RBE2 / RBE3 Discrete Ties & Rotational degrees of freedom

Loads

RBE2 & RBE3 discrete ties can be used by modifying already generated remote loads.

To change a remote load to a load distributed by a RBE2 or RBE3 element the following commands can be added to the Advanced User Settings:

boundaryCondition.ModelLoadEvent_Force_1_Force.tyingMode=RBE2

boundaryCondition.ModelLoadEvent_Force_2_Force.tyingMode=RBE3

Force_1 & Force_2 have to be replaced with the names of the change desired loads.

Displacement Constraints / Rotational degrees of freedom

Displacement constraints can also be created with RBE2 elements. Thus, rotational degrees of freedom can be unconstrained.

Therefore, a dummy remote load has to be created with a load value. The dummy load can then be modified to a displacement constraint with a RBE2 element with the following commands. Unconstraint directions or rotations are left free to enable rotation. Ideally, the dummy load is applied in a direction of a translational displacement constraint so that the dummy load is without influence.

boundaryCondition.ModelLoadEvent_Force_1_Force.tyingMode=RBE2
boundaryCondition.ModelLoadEvent_Force_1_Force.displacement.x=0
boundaryCondition.ModelLoadEvent_Force_1_Force.displacement.y=0
boundaryCondition.ModelLoadEvent_Force_1_Force.displacement.z=0
boundaryCondition.ModelLoadEvent_Force_1_Force.displacement.ry=0
boundaryCondition.ModelLoadEvent_Force_1_Force.displacement.rz=0

Force_1 has to be replaced with the name of the change desired load to a displacement constraint.

Limitations:

The GUI does not support rotational degrees of freedom yet. The optimisation must be executed in the command line.

You might also be interested in these tutorials:

Unconstraint rotational degrees of freedom