3.19. Symmetry Plane

This boundary condition enables you to define the symmetry plane (Neumann boundary).

Analysis Types

The Symmetry Plane loading condition is available for Coupled Field Harmonic and Harmonic Acoustics analyses.

Common Characteristics

This section describes the characteristics of the boundary condition, including the application requirements, support limitations, and loading definitions and values.

Dimensional Types

  • 3D Simulation: Supported.

  • 2D Simulation: Not Supported.

Geometry Types: Geometry types supported for the Symmetry Plane boundary condition include:

  • Solid: Supported.

  • Surface/Shell: Not Supported.

  • Wire Body/Line Body/Beam: Not Supported.

Topology: The following topology selection options are supported for Symmetry Plane.

  • Body: Not Supported.

  • Face: Supported.

  • Edge: Not Supported.

  • Vertex: Not Supported.

  • Nodes: Not Supported.

  • Element Face: Not Supported.

  • Element: Not Supported.

Loading Data Definition: Not applicable.

Boundary Condition Application

To apply a Symmetry Plane:

  1. On the Environment Context tab: select Acoustic Boundary Conditions > Symmetry Plane. Or, right-click the Environment tree object or click in the Geometry window and select Insert > Acoustics > Symmetry Plane.

  2. Define the Scoping Method.

Details View Properties

The selections available in the Details view are described below.

CategoryFields/Options/Description
Scope

Scoping Method, options include:

  • Geometry Selection: Default setting, indicating that the boundary condition is applied to a geometry or geometries, which are chosen using a graphical selection tools.

    • Geometry (Face selection only): Visible when the Scoping Method property is set to Geometry Selection. Geometry selections must be made on bodies specified in the acoustic Physics Region.

      Use the Face selection filter to pick your geometry, click in the Geometry field, and then click the Apply button that displays. After you select the geometry, this property displays the geometric entities (1 Face, 3 Faces, etc.).

  • Named Selection: Indicates that the geometry selection is defined by a Named Selection.

    • Named Selection: Visible when the Scoping Method is set to Named Selection. This field provides a drop-down list of available user–defined Named Selections (face-based only).

Definition

Type: Read-only field that describes the object - Symmetry Plane.

Coordinate System: Drop-down list of available coordinate systems. Global Coordinate System is the default.

Symmetry Axis: Read-only field with the setting Normal to Selected Faces.

Suppressed: Include (No - default) or exclude (Yes) the boundary condition.

Mechanical APDL References and Notes

This boundary condition is consumed for Far-field result calculations. You will not see any change to the input file if the HFSYM command is used for the Far-field calculation.

API Reference

See the Symmetry Plane section of the ACT API Reference Guide for specific scripting information.