Results Evaluation in a Laminate
For visualization and results evaluation, predefined variables include all nonzero stress and strain tensor components, principal stresses and principal strains, in-plane and out-of-plane forces, moments, and von Mises and Tresca equivalent stresses.
Stresses and strains are available in the global coordinate system, laminate coordinate system, as well as in the layer local coordinate system.
Layered Material Slice Plot
It is possible to evaluate the stress and strain tensor components and equivalent stresses in each layer of a laminate using Layered Material Slice plot.
The through-thickness location can be set to evaluate a quantity in the middle of a layer, at an interface between two layers, top or bottom of a laminate, and so on. The top, bottom, and the middle of a laminate can be defined as:
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Bottom of a laminate: −1 (relative) and 0 (physical)
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Middle of a laminate: 0 (relative) and d/2 (physical)
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Top of a laminate: +1 (relative) and d (physical)
The default value for the through-thickness location is given in the Default through-thickness result location section of the Layered Shell interface.
Through Thickness Plot
The through-thickness variation of a quantity at one or more locations on the reference surface can be plotted using a Through Thickness plot. In this plot, the reference surface locations can be specified through following ways:
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By selecting one or more geometric points
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By specifying the coordinate of one or more points
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By creating a cut point dataset
Layered Material Dataset
The Layered Material dataset allows the display of results in 3D solid even though the equations are solved on a 2D surface.
Using this dataset, results can either be visualized on a 3D object or on slices created in the through-thickness direction of a 3D object. The following options are available in the dataset to create slices in the through-thickness direction:
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Mesh nodes
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Interfaces
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Layer midplanes
Sometimes, when a laminate is very thin, it becomes difficult to distinguish between a surface or a solid object. In such cases it is possible to scale the through-thickness direction in the dataset for better visualization.