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Panel Segments

Panel Segments are Zones corresponding to Stiffened Panels that are modeled in the FEM using discretely meshed stiffeners. The figures below show examples of the FEM idealization compared to the structural model.

panSeg_create_tech2_uni.png
panSeg_create_tech3_uniaxial.png

About

  • Panel Segments can be considered as a special type of Zone - the actual attributes and functions of which mirror all other Zone types.

  • Elements ID selections are used to define the coverage of Panel Segments (mutually exclusive).

    • The FEM elements that make up each segment depend on the modeling technique used in the FEM. See Discrete Modeling Techniques for an overview.

  • Panel Segments are not imported directly from the FEM. They are created automatically or manually as a HyperX-specific process.

Important

In order to be Sized and/or Analyzed: Panel Segments must be assigned a Design, Load, and Analysis Property.

Panel Segment Analysis Methodology

Stiffener segments work together with skin segments to perform an analysis of the entire system. The combination of a stiffener segment and a skin segment is called a Panel Segment.

  • Stringer dimensions (\(T_{foot}\), \(T_{web}\), etc.) and margins of safety (stringer strength, crippling) are stored with the Stringer Segment Zone.

  • Skin dimensions (\(T_{skin}\)) and margins of safety (skin strength, skin local buckling) are stored with the Skin Segment Zone.

  • Cross-section variables that are frozen by the FEM are computed during analysis - i.e. stiffener spacing.

  • Skin segments can be associated with multiple stringer segments. For example, the right skin of stiffener 1 is also the left skin of stiffener 2. See the figure below. Because stringer segments share adjacent skins, adjacent stringer segments are coupled to each other when Sizing.

    anameth_panelsegment.png

  • For information on FEA load extraction, see FEA Loads Extraction.

Computing Panel Segment Spacing and Height

The Panel Segment dimensions (\(A_{seg,L}\), \(A_{seg,R}\), \(L_{seg}\), \(w_L\), \(w_R\)) are required to compute the Panel Segment forces, see below.

Methods and Equations - FEA Loads Stiffened Panels

The Segment dimensions are computed directly in HyperX based on the length and area of the prescribed FEM elements.

ss-tech2_skin_stiffener_FEM_dimensions.png

Computing the Spacing

The skin segment areas are calculated by summing the element area. Where the subscripts 'L' and 'R' denote the elements in the left skin and right skin segments respectively.

\(A_{seg,L}=\sum A_{e,L}\)

\(A_{seg,R}=\sum A_{e,R}\)

The segment length is the sum of the length of the stiffener segment elements.

\(L_{seg} = \sum L_e\)

The skin segment widths are calculated from the skin segment area and stringer segment length.

\(W_L=\frac{A_{seg,L}}{L_{seg}}\)

\(W_R=\frac{A_{seg,R}}{L_{seg}}\)

The spacing span for left and right skin are equivalent to the skin segment widths.

Computing Panel Height for Tech3 Segments

The panel height for discrete modeling Techniques 3 and 4 is calculated from the FEM grid spacing, skin and cap thickness defined for concept and the skin offset.

\(H_{panel} = B_H + T_{skin} + Z_{off} + (1/2)T_{cap}\)

This calculation does not account for Z offsets on the bottom flange.

Uniaxial Stiffened Panel Example

implication-height-uni_v7.png

\(H=1.57+0.14+0.04+0.05⁢= 1.8⁢in\)

Hat Stiffened Panel Example

implication-height-hat_v7.png

\(H=1.57+0.14+0.04+0.05⁢=1.8⁢in\)

Overwrite the Spacing and Height

The height and spacing calculations are overwritten if the following Advanced Settings option is set = No.

ss-panel_height_backdoor_option.png

The user may then manually define the stiffener height in the Design Property. The stiffener spacing (skin widths) is defined separately for each skin by setting the X and Y buckling spans on the skin segment component on the Panel Settings Form.

setarea.png

Create (Manual)

Objective: Manually create Segments by selecting the elements corresponding to each object in the Viewport.

Prerequisite

  • Any Zones that are to be part of a stiffened Panel Segment should be placed into a Structure.

    Note

    Zones must be in the same Structure to be added to the same Panel Segment.

Step 1: Display Orthogonal/Cruciform Boundaries

  1. In the “View” tab of the Ribbon select “Boundaries”.

    selectBoundariesFromRibbon.png

  2. Select “Orthogonal only”.

    1. Pick “Cruciform Only” if creating double-sided Segments.

Step 2: Launch the Panel Segment: Manual Creation Form

  1. In the Structure tab of the Ribbon select "Panel Segment - Manual".

    createManualFromRibbon.png

  2. Select Technique 2 or Technique 3 based on the modeling strategy employed by the FEM. See Panel Segment Modeling Techniques.

Step 3: Add a Segment Object to the Form

Manual Segment creation works by explicitly defining the entities that correspond to each Panel Segment object. As such, various objects must be defined individually.

  1. Under "Panel Segment Definition" click the 'add panel segment object' icon, indicated below.

    panSeg_AddSegmentObject.png

  2. From the listed options, select an object to define.

Step 4: Manually Select Entities

  1. Click the lightning-bolt icon corresponding to the object created in Step 3

    panSeg_SelectElements.png

  2. Manually select entities until the object is properly defined.

Step 5: Repeat for All Panel Segment Objects

Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until all Panel Segment objects are defined.

Create (Automatic)

Objective: Allow HyperX to automatically generate Panel Segments according to a prescribed modeling technique on selected Zones.

Prerequisite

  • Any Zones that are to be part of a stiffened Panel Segment should be placed into a Structure.

    Note

    Any Zones that are to be part of the same segment must be in the same Structure.

Step 1: Display Orthogonal/Cruciform Boundaries

  1. In the “View” tab of the Ribbon, select “Boundaries”.

    selectBoundariesFromRibbon.png

  2. Select “Orthogonal only”.

    1. Pick “Cruciform Only” if creating cruciform Panel Segments.

Step 2: Activate Automatic Segment Creation

  1. Open the “Panel Segments – Automatic” form from the “Structure” tab of the Ribbon.

    createAutoFromRibbon.png

    1. Select Tech2 or Tech3 - whichever reflects the modeling technique in the FEM. See Modeling Techniques for an overview.

  2. Select the boundaries within which Panel Segments should be created about.

    panSeg_SelectBoundary.png

  3. Click 'Okay' to initiate Segment creation.

Step 3: Verify Panel Segments Created

The easiest way to visually confirm the Panel Segments were properly created is to display segment indicators in the Viewport.

  1. On the View tab of the Ribbon, select "Indicators" and toggle on "Panel Segment Indicators.

  2. Visually inspect the results to ensure the Panel Segments were created as desired. For the selected boundary in Step 2, a properly created Segment with indicators is shown in the image below:

    panSeg_indicators.png

Step 4: Manually Correct Panel Segments (If applicable)

If there are any Panel Segments generated by the automatic tool, the object membership can be manually corrected.

  1. Right-click a malformed Segment and select “Edit”.

  2. Click the lightning bolt icon next to the Segment member desired for the edit.

  3. Select/de-select the Elements/Zones until the desired object definition exists.

    1. This process is quicker using the 'Zone Selection' method as opposed to the 'Element Selection'.

  4. Click 'Apply' to save the edits.

Edit

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Import

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