GUIDELINES FOR FEM ASSIGNMENT WRITING

TYPICAL ASSIGNMENT STRUCTURE: ABSTRACT Write a representative summary of your work. This should include short statement about:

• Brief problem definition including background • Method • Results summary • Conclusion statement

Highlight anything extra-ordinary (above the basic requirements) that you may have included in the report. INTRODUCTION: • An introduction should be at the start of the report, with a clear detailed

description of the problem and the objectives of the assignment. • Explain the background of the problem and why numerical simulation is

needed to be used to help solve it. MODEL DEVELOPMENT: • The geometry of the models being produced should be presented in the

report (including neat hand sketches) • Discuss and explain reasons for the selection of:

• The type of geometry used – i.e. 2D, 3D .etc • Type of assigned section, • Specific material properties • Type of constraints (boundary conditions) used in terms of degrees of

freedom, symmetry, etc. and where these should be applied, • Types of selected loads & boundary conditions, where they should be

applied & why, • Element type selected, also discuss other viable possibilities, advantages

& disadvantages of each, also explain the formulation and the cost of using the selected elements.

• The type of seeding used (CAE) and why you selected to have a mesh of that density.

• Techniques used to minimize use of computational resources, e.g. applying symmetry conditions, etc.

ANALYSIS • The report should have a detailed discussion on the types of analysis steps

used in the simulation, this discussion should include: • What type of analysis did you use for that step, • What assumptions are implied in selecting that specific step, • Why did you use that type, • How does that step work, • What is the effect of the step on computational efficiency,

• The report should contain methods of reducing the computational expense of

the simulation, the following should be discussed (when relevant): • What to alter in field output (CAE) and why • What to alter in history output (CAE) and why

VALIDATION: • The report should contain relevant theoretical calculations as required • Numerical solutions produced in ABAQUS should be compared with the

theoretical results and discussed. RESULTS: • Explain how the results were obtained (history or field output in CAE) and

how they were further manipulated for final interpretation. Which regions of the model were selected to obtain results and why?

• The numerical results presented in the report should contain the following: • Numerical / Modeling outcomes including plots, diagrams, comparison

tables, etc. as appropriate. • Contour plots of all models simulated (if relevant)

• Do not include any raw output files from ABAQUS.

DISCUSSION: • The discussion presented in the report should contain the following (when

relevant): • Explaining the purpose that the simulation is to achieve. • Explaining the limitations of the simulation or any other effects that are

purely numerical and how they should be dealt with. • Explaining the fundamental concepts of solid mechanics / structural

analysis that are needed to manipulate and interpret the results. • Discussion of both analysed physical problem and modelling technique • There should be a discussion of the stress distribution for each model

when relevant. • Relationship between the stress distribution and the corresponding

loading when relevant. • The computational efficiency and accuracy should be discussed when

considering how changing mesh size (mesh refinement) affects the results.

• The accuracy and computational efficiency of each relevant type of elements should be discussed and suggestions made for which element type is the best for simulating the problem.

• Any errors that may have resulted from the simulation. o This refers to computational errors such as what happened if you

used reduced integration solid elements instead of full integration elements.

o This does not refer to complaints such as “ABAQUS wouldn’t work for some reason” or “I didn’t have time to fix this problem”. That is not appropriate for a technical report

• This section of the report may contain details about anything special or extra-ordinary (highlighted in the summary) that you might like to include and discuss in the report.

CONCLUSION.

• The conclusion should state the objectives stated in the introduction and how

have you achieved them. It should not have any new information that was not discussed earlier in the report.

GENERAL GUIDELINES:

• The appendices should include the relevant key samples of tables used in the report.

• No .log, .dat, .rpt or .msg files should be included in the report, but some printed numerical results from ABAQUS can be manipulated or inserted into tables and introduced in the Results / Validation / Discussion sections as appropriate.

• No folder or special binding is required • Standard cover sheet is required as with all other assignments. • Assignments should be A4 portrait layout, stapled at the top left corner

Both content and presentation will be assessed. PRESENTATION: • Presentation of the assignment should be clear and concise.

The report should have clear headings. The report should be written in a logical order (don’t skip from one

section to another then go back to the original section) Don’t dwell on something once the point has been made. The report sections should have adequately-sized paragraphs. The report should be easy to read (a suggestion is justified size 12

writing with 1.5 spacing and a space between paragraphs). Whenever possible use graphs instead of tables (they are easier to

understand), but sometimes you need to use tables. All figures should be clearly labeled and referred to in the text. The use of black and white pictures is not penalized. However, black

and white contour plots (when relevant) have to be plotted using GRAY-SCALE.

A technical report should be written in the third person past tense.

PROGRESS MARKS

• Attend your designated class in which you are enrolled. The tutor will have the class list of ONLY this class.

• You should be able to show all CAE files & related ODB files working.

Excuses that the results files cannot be located will not be accepted. It is student’s responsibility to manage their files.

• You should be able to show how relevant data was extracted using the

Visualization module and how it was further processed.

• Explain why the model was set up in the way it was.

• All required models are expected to be completed.

• You should be able to discuss any unexpected results.

• Show that you have done the theoretical calculations needed for the validation.

• Show that you are able to answer any questions that the tutor asks.

• You MUST be ready for a progress mark at the START of the class.

• The tutor may start marking the progress at any sequence using either

seating or class list, either forwards or backwards.

• In case you have to leave early for any reason, please inform the tutor at the START of the class, so that you get your progress mark early. The opposite situation is not permitted. You cannot ask the tutor to defer taking your progress mark to a later stage.