APPLIED THERMAL / STRUCTURAL FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
The course is designed for undergraduate students with no finite element (FE) analysis experience or knowledge. By the end of the semester the student will be able to simulate 1D, 2D and 3D structural and thermal systems, including both the static and transient response, using a common, commercially available FE software package. Analyses will be performed using both GUI and APDL. The emphasis of the course is on becoming proficient with the software and capable of operating an FE package at a high level, including benchmarking and verifying the FE model using simple analytical checks. An additional emphasis of the course is on understanding the impact of the temperature distribution in an object on the stress field through thermal expansion.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: M E 306 or E M A 303 , or graduate/professional standing, or member of Engineering Guest Students Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Generate an ANSYS FE model to assess the steady-state / static structural or thermal response of a 1-D, 2-D or 3-D component or structure Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Determine an appropriate element type, specify the material properties and apply loads, boundary conditions and constraints for both thermal and structural ANSYS simulations Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Apply time dependent loads and boundary conditions to perform both thermal and structural transient analyses Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Postprocess a FE model solution in ANSYS to possibly determine quantities such as temperature, stress, displacements and natural frequencies (and associated mode shapes) Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Generate an ANSYS FE model to assess the transient structural or thermal response of a 1-D, 2-D or 3-D component or structure Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Generate an ANSYS FE model to assess the steady-state / static structural or thermal response of a 1-D, 2-D or 3-D component or structure Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Determine an appropriate element type, specify the material properties and apply loads, boundary conditions and constraints for both thermal and structural ANSYS simulations Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Apply time dependent loads and boundary conditions to perform both thermal and structural transient analyses Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Postprocess a FE model solution in ANSYS to possibly determine quantities such as temperature, stress, displacements and natural frequencies (and associated mode shapes) Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Generate an ANSYS FE model to assess the transient structural or thermal response of a 1-D, 2-D or 3-D component or structure Audience: Graduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027