The initial stress establishes the stress field on a part at the start of the simulation. The total stress might change during the simulation. For example, loads added during mechanical steps can increase stress, or a thermal step designed to anneal a part can relieve initial stress. You can apply a uniform initial stress value to the entire model or apply initial stress field data from the first analysis case in a sequential stress analysis. Initial stresses from a sequential stress analysis are typically location- and time-dependent. Uniform Initial StressesUniform initial stress is applied to the model. The specified stress value is applied throughout the simulation on all selected supports. Initial Stresses in Sequential Stress AnalysesA sequential stress analysis consists of a structural analysis followed by another uncoupled stress/deformation analysis (static steps). The solvers calculate the model stress during the source structural analysis. The stress values vary with position and are usually time dependent. You select a step in the first analysis case and use its stress data to specify initial stress in the second analysis case. The source and target analysis cases cannot use different finite element representations of the model. For more information, see Applying a Finite Element Model to a Simulation. | |||||||