In most simulations, air and the pressure it exerts is not taken into account. There are situations thinkable, however, in which air plays an important mechanical role. An air gun is an example of this: compressed air exerts a force on a projectile, causing it to be propelled. In this blog, I will show how to model air using CEL, using a chamber in which air is compressed with a plug resting on it as an example.

This blog shows how we performed a drop test for a Polyethylene 100 liter Fueltank containing fluid with SIMULIA Abaqus FEA Software. The goal of this analysis is to predict the possible material behaviour and failure that will lead to leakage.

This example involves a fluid-filled plastic tank falling from a height of roughly 15 meters onto a flat, rigid floor. The tank as shown in the pictures below is made of high-density polyethylene with a wall thickness of 5 mm everywhere. The tank is filled almost completely (about 90%) with water. A realistic simulation for the tank must account for both the exterior forces on the tank from the floor impact, as well as the interior forces of the water pushing against the walls of the tank. Resulting stresses and strains in the tank will be used to determine its structural feasibility.