Finite Element Modeling · Experimental Testing

Uniaxial Tension Test & ABAQUS FEM Prediction

A combined experimental and numerical project comparing the tensile behavior of 3D-printed PLA specimens with ABAQUS finite element predictions under coarse and refined mesh conditions.

Tools

ABAQUS, MATLAB

Methods

FEM, Experimental Testing, Regression

Institution

Columbia University

ABAQUS Von Mises stress contour for PLA specimen

Project Overview

This project studied the mechanical response of 3D-printed PLA specimens through a uniaxial tension experiment and ABAQUS finite element simulation. The work first estimated the material Young’s modulus from experimental stress-strain data, then modeled a specimen with an elliptical hole to study stress concentration and load-displacement behavior.

The ABAQUS model was evaluated using both coarse and refined meshes. The numerical results were compared with experimental measurements to assess the accuracy of the FEM prediction and identify possible sources of error, including material nonlinearity, printing-induced anisotropy, and simplified boundary conditions.

Young’s Modulus 2.077 GPa

Estimated from linear regression of experimental stress-strain data.

Experimental Max Displacement 1.1982 mm

Measured from the refined force-displacement response.

Coarse Mesh Prediction 1.0673 mm

Maximum displacement predicted by the coarse ABAQUS model.

Refined Mesh Prediction 1.0681 mm

Maximum displacement predicted by the refined ABAQUS model.

My Role

Processed experimental stress-strain data and estimated Young’s modulus.
Built ABAQUS finite element models for a PLA specimen with an elliptical hole.
Compared coarse and refined mesh simulations near stress concentration regions.
Generated Von Mises stress, longitudinal stress, and displacement contour plots.
Compared FEM load-displacement predictions with experimental test data.
Analyzed modeling errors caused by material nonlinearity and boundary conditions.

Experimental Testing

The experiment used 3D-printed PLA specimens. The stress-strain curve was used to estimate Young’s modulus through linear regression in the initial elastic range. The specimen with an elliptical hole was then tested to obtain its force-displacement relationship and failure behavior.

Stress-strain curve for PLA material — Stress-strain response of the PLA material.

Specimen geometry with elliptical hole — Specimen geometry with an elliptical hole.

ABAQUS Modeling

The numerical analysis used ABAQUS to model the specimen geometry and simulate the tensile response. The model was studied with a coarse mesh and a refined mesh, with refinement near the elliptical hole where stress concentration occurs.

Coarse mesh ABAQUS model — Coarse mesh finite element model.

Refined mesh ABAQUS model — Refined mesh near the stress concentration region.

Project Gallery

Experimental curves, specimen geometry, mesh models, and ABAQUS stress contours.

Regression comparison for Young's modulus estimation — Linear regression used to estimate Young’s modulus.

Failure mode of the tensile specimen — Failure mode of the 3D-printed PLA specimen.

Coarse mesh Von Mises stress contour — Von Mises stress contour from the coarse mesh model.

Coarse mesh sigma xx stress contour — Longitudinal stress contour around the elliptical hole.

Experimental data compared with coarse mesh FEM data — Experimental data compared with coarse mesh FEM prediction.

Experimental data compared with refined mesh FEM data — Experimental data compared with refined mesh FEM prediction.