Defining Material Orientations for Shell Sections

If the materials in your model exhibit directional properties, you can define their orientation as part of the shell section definition. You can define material orientation using the global axis system, a local axis system, or by selecting faces and edges. Using a local axis system enables you to define orientation using a displacement or rotation from the global system, and the local axis system can move with a portion of the model during deformation. Using the face and edge technique specifies an orientation based on a face and edge of the model, specifying their relationship, and it creates a spatially varying orientation.

This task shows you how to:

See Also
Defining a Shell Section

Define Material Orientations Using the Global Axis System

  1. From the Finite Elements section of the action bar, click Shell Section .
  2. Expand the Material orientation section.
  3. Select Specify orientation.
    The axis selection options appear.
  4. From the Axis system definition options, select Global.
  5. From the Axis for rotation options, select Axis1, Axis2, or Axis3.
  6. Optional: Specify an Additional rotation to provide an extra offset from the selected axis. The app measures positive rotation using the right hand rule. You can enter a value in radians (rad) to convert it to degrees.
  7. Click OK.

Define Material Orientations Using a Local Axis System

  1. From the Finite Elements section of the action bar, click Shell Section .
  2. Expand the Material orientation section.
  3. Select Specify orientation.
    The axis selection options appear.
  4. From the Axis system definition options, select Local.
  5. Specify the local axis system by doing the following:
    1. Click the local axis in the 3D area.
    2. Specify either of the following choices as the Axis system type:

      Cartesian Specifies an axis system where each point is located relative to an origin and to three planes that intersect at right angles to the origin.
      Cylindrical Specifies a local axis system where points are located based on their distance from a reference axis.

    3. From the Axis for rotation options, select Axis1, Axis2, or Axis3.
  6. Optional: Specify an Additional rotation to provide an extra offset from the selected axis. The app measures positive rotation using the right hand rule. You can enter a value in radians (rad) to convert it to degrees.
  7. Click OK.

Define Material Orientations Using the Face and Edge Technique

  1. From the Finite Elements section of the action bar, click Shell Section .
  2. Expand the Material orientation section.
  3. Select Specify orientation.
    The axis selection options appear.
  4. From the Axis system definition options, select Face and edge.
  5. Do the following:
    1. Select a surface or face to define the normal axis and the normal at the point closest to your selection is used as the normal axis direction.
    2. Select an edge to define the primary axis; the point on the edge closest to your selection defines the tangent used as the primary axis construction direction.
    The axis system follows the selected face and edge through motion and deformation of the model and recalculates axis locations according to their relative motion.
    Note: The app always preserves the element normal. The axis following the normal direction is projected onto the surface as the 1-direction. The 2-direction is the cross-product of the element normal and the 1-direction.
  6. Click OK.