19.16.4. Define Primary Criterion for a Static Structural Analysis

To specify a Primary Criterion object under the Solution object for a Static Structural analysis:

  1. Select the Solution object and then select the Primary Criterion option from the Solution Context tab, or right-click the Solution object and select Insert > User Defined Criteria > Primary Criterion.

  2. Select the desired Scoping Method. Options include:

    • Geometry (default): Displays an associated Geometry selection property you use to select a geometric entity using the Vertex, Edge, Face, or Body selection options.

      Important:  This scoping only supports 3D flexible bodies.

      Note:  If specified, Point Mass, Distributed Mass, and Imported Condensed Parts are ignored.

    • Named Selection: Displays an associated Named Selection property you use to select an available user–defined Named Selection.

    • Remote Point: Displays an associated Remote Point property you use to select an available user–defined Remote Point.

    • Boundary Condition: Displays an associated Boundary Condition property you use to select either a Remote Force, Moment, or a Remote Displacement (the three supported boundary conditions).

  3. From the Base Result property, select the type of nodal vector field from which the extraction occurs. Property options for this analysis type include:

    • Displacement

    • Rotation

    • Reaction Force

    • Reaction Moment

  4. In the Load Step Selection category, specify a desired Load Step for which to compute the criterion using the Step property.

  5. Specify the component from which to extract node values using the Component Reduction property. Options include:

    • X/Y/Z (3D Only)

    • Magnitude

    • Face Normal (3D Face Selection Only)

    • Directional

      If you specify Directional, the Define By property displays. Options for the property include:

      Component: When you select Component, the X/Y/Z (3D Only) Component properties display. Set the value of these properties as either 0 or 1 in order to define the direction(s) of interest. For example, specifying 1,0,0 for the components corresponds to a reduction in the X direction.
      Direction Selection: When you select Direction Selection, the Direction property displays. Use this property to specify a direction by selecting an entity on the model.

  6. Using the Spatial Reduction property, specify a desired computation method to produce a scalar value from the vector field on multiple nodes. Options include Average (default) and Absolute Maximum for the Displacement and Rotation options of the Base Result property and Sum for the Reaction Force and Reaction Moment options.

  7. The Method property currently supports only one option: Discrete (default).

  8. When you solve, the read-only Value property displays the calculated displacement, rotation, force, or torque. You can parameterize this value.

See the Understanding the Criterion Calculations section for a description of the calculations used to obtain the criterion.