Non-Uniform Force Distribution in Simulation

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I know in previous Inventor editions it was possible to create a function to represent a non-uniform load distribution in a simulation, but I can't seem to find a method to do that in Inventor 2017. Specifically, I'm looking to perform an analysis of stresses on a water holding tank due to hydrostatic pressure when the tank is filled to various levels. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks! 

[swalton · Accepted solution]

To the best of my knowledge, Inventor has never been able to simulate hydrostatic pressure. 

In the past, I have used the split command to create small surface regions through the depth of the tank. I then applied a pressure load (based on depth) at each surface set.  

See:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/shell-face-split-for-hydrostatic-pressure/m-p/5521500/...

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/fea-question-hydrostatic-pressure/m-p/3334675/highligh...

[Anonymous]

You're totally right, I was confusing my experiences with Solidworks and Inventor. I'll give this a try, thanks!