FEA Input Files

FEA simulations are run using NairnFEA. Some of the key features of this code engine (with links) are listed here. The documentation on this page explains how to run FEA calculations by described all the sections of input command files.

Input Command File Overview

When using NairnFEAMPM or NairnFEAMPMViz to set up calculations, the input command files are script files. When you interpret these scripts, the applications will create an XML input command file that is needed to drive the code engines. Because the scripting language handles all the XML formatting, you can skip this section. See the help documentation in NairnFEAMPM or NairnFEAMPMViz for syntax and features of the scripting languages. Click this link to see a sample scripted FEA input command file for analysis of an end-loaded cantilever beam.

Alternatively, you can directly create XML input command files (although usually much less powerful then learning the scripting methods). If you use the manual method, the files must conform to the structure defined here.

Header

This section defines the type of analysis to run, provides an optional description of the calculations, and sets some output options. When using a scripting language, the header is created automatically and its content is controlled by commands defined below. When manually writing XML files, the header, which is required, is defined in a single header block:

<Header>
  (commands)
</Header>

The possible header commands are

• Analysis Command - pick the type of FEA analysis.
• Annotation Commands - these commands let you annotate the calculations.
• Controlling FEA Output
• Processors Command - pick number of processors for parallel code.
• Setting Developer Flags

Defining the FEA Mesh

FEA calculations are done within a mesh of elements. There are two ways to specify the mesh. The most common is to generate the mesh by defining keypoints and paths and then using them to mesh areas. The second mesh method is to explicitly define the mesh by defining every node and element. This uncommon method can only be used in XML input files. The generate and explicit methods cannot be mixed.

An advanced mesh generation option is to create the mesh with image and shape commands. When using this procedure, you first generate or explicitly define a mesh and then follow that with image and shape commands to define material types, define material angles, and create the final mesh geometry.

Defining Materials

Each element in the mesh is assigned a material type. NairnFEA support numerous material models, but currently all are linear elastic. The information on these materials is found in are in FEA Material Models.

Boundary Conditions

All FEA calculations require boundary conditions to define the problem. This conditions specify nodal displacements, nodal loads, or stresses on element faces. In NairnFEA, additional boundary conditions can set up periodic problems and alter nodal arrangement near crack tips.

Temperature

FEA calculations can do thermal calculations involving thermal stresses.