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Advanced Simulation · Lesson 1: Moving to nonlinear analysis

The three sources of nonlinearity, small and large displacements, time curves and stepping.

Lesson goal

Identify the cases where the small displacement assumption distorts the result and set up a first nonlinear study.

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2 videos

✎

1 exercise

Advanced

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Prerequisite: Static Simulation learning path

1. Watch the videos

Dassault Systèmes videos hosted on MySolidWorks: they open in a new tab and a free account is enough. Watch them in order.

Nonlinear Simulation IntroductionVideo 1▶Nonlinear Simulation IntroductionThe nonlinear module, its control methods and its basic material models.↗ Small vs. Large DisplacementsVideo 2▶Small vs. Large DisplacementsCompare a wrong linear solution with a nonlinear study driven by a time curve.↗

2. Key takeaways

1

Three phenomena make an analysis nonlinear: large displacements, material behavior and changing contacts.

2

A linear study assumes small displacements: when the part deforms a lot, its result can be wrong without any error message.

3

In nonlinear analysis, the load is applied gradually along a time curve.

4

Stepping is set to fixed step or autostepping: the latter adjusts the step when convergence becomes difficult.

Tip

Always run the linear study first: if the displacement you get is of the same order as the part thickness, that is the sign you need large displacements.

3. Do the exercise

On a flat blade fixed at one end and loaded at the tip:

  • calculate the displacement in a linear static study
  • create a nonlinear study with a linear time curve on the load
  • compare the two tip displacements
✓To check: The nonlinear study runs to the end of the time curve, and you can explain the difference from the linear result.

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