Structural Concepts: Boundary Conditions

In this training video, we describe the Structural concepts in ANSYS software, focusing on defining Boundary Conditions. We provide you with a detailed and comprehensive tutorial to help you master all concepts of boundary condition definition in structural simulations without any issues.

Whenever a solid domain associated with a case study is simulated in structural analysis, specific boundary conditions need to be defined. These boundary conditions determine how the domain is allowed to undergo displacement or deformation freely, on the one hand, and how it is constrained and without displacement, on the other hand.

There are various boundary conditions available for structural simulations, with three main categories:

• Loads
• Supports
• Inertial

Loads, as the most important and widely used category, specify what is driving the structural displacement. Different types of load boundary conditions available:

• Pressure
• Hydrostatic Pressure
• Fluid Penetration Pressure
• Force
• Remote Force
• Bearing Load
• Bolt Pretension
• Moment
• Line Pressure
• Thermal Condition
• Joint Load

Supports, as an essential category, determine how the structure is constrained from displacement. Different types of support boundary conditions available:

• Fixed Support
• Displacement
• Remote Displacement
• Frictionless Support
• Compression-only Support
• Cylindrical Support
• Elastic Support

Inertial is another required category. Different types of inertial boundary conditions available:

• Acceleration
• Standard Earth Gravity
• Rotational Velocity
• Rotational Acceleration