ANSYS STRUCTURAL: L-Bracket Static Simulation

In this project, we performed a structural simulation of an L-Bracket in ANSYS Static Structural.

What are L-Brackets?

Brackets are supporting elements that transfer load from one component to another and are used to connect, mount, or reinforce two separate pieces. They are widely used in shelving, piping supports, wall mounting, automotive and aerospace structures, etc. The L-brackets (angle brackets or corner brackets) consist of two side plates joined at a right angle, which makes them appropriate for connecting perpendicular faces and resisting bending phenomena at the junction between the two sides.

Geometry Definition:

We modeled the geometry of the computational domain with Design Modeler software. The computational domain corresponds to an L-bracket, constructed from two perpendicular sides, and each side contains two holes.

Mesh:

We meshed the computational domain to create a discretized domain. An unstructured grid was created, so that about 155,800 elements were generated.

ANSYS Static Structural:

There are different solvers and software available for users for structural modeling. For the present simulation, we utilize the ANSYS Static Structural Solver. The overall procedure and main steps required for static structural simulations include the definition of materials, connections, different types of boundary conditions, and post-processing.

How to define boundary conditions?

First, we defined a force load boundary condition on the inner face of the holes in the horizontal (seated) side. This force load is applied vertically downward to the seated arm. It represents the weight of a mounted component transferred into the bracket through its bolts. Next, we defined a fixed support boundary condition on the inner face of the vertical (standing) side. This constrained the bracket from the vertical (standing) arm, with no degrees of freedom for movement, representing the bracket bolted rigidly to a fixed base wall.

What is the purpose of this simulation?

This investigation aims to evaluate the structural response of the L-bracket under loading and study the solid behavior with analysis of distributions of the total deformation, elastic strain, and von Mises stress.

Results and discussions:

The total deformation distribution indicates that maximum deflection occurs ot the horizontal side of the L-bracket, where its holes are exposed to downward force loads. The stress distribution indicates that the maximum stress appears near the inner corner of the L-bracket, where it experiences the highest moment.