Beam Forces as Vector plot

kuhlkuhl
Hi all,
We are using spider / beam / spider as a simplified modeling aproach for bolted connections so taht WE can use the beam forces (normal, v, w) for bolt pre dimensioning.
For plausibility check and for documentation purposes it would be nice to be able show the beam forces as vectos. Does anyone if / how that is possible?

Comments

  • VictorVictor
    edited June 2023
    Not in general.

    If the beams are aligned with the global axes so that these forces define vectors in global coordinates, you can trick Mecway into treating them as some other vector quantity and which show as arrows:
    - After solving, edit the .liml file and rename these things in the nodevariable XML elements:
    tensileforce -> velx
    sheary -> vely
    shearz -> velz
    - Open the file and add a new formula which can be blank. This forces it to generate the vector magnitudes.
    - Click the velocity branch to show the beam internal forces as arrows.
  • kuhlkuhl
    Hi @Victor ,
    I tried your suggestion and it worked as you described. Note that the beam resembling the bolt must consist of at least two elements so that it has a central node (to show the bolt forces) that is not shared with the the spider beams that connect the bolt to the structure. The forces values at the ends of the bolt are not the bolts section forces.
    So ist works in principle, but having to stick with global coordinates for the beam orientaion is not practical in most cases.
    But thanks for showing me anyway, it might come in handy some time!
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