     2   3    1   3    y
2 2 2

2
y Yield limit
D Deviatoric stress

Definition
The limit load of the structure is the highest value satisfying the following equation :
lim  sup  \ g ( F0   F , f0   f )  0  points de la structure
 0

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Limit load estimation (1)

There are two ways to the limit load estimation :

Static approach : internal estimation (infimum) arising from statically admissible
stress fields
Kinematic approach : external estimation (supremum) arising from kinematically
admissible displacement fields
This is the preferred approach in Code_Aster since it is more suitable in a finite
element framework
Definitions
Normalized space for kinematically admissible displacement fields

Va1  v admissible, v  0 sur u , L(v)   f.v d    F.v ds  1
f

Statically admissible stress fields L0 (v) Power of the fixed loads
Gx     x  , g x   0  (F0 , f0)

Indicator function
    Sup  .  G ( )
 IR 6
Support function
 0 ,si x   Gx 
G  x   
 ,si x   Gx 

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Limit load estimation (2)

Property
lim  Inf1 S e  v 
The limit load obtained by the kinematic approach satisfies : V
v a

where S e v      ( v) d  L0 ( v) is the maximal resistant power

Example (1D)
Indicator function F

     Sup  .   G ( )    y 
 IR 6
Cantilever beam (Cross-section S,
Power Young modulus E, length L)
v ( L) subjected to tension (no fixed loads)
Se  v       (v )  d     y  d   y SL   y S v( L)
  L Yield limit : y

Kinematically admissible displacement Fv

Displacement : v( x)  x
1 ES
L(v)   F.v ds  F.v( L)S  si v V a1 alors v( L) 
f FS F v v( L)
Strain :  (v )  
ES L
Limit load y
lim  Inf1 S e  v   Inf  y S v(l ) 
V
v a v \v ( L ) 1
SF F
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Limit load estimation (3)

Numerical application
The power function is
non-differentiable
 The Norton-Hoff-Friaâ regularization
is used
One substitutes the indicator function
k1 m
with  NH        m
m
where 1  m  2 is a regularization
parameter
k1 m
S em  v      v  d  L0 ( v )
m
such that  m

Example (1D)
Where the regularized function Sem(v) is differentiable

lim  lim  S em  u m  
m1

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Limit load estimation (4)

Upper bound of the solution

Let (m , u m ) the solution obtained for each calculated instant (that is for each value
of the regularization parameter m)
Then the limit load is upper-bounded such that

lim  ˆm    y 2

3
 (u m ). (u m ) d   L (u m )
 0

limwhich converges towards lim

(ˆm )when m1
Property : (ˆm ) is a monotonous sequence

Lower-bound of the solution

When there are no fixed loads, the solution may be lower-bounded
1

Am  

 
3 D
u m . D u m   
 m 

 m

.  u m  . u m  
m
d . Sup  2
y
  ˆm
 x   
  

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Practical use in Code_Aster (1)

Finite element model

The limit load analysis is carried out with finite elements taking into account
incompressibility
MO=AFFE_MODELE(MAILLAGE=MA,
AFFE=_F(TOUT = 'OUI', 'AXIS_INCO‘
PHENOMENE = 'MECANIQUE', ‘D_PLAN_INCO‘
MODELISATION = ‘3D_INCO‘
)

Note : since the material properties and the loading direction are fixed, the upper-bound obtained in the
D _ PLAN  lim
kinematical approach in plane strain is higher than the exact limit load for plane stress
C _ PLAN

Mesh
Only second order meshes support finite elements taking into account
incompressibility

Displacements DX, DY, DZ

Pressure PRES and swelling GONF

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Practical use in Code_Aster (2)

Incompressibility
A linear relation must be added for the swelling
INCOMP = AFFE_CHAR_MECA(MODELE = MO,
DDL_IMPO = _F(GROUP_NO = 'SOMMETS', A group of nodes that may be
GONF = 0) created with
) DEFI_GROUP
CREA_GROUP_NO
CRIT_NOEUD=‘SOMMET’

Material properties
An elastic perfectly plastic material following Von Mises criteria must be assigned
MATPLAQ=DEFI_MATERIAU( ECRO_LINE=_F(SY=100,
D_SIGM_EPSI = 0)
)

Loadings
The loads supported in the limit analysis are : forces, surfacic and volumic loads

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Practical use in Code_Aster (3)

Definition of the pseudo-time stepping

The instants are used to control the regularization parameter m in Norton law
t 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 
m  1  101t 1t
m  1  10 2.00 1.30 1.10 1.03 1.01 1

When m1, the material behaviour tends to be rigid and perfectly plastic
One usually begins with a constant time step between 1 and 2 then gradually
increase the instant towards 3 to refine the estimation (convergence is slower)
Calculation
RESU1=STAT_NON_LINE(MODELE = MO,
CHAM_MATER = CHMAT, Load to be used for the
EXCIT = (_F(CHARGE = CONDLIM), limit analysis
_F(CHARGE = INCOMP),
_F(CHARGE = CH1, TYPE_CHARGE = 'FIXE_PILO'),), Continuation method
PILOTAGE = _F(TYPE = 'ANA_LIM'), dedicated to limit analysis
COMP_INCR = _F( RELATION = 'NORTON_HOFF'),
INCREMENT = _F(LIST_INST = L_INST,SUBD_METHODE='UNIFORME',),) Norton-Hoff
constitutive law
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Practical use in Code_Aster (4)

Post-processing
The limit load is retrieved in a table using POST_ELEM operator
ECHL1=POST_ELEM(CHAR_LIMITE=_F(CHAR_CSTE= /'OUI‘ Specifies whether there were
/‘NON',), any fixed loads or not
RESULTAT=RESU1,);

Example without any fixed load (lower bound is available)

#TABLE_SDASTER
NUME_ORDRE INST CHAR_LIMI_SUP CHAR_LIMI_ESTIM
1 5.00000E-01 1.38675E+01 3.33171E+00
2 1.00000E+00 1.38675E+01 6.93375E+00
3 1.50000E+00 1.38675E+01 1.05358E+01
4 2.00000E+00 1.38675E+01 1.26068E+01

Example with a fixed load (no lower bound)

#TABLE_SDASTER
NUME_ORDRE INST CHAR_LIMI_SUP PUIS_CHAR_CSTE
1 1.00000E+00 1.46838E+01 -2.50000E-01
2 1.69897E+00 1.46838E+01 -2.50000E-01

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Example (1)

Test-case SSNV146
Geometry : axisymmetric tank (2mm thickness, 49mm internal radius)
Load : internal pressure (1 MPa)
Yield limit : 100 MPa
Pressure in a tank

5
4

Limit load
3 CHAR_LIMI_SUP
F_sup (MPa) (MPa)
2 CHAR_LIMI_ESTIM
F_inf (MPa) (MPa)

1
0
1 11 21 31 41 51 61 71
n param eter (Norton-
Hoff)

Calculation convergence with

n parameter
1
n
m 1

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 Example (2)

Mesh refinement influence

 CHAR_LIMI_ESTIM m
Ecart (%)
INST CHAR_LIMI_SUP m

1.00000 m  2,000 4.30614 1.19383 72.3

Initial mesh 2.00000 m  1,100 3.95811 3.27022 17.4

(34 QUAD8 elements) m  1,0631 11.6
2.20000 3.94001 3.48360

2.30000 m  1,0501 3.93413 3.56501 9.4

No convergence for t>2,3s

 CHAR_LIMI_ESTIM m
Ecart (%)
INST CHAR_LIMI_SUP m

1.00000 m  2,000 4.30541 1.14181 73.5

m  1,100
2.00000 3.97022 3.25097
Refined mesh 18.1
m  1,0322
(136 QUAD8 elements) 2.49136 3.94019 3.69005 6.3
m  1,0196
2.70757 3.93640 3.78280 3.9
2.85126 m  1,0141 3.93515 3.82449 2.8

A mesh refinement may be needed to reach higher m values and further improve the
convergence between CHAR_LIMI_SUP and CHAR_LIMI_ESTIM

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Conclusion

The Norton-Hoff law implemented in Code_Aster enables

bounding of the limit load of a structure

Benchmarks show that a sufficient precision can be reached with

this method
Results are comparable with incremental elasto-plastic calculations up to failure
(using continuation methods such as arc-length)
The limit load analysis is easier to apply to a given structure

The convergence of the bounding estimation is controlled by the

time-stepping
To improve the precision, one needs to conduct calculations for higher values of the
instant (and possibly refine the stepping)

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Documentation

Must-read
How-to conduct a limit load analysis [U2.05.04]

User manual
STAT_NON_LINE [U4.51.03] and POST_ELEM [U4.81.22]

Theory manual
Limit load analysis with Norton-Hoff-Friaâ method [R7.07.01]

Test-cases
SSNV124 [V6.04.124]
SSNV146 [V6.04.146]

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