Learning Forum

[Corey Badger]

Hello,

I am modelling a structure made from a mixture of shell and beam elements. It will represent a plates structure that is suspended by 3 beams / bracers. I have modelled the structure and the yokes / connecting parts of the beams with shell elements and the main body of beams with line elements. I have not modelled any pins element, instead I used joints features. I used body to body between the suspended part and the supporting bracers and ground to body to anchor the suspending beams.

This works well enough. However, when I introduced a plate that connects the bottom members and fixed it the solutions failed with a pivot error. 

I have tried a number of different variations and combinations of contacts and joints but nothing worked. I have had some weird situations where the supported part would increase its size enormously. 

Does anyone know if there might be a limitation to what can be used with the joint method? Especially in Ansys 15.

[Corey Badger]

Actually, I have just checked the deformations again, and the attachment yokes are expanding the size as well. The attaehd image has the deformation enlarged to show the issue clearly.