Creating Distributed Masses and Inertias

Distributed masses and inertias are applied to all selected geometry. The mass is applied as mass per unit volume. The inertia is applied as specified for each translational and rotational component. Distributed masses can also be used as supports for gravity loads.

Distributed masses and inertias can be applied to virtual parts or to points or vertices that are associated with a node in the mesh. Edges and faces can also be selected; however, these supports are defined only for use in the CATIA Generative Part Structural Analysis (GPS) workbench. They cannot be used in an Abaqus analysis.

This task shows you how to create distributed masses and inertias on geometry.

  1. Click the Distributed Mass and Inertia icon .

    The Distributed Mass and Inertia dialog box appears, and a Distributed Mass and Inertia object appears in the specification tree under the Masses objects set for the current analysis case.

  2. You can change the identifier of the mass by editing the Name field.

  3. Select the support. You can select either a virtual part or a point or vertex that is associated with a node. Any selectable geometry is highlighted when you pass the cursor over it.

    Note:  Edges and faces can be selected as supports, but they have no meaning in an Abaqus analysis and are not defined in Abaqus for CATIA V5. Likewise, you can select more than one support for a Distributed Mass and Inertia object, but multiple supports are not allowed in an Abaqus analysis. Edges, faces, and multiple supports are available for use in the CATIA Generative Part Structural Analysis (GPS) workbench.

    The Supports field is updated to reflect your selection.

  4. Keep the default Global axis system. Only the global axis system can be used for an Abaqus analysis; the other selections are available for use in the GPS workbench.

    See Distributing Masses and Inertias in the CATIA V5 Generative Structural Analysis User's Guide for more information on the axis systems used in the GPS workbench.

  5. Enter the mass in the Mass field.

  6. Enter the inertia values. The available entries include rotary inertia about the 1-, 2-, and 3-axis and the corresponding products of inertia for each axis pair.

  7. Select a reference point for the rotary inertia. Only reference points can be used for an Abaqus analysis; handler points are also available for selection but they are for use only in the GPS workbench.

  8. Click OK in the Distributed Mass and Inertia dialog box.

    Symbols representing the applied mass are displayed on the geometry.