Random Response Analysis

Create random response analysis 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:
  • Create Dynamic Random Analysis for a walkway assembly with base excitation load.

Model Description



Figure 1.
The following files are needed for this tutorial:
  • Random.ssp
  • PSD_Function.csv
The project file has the following specifications:
  • Material is set to Steel for all parts.
  • Regular connections with 3mm gap and penetration tolerance.

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 Random.ssp
  4. Click OK.

Create Modal Analysis

  1. On the main window toolbar, click the (Modal analysis) icon.


    Figure 3.
  2. In the popup Number of modes window, specify the number of modes as 9.
  3. Click OK.
    The new modal analysis will appear in the Project Tree.

Create Immovable Support

Create immovable supports on select faces in the model.

  1. In the Analysis Workbench, click (Immovable support).


    Figure 4.
  2. In the dialog, verify the Faces radio button is selected.
  3. In the modeling window, select the two faces shown in orange in Figure 5.


    Figure 5.
  4. Click OK.
    The new constraint, Immovable 1, will appear in the Project Tree. A visual representation of the straint will appear on the model.

Run Analysis

Solve the analysis.

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

Review Results

Plot displacement magnitude contour and review the modes.

  1. In the Project Tree, Select the Modal 1 subcase.
  2. On the Analysis Workbench, select > Displacement Magnitude.
    The Legend widow will open and display the contour plot. The Frequency (Hz) window will open and list the modes.
    Figure 6.

Create Random Response Analysis

Use modal results to create random response analysis.

  1. On the main window toolbar, select > Random response.
    The Dynamic random response setup dialog will open and automatically link to the Modal analysis results.


    Figure 7.
  2. For Frequency span, set the Lower limit to 0 and the Upper limit to 28.1553.
  3. Select the Modal damping tab.
  4. Set the Default damping ratio to 0.03.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Accept warning message.

Create PSD Functions

Define power spectral density (PSD) vs frequency response.

PSD functions are referenced by dynamic loads.

  1. In the Project Tree, click on the Assembly branch to open the Assembly workbench.
  2. On the workbench toolbar, click the (Power Spectral Density function) icon.
  3. In the dialog, click the Import CSV button.


    Figure 8.
  4. In the File explorer, browse to the PSD_Function.csv file and click Open.
    The function will be plotted in the XY graph in the dialog.


    Figure 9.

Define Loads

Define base excitation load.

  1. On the Assembly workbench toolbar, click the (Base excitation) icon.
  2. In the dialog, ensure Excitation type is set to Acceleration.
  3. Ensure Units are set to [m/sec^2].
  4. For Amplitude, enter 10.
  5. For direction, enter 1 for X, Y, and Z.


    Figure 10.
  6. 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 and review the modes.

  1. In the Project Tree, Select the Dynamic random 1 subcase.
  2. On the Analysis Workbench, select > Displacement Magnitude.
    The Legend widow will open and display the contour plot. The Dynamics random response window will open. You can use the slider to animate frequencies.


    Figure 11.

Plot Response Curve

Plot response vs frequency for a picked location and obtain partial response.

  1. On the workbench toolbar, click the (Pick info) icon.
  2. Verify the Pick point/face radio button is selected.
  3. In the modeling window, select a point on the model as shown in Figure 12.


    Figure 12.
    The response for the point will be plotted in the XY graph in the dialog. You can use the scroll wheel to zoom in, the left mouse button to pan, or the Refit button to reset the graph.


    Figure 13.
  4. Obtain Partial Response.
    1. In the dialog, pick a point on the curve to show the Modes contributions into response table.


      Figure 14.
    2. In the table, select a row to choose what mode to include in the partial response.
      Tip: You can sort the table by clicking on the column headers.
    3. Click Evaluate response.
    The plot in the dialog will update to show the partial response.