Anchor Plate Analysis

MetaStructure proposes a detailed analysis of anchor plate and its fasteners.

Click here for more information about the anchor plate definition.

1. Structure analysis

After structure analysis, the anchor plates of the structure can be examined.

Select a load case or mode (1).
Select the anchor plate button (2).
Select either an anchor plate in the 3D space or in the results table (3).
Click on the Analysis button (4).

The selection mode is automatically set to Restraint when clicking on anchor plate button.

If other analysis exists for the same Restraint and the same Load, a window will appear :

Select New analysis to start a new analysis from scratch.
Or select an existing analysis to reopen it :

Some properties and results are shown.

Click OK.

2. New analysis

If you choose to create a New analysis, you have to define a name to the analysis (that doesn’t already exist) :

The Finite Element Analysis Window appears :

MetaStructure automatically transforms the actual plate, anchor positions, stiffeners and a part of the beam to surfacing elements (on neutral fiber).

These surfaces are grouping by types, thicknesses and materials :

The window is divided into 3 areas :

A : Definition of the assembly, mesh, results and report
B : Model 3D
C : Groups of elements with same properties (type, thickness, material)

The first area contains 4 properties :

A1 : The node of the anchor plate (restraint) and the current load
A2 : The configuration
A3 : The total height of the assembly. Click on v button to modify.
A4 : The desired mesh size. Click on v button to generate the meshing.

If the anchor plate has a non-zero value for the Tolerance property of its fasteners, 2 other configurations will be added in the list representing extreme positions of fasteners.

Click here for more information about the fastener definition.

3. Meshing

Choose a mesh size and click on v button (1) :

After several seconds, the assembly is totally meshed (2).

All groups appears on the right (3). You can show/hide each group for a better visualization.

The Code_Aster button is now available for a complete calculation.

4. Finite element analysis

Click on the Code_Aster button to launch a detailed calculation (1) :

Colored results appears (2) with a corresponding legend.

A result panel appears where the type of results can be choose and some informations are shown (3).

You can show/hide each group for a better visualization (4).

Type of results :

Property	Unit Metric	Unit USA	Remark
Groups	-	-
Displacements	mm	in	Use Factor to amplify the deformation
Stresses	N/mm²	ksi
Strains	%	%
Compressions	N/mm²	ksi
Iso-displacements	mm	in	Use Factor to amplify the deformation
Iso-stresses	N/mm²	ksi
Iso-Strains	%	%
Iso-Compressions	N/mm²	ksi

Example of the deformation of the plate (with factor = 128) :

Change for example the type to Stresses :

The Static equilibrium is also evaluated (value near 0 reaches the perfect equilibrium).

Static Equilibrium refers to the physical state in which a system is at rest and the net force acting 
on it is null. It is a state in which all the forces acting on an object are balanced out and the 
object is not found to be in motion to the relative plane.

The Fastener ratio max indicates the max value of all ratios of all fasteners of the plate (must be < 1).

Click on the Open button to show a summary report of the fasteners’ results :

Each fastener is deeply examined according to the current standard.

5. Report

A report can be generated based on a template and “tables” file.

Select a template (open button) or edit template (pencil button) (1).
Select a tables file (open button) (2).
Click on the Report button to generate the report (3).

The template is copy from the settings to the analysis’ directory and can be locally modified before report generation (requires Microsoft Word).

The select document window (example for table) :

Select the document (1)
Click OK (2)

After generation, the report receive the name of the analysis.

You can edit the final report by clicking on the pencil button (requires Microsoft Word) (1) :

Click here to have more information about the reporting mechanism.

5.1 Keywords

The keyword is useful to make a correspondence between the template and the table document but with specific decorators :

$$keyword$$ for the template
[keyword] for the table

Keyword	Description	Remark
STUDY NAME	The name of the current study	No table
ANALYSIS NAME	The name of the current analysis	No table
PICTURE	Take a picture (§5.2)	No table
MESH RESULTS	The list of all mesh results	table [MESH RESULTS]
CONFIGURATION NAME	The name of the current configuration	No table
HEIGHT	The height of the current assembly	No table
MESH SIZE	The meshing size	No table
IDNODE	The name of the current node	No table
LOADCASE	The current load case	No table
STATIC EQUILIBRIUM	The static equilibrium value	No table
DISPLACEMENT MAX	The displacement max	No table
STRESS MAX	The stress max	No table
STRAIN MAX	The strain max	No table
FASTENER RATIO MAX	The max ratio on all fasteners	No table

5.2 Picture

It is possible to include pictures in the report with use of the keyword PICTURE.

When the software encounters this keyword, it simply makes a screenshot of the 3D engine.

It is possible to change the kind of visualization via a JSON structure just after the keyword separated by a semicolon character :

$$PICTURE;{...}$$

JSON parameters :

Parameter	Description	Default value
Groups	An array of visible group name	Empty list = all groups will be visible
View	Orientation of the camera	35 (= FrontFaceTopLeft - see below)
ResultType	Result category	0 (= Group - see below)
Factor	Amplification factor of the displacements	1
Dim	1 = show dimensions	1

View values :

    Front                   = 0
    Right                   = 1
    Rear                    = 2
    Left                    = 3
    Top                     = 4
    Bottom                  = 5
    Isometric               = 6
    Dimetric                = 7
    Trimetric               = 8
    FrontFaceBottom         = 9
    FrontFaceRight          = 10
    FrontFaceTop            = 11
    FrontFaceLeft           = 12
    RightFaceBottom         = 13
    RightFaceRight          = 14
    RightFaceTop            = 15
    RightFaceLeft           = 16
    BackFaceBottom          = 17
    BackFaceRight           = 18
    BackFaceTop             = 19
    BackFaceLeft            = 20
    LeftFaceBottom          = 21
    LeftFaceRight           = 22
    LeftFaceTop             = 23
    LeftFaceLeft            = 24
    BottomFaceBottom        = 25
    BottomFaceRight         = 26
    BottomFaceTop           = 27
    BottomFaceLeft          = 28
    TopFaceBottom           = 29
    TopFaceRight            = 30
    TopFaceTop              = 31
    TopFaceLeft             = 32
    FrontFaceBottomLeft     = 33
    FrontFaceBottomRight    = 34
    FrontFaceTopLeft        = 35
    FrontFaceTopRight       = 36
    BackFaceBottomLeft      = 37
    BackFaceBottomRight     = 38
    BackFaceTopLeft         = 39
    BackFaceTopRight        = 40

Result type values :

    Group = 0
    Displacement = 1
    Stress = 2
    Strain = 3
    Compression = 4
    IsoDisplacement = 5
    IsoStress = 6
    IsoStrain = 7
    IsoCompression = 8

Example :

    $$PICTURE;{“ResultType”:8,”Groups”:[“PLATE”],”View”:4,”Dim”:0}$$

ResultType = 8 for an “Iso-compression” view

Groups = [“PLATE”] will show only the group plate

View = 4 for a top view

Dim = 0 will hide the dimensions

Result :

6. Conclusion

The analysis is terminated.

You can keep this analysis on disk by closing the window and answer Yes to the question :

This analysis will be proposed on the window of §1 for the same anchor plate (node) and load.