Plate Attributes: Pre-load

Description

Assigns pre-load as either pre-stress or pre-strain to selected plate elements.

Pre-load is applied in the direction of the local x, y and z axes. The z axis pre-load is applicable only to plane strain and axisymmetric elements.

For restrained plates, a positive pre-load results in a tensile stress, while a negative pre-load results in a compressive stress.

For unrestrained plates, a positive pre-load causes the element to contract, while a negative value causes the element to stretch.  

The amount of load recovered in the element depends on the restraint conditions and stiffness of connected elements.

Pre-load attributes are load case dependent.

Dialog

Type

Pre-load type as either pre-stress or pre-strain.

Value x / y / z

Three components of pre-load in the plate's local x, y and z axes.

Pre-stress in the local z axis (i.e., through thickness direction), is only applicable to 2D plane strain and axisymmetric type plates as indicated on the dialog.

Pre-strain in the local z axis, (i.e., through thickness direction), is only applicable to axisymmetric type plates as indicated on the dialog.

Common Controls

• Components
• Equation Editor
• Retrieve from model
• Keep selection
• Scale / Add / Delete / Apply

Units

Pre-stress: Stress (e.g., Pa, psi).

Pre-strain: Dimensionless.

See Also

• Plate Attributes: Local Axis Angle
• Plate Elements: Element Types
• Results Interpretation: Total, Deformation, Nominal and Engineering Strain