Hi, I know that this is not exactly CFD problem but maybe anyone know what to do with this. I want to solve a bending problem of beam made from orthotropic material. I model the geometry meshing it with use of surface elements. After that I define an orthotropic material and define 2D element properties as layered composite. But when I want to start solver (ansys or ls-dyna) the error appears that there are no nodes defined. I tryed everytnig and find out that if material is defined as normal isotropic and 2D element properties are shell than everything is ok.

Please, can anyone help? This problem is really urgent for me. With best regards, Luk

Sorry: I made a mistake: the problem is that there are no elements defiend (not nodes).

Luk

The answer is 42.

Thanks for Your interest but could You be so kind and precise this? What is 42? Is this a number of element? I found at the documentation that ICEM 10.0 does not handle element shell99 wichih I would use in Ansys. But I have the same problem with LS-Dyna and documentation sais that orthotropic materials can be handled under LS-Dyna. The same time LS-Dyna give error: zero mass element.

Waiting for response, Luk

You probably need to go through the process of defining the element properties. Output > Select Solver > Ansys (or LS-Dyna). Then click on the parameters tab and make sure you define what kind of elements you want to write.

Manually comparing LS-Dyna inputs (prepared for simple case via ICEM and classic Ansys) I found that ICEM produces mistakes that (when I manually replace it with fragments of code from working input prepared in Ansys) allows it to work: - ICEM inputs wrong MID in card *PART (number is of one higher than defined in elements definition) - the thickness of element is 0 at all thk cards of *SECTION_SHELL when I set the thickness of unity at Define 2D Elements Properties.

It seems that definition of elements is unproper or not even recorded and record is based on defaults (because I get At SolveOptions->Write All Shell Elements (not only defined)

Is anyone know how to define layered composite element? I was trying many times and combinations but still nothing.

Luk

Beeing realy in despeir (because of time) I asked my friend who is working on Nastran to make me accesible his solver. The simulation started and for simple test case finishes with succes without any problems. Does it mean that layered components can not be handled with use of LS-Dyna/Ansys?

Luk