Learning Forum

[Abdulsalam]

Hi all,

I am trying to simulate Dielectric elastomer actuator as my Final year project, and I defined my material properties using curve fitting by inserting uniaxial test data and I choose the best hyperelastic model that fit My curve of the uniaxial test data. 

From my research I can find that in Workbench they define element to a solid when modeling hyperelastic material. So, is it really necessary in my case to define element type like Solid168 before I solve ? If yes, can you tell me how please.

What I am trying to simulate is similar to the link bellow :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsd7_vQqt5w

[Mike Rife]

Hi. Element type Solid168 is an explicit solid element: this was used back when Mechanical APDL could act as a pre/post processor for LSTC LS-Dyna. So not the element type you are looking for.nThis type of model is best done in Mechanical APDL. Please see the following help section:nAnsys 2020R2 Help -> Mechanical APDL -> Coupled Field Analysis Guide -> Chapter 2 Direct Coupled Field Analysis -> Chapter 2.4 Electrostatic Structural Analysis. There are a few example of that type of electroactive polymer. See examples 2.4.3 and 2.4.6 especially. The first simplifies the polymer to a linear elastic material (i.e. Young's modulus and Poissons ratio) while the other uses a Yeoh hyperelastic material to model the polymer (and there is a reference paper the example is based on). Example 2.4.4. is close to what you are looking to do; it's the same physics but for a cantilever beam.nThe examples have the full APDL command listing needed to run the models in MAPDL. Normally I'd suggest maybe using WB Mechanical to create the FEM, then port it over to MAPDL to set up the model for solving as Mechanical does not yet support this type of coupled analyses (it's coming). However the part you show is fairly simple - just a disk correct? - and should be straight forward to model and mesh directly in MAPDL. Hopefully your advisor knows APDL and can help.nMiken

[Abdulsalam]

Dear,nI truly appreciate your input and help. I will follow your instructions and understand it as much as possible, then I will try to do the simulation. Cause, I have to work in this project in my own since I am the one who choose it.nKind Regards, nAbdulsalamnPS: My Actuator is a square shape with only one layer of PDMS material with the following dimensions 60mm*60mm and electrode diameter is 20mm. n