Home Downloads & Info References Customer Projects Mechanical Displacement System Design, Saint-Martin-de-la-Porte, France
Mechanical Displacement System Design, Saint-Martin-de-la-Porte, France
Customer Project
The project goal for a hydroelectric power plant was to analyze the resistance of a double mechanical displacement system on rails subjected to tensile stress.
Structural Analysis |
AGICEA, Orange, France www.agicea-bureau-etudes.fr |
Investor |
Groupe MOSCATELLI, Sorgues, France www.groupe-moscatelli.com |
Model
Technical Details and Calculation
The model includes various solids with different materials (steel S235, S275, bronze, steel 42CD4). The rail is supported by clamping connections fixed on foundation plates. The entire system can be moved with the four rollers fixed on a slide component and limited to displacement in the x- and y-direction. The entire frame structure is represented by double UPN sections.
Since a tension force was not specifically defined, the model was calculated with an iterative method taking into consideration a Eurocode safety factor until the stability and elastic limit of each material was reached.
It was decided to calculate each component as a solid model (3D FEA) to check each mesh point and if the contact stresses and internal deformations would affect the behavior of the respective part. Additionally, the mesh was considerably refined.
Result Evaluation
After the calculation, the deformation was checked to ensure realistic results.
Then, each component was isolated from similar material elements to view the maximum von Mises stresses. Figure 03 displays the clamping connection and roller von Mises stresses.
The iterative calculations were completed until the stability or elastic limit of the material was reached to derive the maximum allowable tensile force in the system. This maximum allowable load was determined to be 1.41 tons.
In addition, the project calculation package has been published where all results, input data and design checks can be reviewed.
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Models to Download
Knowledge Base Articles

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Manual adjustment of the buckling curve according to EN 1993-1-1
The RF-/STEEL EC3 add-on module automatically transfers the buckling line to be used for the flexural buckling analysis for a cross-section from the cross-section properties. In particular for general cross -sections, but also for special cases, the assignment of the buckling line can be adjusted manually in the module input.
Screenshots
The model is constructed by means of parameters for geometry and loads and regenerates when the parameters are changed.
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Product Features Articles

SHAPE-THIN | Cold-Formed Sections
SHAPE-THIN determines the effective cross-sections according to EN 1993-1-3 and EN 1993-1-5 for cold-formed sections. You can optionally check the geometric conditions for the applicability of the standard specified in EN 1993‑1‑3, Section 5.2.
The effects of local plate buckling are considered according to the method of reduced widths and the possible buckling of stiffeners (instability) is considered for stiffened sections according to EN 1993-1-3, Section 5.5.
As an option, you can perform an iterative calculation to optimize the effective cross-section.
You can display the effective cross-sections graphically.
Read more about designing cold-formed sections with SHAPE-THIN and RF-/STEEL Cold-Formed Sections in this technical article: Design of a Thin-Walled, Cold-Formed C-Section According to EN 1993-1-3.
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