(1) Shear Locking
Fully integrated linear elements, such as 8-node solid elements, may suffer shear locking. False results may be produced with fully integrated 8-node solid elements.
(2) Hourglassing
The reduced integration of linear 8-node solid elements leads to numerical difficulty called hourglasing because the reduced 8-node solid elements tend to be excessively flexible.
For linear elastic analysis, there is no converged stress at the areas with stress concentration. The maximum stress is infinite just as the theory predicts. Thus, if there is stress concentration, the maximum stress in a linear elastic analysis is not a useful criterion to validate the structure.
Mismatched meshes on the curved contact interfaces could lead to wrong stress or strain patterns if linear elements are used.
(5) Worksheet
Worksheet is a beautiful tool to select hundreds of edges with a bunch of rules. Applying mesh size control to these selected edges could produce a consistent mesh pattern among many bodies.
(6) Pressel Vessel
Elastic-Plastic Stress Analysis Method of ASME Division 2 can be used to qualify Division 1 vessels by elevating the design factors from 2.4 (Division 2) to 3.5 (Division 1).
ANSYS Lessons and Tricks Learned were authored by Eric Sun, Magnet Group, Jefferson Lab.