Validation of the MATLAB femodel in structural analysis and comparison with FE software : Femap and Ansys

Abstract

This thesis validates the MATLAB femodel object, which was introduced in MATLAB R2023b, through static structural finite element analysis of a counter bearing bracket 3D model compared against Femap and Ansys. Four parallel implementations were developed: a parametric coded geometry in MATLAB, an imported CAD geometry in MATLAB, and the same CAD geometry analysed in Femap and Ansys. All implementations used identical material properties representing structural steel, quadratic tetrahedral mesh elements, same boundary conditions and a surface traction load applied to the inner face of a through-hole. Two boundary conditions were tested across element sizes ranging from 12 mm to 6 mm. For maximum total displacement, deviations between the MATLAB femodel and the commercial tools remained below 8 % across all element sizes and both boundary conditions. For maximum von Mises stress, deviations were larger at coarser mesh densities but decreased consistently with mesh element sizes. The findings verify that the MATLAB femodel is a reliable finite element analysis tool comparable to commercial finite element software.