At CREA Consultants we use ANSYS as our main analysis tool, and we are able to provide our clients with support specifically aimed at use of ANSYS. Our engineers have been using ANSYS since 1982 and have therefore developed a sound knowledge of its workings and capabilities. We use the linear and non-linear capabilities for static, dynamic and thermal analysis; and many combinations of the three. CREA holds a full usage licence for use of ANSYS and maintains the annual technical support.

Based on this extended knowledge of the usage of ANSYS CREA's engineers are able to adapt ANSYS to solve a wide range of engineering problems. CREA has a strong ability to develop capability using the ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL) which is a macro language based on FORTRAN.

CREA can provide our clients not only engineering solutions using ANSYS, but we will also provide consultancy in the use of ANSYS, including programming macros. We do not provide basic training, but we will provide support in the advanced use of the program.

CREA uses ANSYS to model a large range of structural engineering facilities such as:

• Steel structures such as offshore oil platforms and buildings;
• Large scale reinforced concrete structures such as nuclear containment and process buildings;
• Steel and concrete water tanks;
• Floating structures such as floating docks and breakwaters;
• Foundations and soil structures.

CREA uses ANSYS to analyses mechanical engineering structures and components such as:

• Pressure vessels;
• Valve and pump bodies;
• Pipe work joints and fittings;

CREA uses the dynamic analysis capabilities of ANSYS extensively. The main uses within CREA include:

• Mode Frequency and Modal Response
  • Seismic loading
  • Vortex shedding
  • Wind loading
  • Wave loading
  • Vibration
• Harmonic Analysis
  • Vibration
• Linear Transient
  • Seismic loading
• Non-linear Transient
  • Seismic loading
  • Blast response
  • Impact

CREA uses ANSYS for many different thermal and temperature investigations. Thermal analysis can be performed as a stand alone thermal study or it can be linked to a stress analysis to assess the effects of the temperatures on the structure. Analysis can be both steady state and transient. Typical applications:

• Fire loads on structures (which have included a fire appliance hydraulic boom) with a flame flux (or sometimes temperature) history applied to the structure or component. The temperature loading is transient. The loads are then applied to the structure in a stress analysis with the time information identifying time to failure (if failure occurs). In fir the rate of change of deflection rarely leads to dynamic structural effects.
• Temperature distribution in a disc brake due to braking friction during a system fault.
• Process temperatures on pipe work systems

ANSYS includes a very powerful macro language known as the ANSYS parametric Design Language (APDL). APDL is derived from FORTRAN and as such has many of the capabilities of FORTRAN. CREA makes extensive use of APDL in analysis, both to improve the execution of analysis and to enable post-processing of results to facilitate project specific presentation of results to the design team. As APDL develops more capability CREA very rarely presents direct ANSYS output to clients, particularly where the client is a design team. This ensures that the results passed over to the client are both clear and relevant to the design. Typical uses of APDL:

• To interpret basic ANSYS analysis results and present in a format readable by spread sheet programs such as MS Excel.
• To perform specified design calculations on results either to screen analysis outcomes or to perform the actual design assessment.
• To allow a model to be defined parametrically and therefore allow parametric what if type analysis to be performed effectively.
• To define models to allow design optimisation runs, see below
• To export analysis results to other programs and analysis processes, this includes exporting data to the computer operating system.

CREA offers an ANSYS macro writing service where we will develop macros for our clients. We will develop the macro as a programming project, testing the macro to the client's specification.

ANSYS includes well developed design optimisation tools which CREA uses extensively. Design optimisation can be used in its primary function to optimise structures and components; and it can be used in an inverted sense to detune (or even tune) responses, particularly dynamic responses due to vibration and other motions.

One other use of the design optimisation tool is as a means of monitoring parametric studies. The design optimisation module allows the graphing of design parameters against each other and so the influence of modelling variations can be effectively compared using the design optimiser.

Note: CREA never allows the design optimiser to run freely on its own. We always monitor its progress and analyse in detail the decisions made by this tool. CREA will not release a result from an automated process that cannot be verified and validated. (This applies to all analysis results, not just optimisation.)

CREA runs ANSYS on LINUX and UNIX operating systems for most of our analysis projects. UNIX and LINUX allow significant control over the execution of ANSYS, particularly where APDL is being used, and the operating system can interrogate results presented both by ANSYS itself and APDL routines within the analysis.

For presentation purposes the results will be interrogated on Windows based machines so that analysis can be integrated into word processor and spread sheet documents. The basic CREA philosophy is to use the computing environment that best suits the task or stage of analysis in hand.

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