Boundary Conditions
Boundary Conditions define limits as well as loads on geometry and mesh.
Loads on Geometry
You can apply loads to geometrical entities and map them to the FE mesh using the Load on Geom panel.
One advantage is that you can remesh a model without deleting complicated loads or boundary conditions. After remeshing, loads or boundary conditions that have been applied to geometrical entities can be remapped to the new mesh.
You can apply loads to geometry by using the following panels: Forces, Moments, Constraints, Pressures, Temperatures, Flux, Velocities, and Accels. These are the same panels used to apply loads to a mesh.
- Manually, using the Load on Geom panel
- Automatically, by exporting the FE deck, using the Export tab.
The Model Browser allows separate or simultaneous visualization of loads on mesh and loads on geometry.
- When Elements is selected, you control the display of loads applied to elements.
- When Geometry is selected, you control the display of loads applied to geometric entities.
- Both means that you can control the display of both types of loads independently, and load collectors may contain one type or both types simultaneously.
- Use the none, all and reverse buttons to assist in selecting which loadcols should be displayed.
Loads on mesh and loads on geometry can be displayed together, similar to the simultaneous display of both elements and geometry belonging to a specific component.
A geometrical entity can be associated with one mesh or multiple meshes (component or components) and/or with one load collector or multiple load collectors.
One load collector stores both loads on geometry and loads on mesh. The mesh, or multiple meshes, is associated with the geometrical entities to which the loads on geometry have been applied. Each load type is stored in a dedicated section of the same load collector.
Terminology and Definitions
- geometrical entities
- A point, a line, or a surface.
- loads on geometry or geometry loads
- Loads applied to geometrical entities.
- loads on mesh or mesh loads
- Loads applied to mesh (nodes or element).
- load mapping
- The process of mapping geometrical loads to mesh loads. The loads are mapped from the geometrical entities (to which the geometrical loads are applied) to the mesh that is associated with the geometrical entities.
Application of Loads to Geometry
You can apply loads to geometrical entities in a way similar to the manner in which loads are applied to mesh. The process includes two basic steps.
Export Loads
Export sessions that contain loads on geometry, loads on mesh that have been applied directly to mesh, and loads on mesh that have been mapped from loads on geometry.
When saving the model as an HM database, all load types are saved and are retrieved when you open the .hm file. When exporting the model using an export template, only the loads on mesh are exported. The loads on mesh that are exported may have been applied directly to mesh, mapped from geometry to mesh, or both.
The all/displayed option on the Export tab allows you to determine which loads are exported.
If all is selected, all the loads on geometry that have not been mapped (if any), are mapped to loads on mesh and all the loads on mesh are exported.
If displayed is selected, all the displayed loads on mesh are exported. All the loads on mesh, both displayed and hidden, that are associated with the displayed loads on geometry are exported as well. If any loads on geometry are displayed and have not been mapped, they will automatically be mapped to loads on mesh and exported as well.
Visualization of Loads on Geometry and Loads on Mesh
The Display panel allows you to visualize loads on mesh and loads on geometry.
Visualize loads on mesh and loads on geometry either individually or together by setting the collector type to loadcols and using the toggle between elems and geoms.