Why do models with more elements / integration points through-thickness give stiffer responses?

- February 15, 2021 at 3:43 am
  
  jinglun
  Subscriber
  
  Hi, I ran a mesh refinement study for a simple 3-point bending test. The stress-strain graphs of models with different element sizes are superimposed as below:
- February 16, 2021 at 8:47 am
  
  1shan
  Ansys Employee
  
  Hello Array nIt would be more reasonable to say that inserting more elements across thickness would give a more accurate response rather than a more stiffer response. For example in some cases (like buckling) one may even observe that adding more elements causes the structure to soften because that is the actual expected behavior. Although there is another interesting concept of hourglass modes which are caused due to reduced integration. These are zero energy modes which lead to reduced stiffness. You might find a simple explanation to this on https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-hourglass-effect-in-finite-element-analysis-How-does-the-reduced-integration-resulting-in-the-hourglass-effect-work-How-can-we-counter-the-hourglass-effect. nRegards,nIshan.nn

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