Comparison of some FEM codes in static analysis
Neupane, Dilip (2014)
Neupane, Dilip
Hämeen ammattikorkeakoulu
2014
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201502092026
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201502092026
Tiivistelmä
The aim of this thesis work was to compare some finite element method codes and their theories in a static analysis with few different examples. The comparison was made between open source and commercial FEM codes. This thesis was commissioned by HAMK University of Applied Sciences. This work was mainly based on the use of the finite element methods in a static analysis.
The primary goal of this thesis was to conduct a research project on open source FEM codes; among them to select a few codes and to compare them with commercial FEM codes to their features and result from differ-ent examples with the same boundary conditions, material properties and geometry. The examples were linear and nonlinear static problems.
At first, a research project was conducted on finite element methods and on a finite element method in a static analysis. Based on this, a general comparison was made on the basis of working fields, an internal module, the operating system, the base language and supported file types for each selected FEM code. Then five test examples were set up and theoretical solutions were obtained for each test example. Finally, theoretical solutions were compared to numerical solutions obtained from each FEM code wherever possible. Only the FEM results were compared to the test exam-ple if theoretical solutions were not possible.
The overall conclusion from this thesis project was that, open source finite element method codes can also give similar results compared to commer-cial FEM codes if used with a similar amount of care and knowledge. It was observed that most of the free or open source FEM codes could per-form only a linear static analysis whereas some of them were capable of nonlinear analysis. It was also found that open source FEM code were dif-ficult to learn compared to commercial FEM codes. Although it is difficult to learn these, the main advantage with them is that they are free and offer an alternative choice for those who cannot purchase a commercial FEM code license.
The primary goal of this thesis was to conduct a research project on open source FEM codes; among them to select a few codes and to compare them with commercial FEM codes to their features and result from differ-ent examples with the same boundary conditions, material properties and geometry. The examples were linear and nonlinear static problems.
At first, a research project was conducted on finite element methods and on a finite element method in a static analysis. Based on this, a general comparison was made on the basis of working fields, an internal module, the operating system, the base language and supported file types for each selected FEM code. Then five test examples were set up and theoretical solutions were obtained for each test example. Finally, theoretical solutions were compared to numerical solutions obtained from each FEM code wherever possible. Only the FEM results were compared to the test exam-ple if theoretical solutions were not possible.
The overall conclusion from this thesis project was that, open source finite element method codes can also give similar results compared to commer-cial FEM codes if used with a similar amount of care and knowledge. It was observed that most of the free or open source FEM codes could per-form only a linear static analysis whereas some of them were capable of nonlinear analysis. It was also found that open source FEM code were dif-ficult to learn compared to commercial FEM codes. Although it is difficult to learn these, the main advantage with them is that they are free and offer an alternative choice for those who cannot purchase a commercial FEM code license.