SS-T: 3040 Hydrostatic Pressure

Create hydrostatic pressure in SimSolid.

Purpose

SimSolid performs meshless structural analysis that works on full featured parts and assemblies, is tolerant of geometric imperfections, and runs in seconds to minutes. In this tutorial, you will do the following:
  • Learn how to create a hydrostatic pressure load.

Model Description

The following model file is needed for this tutorial:
  • HydrostaticPressure.ssp
Figure 1.
This file has the following specifications:
  • Material is set to Steel for all parts.
  • Regular connections with 3mm gap and penetration tolerance.
  • Bonded contact conditions are created automatically.

Open Project

Open the SimSolid project file.

  1. Start a new SimSolid session.
  2. Click the (Open Project) icon.


    Figure 2.
  3. In the Open project file dialog, choose HydrostaticPressure.ssp
  4. Click OK.

Create Structural Linear Analysis

Create a structural linear analysis with immovable constraints and a handlebar load.

  1. On the main window toolbar, click (Structural analysis).
  2. Choose Structural linear.


    Figure 3.
    The new analysis will appear in the Project Tree under Design study 1 and the Analysis Workbench will open.

Apply Constraints

Create an immovable support.

  1. In the Project Tree, open the Analysis Workbench.
  2. On the workbench toolbar, click the (Immovable support) icon.


    Figure 4.
  3. In the dialog, ensure the Face radio button is selected.
  4. In the modeling window, select the face as shown in orange in Figure 5.


    Figure 5.
  5. Click OK.

Apply Hydrostatic Pressure

  1. In the Project Tree, select Structural 1.
  2. On the Analysis Workbench toolbar, select (Hydrostatic pressure).
    Figure 6.
  3. In the modeling window, select the face as shown in orange in Figure 7.


    Figure 7.
  4. Enter coordinates for the liquid surface.
    1. Under Coordinates of a point for liquid surface, for X, enter 0.
    2. For Y, enter 0.
    3. For Z, enter 60000.
    The Liquid surface indicator will appear in the model.
    Tip: You can also position the liquid surface using the sphere at the center of the indicator.
  5. Enter Depth direction.
    1. For X and Y, enter 0.
    2. For Z, enter -1.
      An arrow indicating depth direction will appear on the Liquid surface indicator.


      Figure 8.
  6. For Liquid density, enter 1000.
  7. Click OK.
    A warning dialog appears prompting you do create a gravity load in the direction of depth.


    Figure 9.
  8. Click OK.
  9. Apply Gravity load.
    1. In the Gravity load dialog, for X and Y, enter 0.
    2. For Z, enter -1.
    Note: Gravity load can also be applied before applying Hydrostatic pressure. If Gravity load is applied first, when you enter the Hydrostatic pressure dialog the Depth direction will be set automatically. You will not be able to edit Depth direction from the dialog.


    Figure 10.
  10. Click OK.

Run Analysis

Solve the analysis.

  1. In the Project Tree, open the Analysis Workbench.
  2. Click (Solve).

Review Results

Plot displacement magnitude contour.

  1. In the Project Tree, Select the Structural 1 subcase.
  2. On the Analysis Workbench, select > Displacement Magnitude.
    The Legend widow will open and display the contour plot.


    Figure 11.