NASTRAN Primer: A Step-by-Step Guide to NASTRAN Finite Element Analysis

This book is designed as a primer for practical NASTRAN Finite Element Modeling that can serve as a learning tool and reference guide for finite element users.

The approach herein is to provide step-by-step instructions where the author leads the reader through the creation of various simple NASTRAN finite element models that simulate practical structures and structural elements, where each of the required inputs are explained, and where the results of those models are explored and explained and compared to hand classical analysis results for verification.

The focus of the book is to provide a framework of experience using simple elements that can be verified easily by hand to ensure that the element input and output are understood and properly used.

The structural models explored herein will provide the reader with experience running linear and nonlinear solutions, such that the reader can accurately model & evaluate structures for static load, for nonlinear effects such as gaps and both geometric and material non-linearity, and for buckling.

In the process, the reader will gain expertise that will enable them to evaluate many simple structures after a few minutes of model creation by hand, to investigate issues with larger models that were created & evaluated with pre- and post-processors such as PATRAN and FEMAP, to make changes to these larger models efficiently by making direct changes to the NASTRAN input (.bdf) file, and to post-process results more comprehensively by querying the output (.f06) file.

Readers who successfully assimilate this content should be off to a great start at becoming super-users in the field of Finite Element Analysis.