The Solid Mechanics Interface
The Solid Mechanics (solid) interface (), found under the Structural Mechanics branch () when adding a physics interface, is intended for general structural analysis of 3D, 2D, 1D, or axisymmetric bodies. In 2D, 1D, and 1D axisymmetry, plane stress or plane strain assumptions can be used. The Solid Mechanics interface is based on solving the equations of motion together with a constitutive model for a solid material. Results such as displacements, stresses, and strains are computed.
The functionality provided by the Solid Mechanics interface depends on the products you are using. The Acoustics Module, MEMS Module, and Structural Mechanics Module add several features, for example geometric nonlinearity and advanced boundary conditions such as contact, follower loads, and nonreflecting boundaries.
The default material is a Linear Elastic Material.
With either the Nonlinear Structural Materials Module or the Geomechanics Module, the physics interface is extended with more materials, for example, material models for plasticity, hyperelasticity, creep, and concrete.
When this physics interface is added, these default nodes are also added to the Model Builder Linear Elastic Material, Free (a boundary condition where boundaries are free, with no loads or constraints), and Initial Values. Then, from the Physics toolbar, you can add other nodes that implement, for example, solid mechanics material models, boundary conditions, and loads. You can also right-click Solid Mechanics to select physics features from the context menu.
Settings
The Label is the default physics interface name.
The Name is used primarily as a scope prefix for variables defined by the physics interface. Refer to such physics interface variables in expressions using the pattern <name>.<variable_name>. In order to distinguish between variables belonging to different physics interfaces, the name string must be unique. Only letters, numbers, and underscores (_) are permitted in the Name field. The first character must be a letter.
The default Name (for the first physics interface in the model) is solid.
2D Approximation
From the 2D approximation list, select Plane stress or Plane strain (the default). Plane stress is relevant for structures which are thin in the out-of-plane direction, such as a thin plate. Plane strain is relevant when the 2D model can be considered as a cut through an object that is long in the out-of-plane direction. For more information see the theory section.
1D Approximation
From the y direction and z direction lists, select Plane strain or Plane stress.
1D Axisymmetric Approximation
From the z direction list, select Plane strain or Plane stress.
Thickness
For 2D and 1D axisymmetric components, enter a value or expression for the Thickness d. The default value of 1 m is suitable for plane strain models, where it represents a unit-depth slice, for example. For plane stress models, enter the actual thickness, which should be small compared to the size of the plate for the plane stress assumption to be valid. In Acoustic-Structure Interaction problems, the Thickness should be set to 1 m.
Use a Change Thickness node to change thickness in parts of the geometry if necessary.
Cross-Sectional Area
For 1D components, enter a value or expression for the cross-section area Ac. The default value is m2, which is suitable for models where plane strain assumptions are used in both transverse directions. For plane stress models, consider entering actual cross-section data.
Use a Change Cross Section node to change thickness in parts of the geometry if necessary.
Structural Transient Behavior
From the Structural transient behavior list, select Include inertial terms (the default) or Quasistatic. Use Quasistatic to treat the elastic behavior as quasi static (with no mass effects; that is, no second-order time derivatives). Selecting this option gives a more efficient solution for problems where the variation in time is slow when compared to the natural frequencies of the system. The default solver for the time stepping is changed from Generalized alpha to BDF when Quasistatic is selected.
For problems with creep, and sometimes viscoelasticity, the problem can be considered as quasistatic. This is also the case when the time dependence exists only in some other physics, like a transient heat transfer problem causing thermal strains.
Discretization
In the Solid Mechanics interface, you can choose not only the order of the discretization, but also the type of shape functions: Lagrange or serendipity. For highly distorted elements, Lagrange shape functions provide better accuracy than serendipity shape functions of the same order. The serendipity shape functions will however give significant reductions of the model size for a given mesh containing hexahedral, prism, or quadrilateral elements. In 1D components there is no difference between Lagrange and serendipity shape functions.
The default is to use Quadratic serendipity shape functions for the Displacement field. Using Linear shape functions will give what is sometimes called constant stress elements. Such a formulation will for many problems make the model overly stiff, and many elements may be needed for an accurate resolution of the stresses.
To display other settings for this section, click the Show More Options button () and select Advanced Physics Options in the Show More Options dialog box.
Dependent Variables
The physics interface uses the global spatial components of the Displacement field u as dependent variables. The default names for the components are (u, v, w) in 3D. In 2D the component names are (u, v), and in 2D axisymmetry they are (u, w). In 1D and 1D axisymmetry the default component name is (u). You can however not use the ‘missing’ component names in the 2D or 1D cases as a parameter or variable name, since they are used internally.
You can change both the field name and the individual component names. If a new field name coincides with the name of another displacement field, the two fields (and the interfaces that define them) share degrees of freedom and dependent variable component names. You can use this behavior to connect a Solid Mechanics interface to a Shell directly attached to the boundaries of the solid domain, or to another Solid Mechanics interface sharing a common boundary.
A new field name must not coincide with the name of a field of another type (that is, it must contain a displacement field), or with a component name belonging to some other field. Component names must be unique within a model except when two interfaces share a common field name.
See Table 2-4 for links to common sections and Table 2-5 for common feature nodes. You can also search for information: press F1 to open the Help window or Ctrl+F1 to open the Documentation window.
Stresses in a Pulley: Application Library path COMSOL_Multiphysics/Structural_Mechanics/stresses_in_pulley
Eigenvalue Analysis of a Crankshaft: Application Library path COMSOL_Multiphysics/Structural_Mechanics/crankshaft