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Problem Specification
1. Start-up and preliminary set-up
2. Specify element type and constants
3. Specify material properties
4. Specify geometry
5. Mesh geometry
6. Specify boundary conditions
7. Solve!
8. Postprocess the results
9. Validate the results

Step 8: Postprocess the results

Enter the postprocessing module to analyze the solution.

Main Menu > General Postproc

Plot von Mises Stress

To display the von Mises stress distribution as continuous contours, select

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The maximum von Mises stress is 147 MPa and occurs at the bottom on the symmetry line.

Plot Circumferential Stress

σ_θis the SY stress component in cylindrical coordinates in ANSYS. Activate the cylindrical coordinate system for results display (you need to do this even if you were working in the cylindrical system in the preprocessor):

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Check where the maximum (MX) and minimum (MN) σ_θvalues occur in the plot. The circumferential stress is tensile (positive) and compressive (negative) on the inner and outer portions of the cross-section, respectively. Is this what you'd have expected? Theσ_θcontours are more closely spaced at smaller r values. This agrees with the prediction of curved beam theory that the stress gradients will be highest on the edge nearest the center of curvature.

Plot Neutral Axis

The neutral axis is the locus of points where σ_θis zero. To visualize the neutral axis, we'll change the contour levels that are plotted.

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The FEA results indicate that the neutral axis is curved, contrary to the assumption in mechanics of materials theory.

Plot Radial Stress

In cylindrical coordinates, the radial stress is the SX stress component.

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The radial stress is tensile over the entire cross-section.

Plot Deformed Shape

Main Menu > General Postproc > Plot Results > Deformed Shape

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