Material Properties Used in SolidWorks Simulation
Elastic Modulus.
Elastic Modulus in the global X, Y, and Z
directions. For a linear elastic material, the elastic modulus in a certain
direction is defined as the stress value in that direction that causes
a unit strain in the same direction. Also, it is equal to the ratio between
the stress and the associated strain in that direction. The modulus of
elasticity was first introduced by Young and is often called Young’s Modulus.
Elastic Moduli are used in static, nonlinear,
frequency, dynamic and buckling analyses.
Shear Moduli are used in static, nonlinear,
frequency, dynamic and buckling analyses.
Poisson’s Ratio.
Extension of the material in the longitudinal direction is accompanied
by contractions in the lateral directions. If a body is subjected to a
tensile stress in the X-direction, then Poisson’s Ratio NUXY is defined
as the ratio of lateral contraction in the Y-direction divided by the
longitudinal strain in the X-direction. Poisson’s ratios are dimensionless
quantities. For isotropic materials, the Poisson’s ratios in all planes
are equal (NUXY= NUXZ = NUYZ).
Poisson ratios are used in static, nonlinear,
frequency, dynamic and buckling analyses.
Coefficients of thermal expansion are used
in static, frequency, and buckling analyses if thermal loading is used.
Frequency analysis uses this property only if you consider the effect
of loads on the frequencies (in-plane loading).
Thermal conductivity is used in steady state
and transient thermal analyses.
Density is used in static, nonlinear, frequency,
dynamic, buckling, and thermal analyses. Static and buckling analyses
use this property only if you define body forces (gravity and/or centrifugal).
Specific Heat.
The Specific Heat of a material is the quantity of heat needed to raise
the temperature of a unit mass of the material by one degree of temperature.
The units of specific heat are Btu in/lbf
oF in English system and J/kg
K in the SI system. This property is used in transient thermal analysis
only.
Material Damping Ratio. The material damping ratio allows the definition
of damping as a material property. This property is used in dynamic analysis
to calculate equivalent modal damping ratios.