A simple

mechanical study

code_aster, salome_meca course material

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Outline

1. Introducing a simple study

2. Starting the study
3. Data settings
4. Solving the problem
5. Post-processing the results
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1. Introducing a simple study

A pump of the safety injection system (RIS)

 Under a constant internal pressure

Inlet pipe

Outlet pipe

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1. Introducing a simple study

A pump of the safety injection system (RIS)

 Simplifications and hypotheses

Haut
 Simplify the connexions

Intake, Exhaust : supported forces

Intake
 Simplify the fixation :

Haut, Face_bas are clamped

Exhaust

Face_Bas

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Outline

1. Introducing a simple study

2. Starting the study
3. Data settings
4. Solving the problem
5. Post-processing the results
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2. Starting the study

Mesh in code_aster

 Mesh consists of
 Coordinates of nodes

 Cells defined by their connectivity

 Groups of cells (GROUP_MA) and groups of nodes (GROUP_NO)

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2. Starting the study

Mesh in code_aster

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2. Starting the study

Mesh in code_aster

 Import mesh in different formats

 MED format (default input format)

 Aster format and other foramts (GIBI, IDEAS, GMSH)

MAIL = LIRE_MAILLAGE ( FORMAT = … )

 Orientation of the normals

 Check for plate/shell elements or the borders where a pressure is applied

 Reorients properly the cells where contact is defined

 Command MODI_MAILLAGE Direct display

Keywords : ORIE_NORM_COQUE, ORIE_PEAU_2D, ORIE_PEAU_3D

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Outline

1. Introducing a simple study

2. Starting the study
3. Data settings
4. Solving the problem
5. Post-processing the results
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3. Data setting

Finite elements

 What is a finite element ?

 A geometric description, provided by the mesh

 Shape functions

 Degrees of freedom

 The choice determines

 equations to solve

 Discretization and integration hypothesis

 Unknowns fields

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3. Data setting

Finite elements

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3. Data setting

Finite elements

 Defined by command AFFE_MODELE

 Example for mechanical phenomenon, with 3D elements:
MODE = AFFE_MODELE ( AFFE = _F ( GROUP_MA ='ZONE_1',
PHENOMENE = 'MECANIQUE‘,
3D isoparametric
mechanical element MODELISATION = '3D'),)

 Different choices for 3D, 2D, 1D, 0D elements

MODELISATION = / '3D' / 'D_PLAN' / 'POU_D_T'

/ '3D_SI' / 'C_PLAN' / 'TUYAU'

/ '3D_THM' / 'DKT' / …

/ … / …

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3. Data setting

Finite elements

 Mixture of finite elements Direct display

 Kinematic connections between different degrees of freedom ( in the definitions of

loadings and boundary conditions)

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3. Data setting

Materials – Definition

 Defined through numerical parameters of properties

 Units are not managed by code_aster: the user must use a consistent system of units
throughout the study

 Example:

Coordinates of the mesh nodes mm m

Young's modulus MPa Pa

Applied force N N

Stress obtained as a result MPa Pa

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3. Data setting

Materials – Definition

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3. Data setting

Materials – Assignment

 Assigned to the mesh

GR1
 Overloading rule

 Example: GR2

1 2

STEEL1 = DEFI_MATERIAU( ELAS = _F( E = 305000.0E6, NU = 0.3, ), )

STEEL2 = DEFI_MATERIAU( ELAS = _F( E = 405000.0E6, NU = 0.3, ), )

CHMAT1 = AFFE_MATERIAU( MAILLAGE=MESH,

AFFE =(_F(GROUP_MA=('GR1','GR2',),
1
MATER=STEEL1,),
Direct display _F(GROUP_MA=('GR2',), 2
MATER=STEEL2,),),)

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3. Data setting

Materials – Assignment

 Assigned to the mesh

 Assignment after the definition, and used directly in the solving operators

 Example:
STEEL1 = DEFI_MATERIAU( ELAS = _F( E = 205000.0E6, NU = 0.3, ), )
STEEL2 = DEFI_MATERIAU( ELAS = _F( E = 305000.0E6, NU = 0.3, ), )
STEEL3 = DEFI_MATERIAU( ELAS = _F( E = 405000.0E6, NU = 0.3, ), )

CHMAT1 = AFFE_MATERIAU( MAILLAGE=MESH,

AFFE =_F(TOUT='OUI',
MATER= STEEL2,),)
CHMAT2 = AFFE_MATERIAU( MAILLAGE=MESH,
AFFE =_F(TOUT='OUI',
MATER= STEEL3,),)
RESU = MECA_STATIQUE(...
CHAM_MATER= CHMAT1,
...)
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3. Data setting

Materials – Consistency with constitutive equation

 Materials must be consistent with the resolution assumptions

 Example: VMIS_ISOT_TRAC, constitutive equation for von Mises elasto-plasticity with
isotropic nonlinear hardening

steel=DEFI_MATERIAU( ELAS =_F(E=2.1.E11, NU=0.3,),)

TRACTION =_F( SIGM = CTRACB),)

mater=AFFE_MATERIAU(MAILLAGE=mesh,
AFFE=_F(TOUT='OUI', MATER=steel,),)

result=STAT_NON_LINE( ... CHAM_MATER=mater,

COMPORTEMENT=_F(
RELATION = 'VMIS_ISOT_TRAC'),)

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3. Data setting

Boundary conditions and loading

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 3. Data setting

Boundary conditions and loading

 Commands AFFE_CHAR_****(_F) Direct display

 With _F => functions

 **** => MECA / CINE / THER

 Example – different choices of boundary conditions in MECA:

Imposed relationships on the degrees of freedom (DOF)

| DDL_IMPO Unknowns imposed on a node or group

| FACE_IMPO Unknowns imposed on the nodes of a cell or a group of cells
| LIAISON_SOLIDE Rigid body element on a set of nodes or cells
| LIAISON_ELEM 3D-beam, beam-shell, 3D-pipe connections …
| LIAISON_COQUE connection between shells
 Be careful of the consistency with the DOF allowed by the chosen finite element

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3. Data setting

Boundary conditions and loading

 Commands AFFE_CHAR_****(_F) Direct display

 Loadings used as boundary conditions

 Example – different choices of loadings in MECA

Loadings inside the Loadings specific to

continuous media Border loadings structural elements

| PESANTEUR | FORCE_FACE | FORCE_POUTRE

| ROTATION | FORCE_ARETE | FORCE_COQUE
| FORCE_INTERNE | FORCE_CONTOUR | FORCE_TUYAU
| FORCE_NODALE | PRES_REP . . .
. . . . . .

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Outline

1. Introducing a simple study

2. Starting the study
3. Data settings
4. Solving the problem
5. Post-processing the results
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4. Solving the problem

Setting of solving operators

 ~ 15 resolution operators to solve the physical problems

 Thermics: THER_LINEAIRE, THER_NON_LINE

 Mechanics: MECA_STATIQUE, STAT_NON_LINE

 Dynamics: DYNA_VIBRA, DYNA_NON_LINE

 Modal calculation: CALC_MODES

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4. Solving the problem

Setting of solving operators

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4. Solving the problem

Setting of solving operators

 Input the description of the problem prior to solving

 The model: MODELE
Analysis Summary
 Materials: CHAM_MATER

 Geometrical characteristics (for structural elements): CARA_ELEM

 Loadings: EXCIT

 A time stepping if necessary: LIST_INST (Appendix)

 One can also change settings on the resolution algorithm =>

advanced usage
 In most cases, the default values are suitable

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4. Solving the problem

Setting of solving operators

 Choosing the linear solver

 via the keyword SOLVEUR / METHODE, Relevant depending on the problem

 Direct solvers

MUMPS (MUltifrontal Massively Parallel sparse direct Solver): Default method. external
solver. Slightly broader scope than MULT_FRONT. Provides access to parallelism.

MULT_FRONT (multi-frontal): Universal solver, very robust. Not recommended for mixed
models of X-FEM, incompressible ...

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4. Solving the problem

Setting of solving operators

 Choosing the linear solver

 via the keyword SOLVEUR / METHODE, Relevant depending on the problem

 Iterative solvers

GCPC (Preconditioned conjugate gradient): recommended method for thermics. Useful for
well conditioned, large problems.

PETSC: external multi-method solver. Very fast and robust when associated with pre-
conditioner LDLT_SP. Provides access to parallelism.

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4. Solving the problem

Setting of solving operators

 Use of parallelism
 Choose SOLVEUR=_F(METHODE=‘MUMPS’) or
SOLVEUR=_F(METHODE=‘PETSC’)

 Choose a MPI version of code_aster

 Choose the number of processors

 Moderate parallelism: Up to 8 processors, the gains are virtually guaranteed for large
enough problems (50000 unknowns)

 Massive parallelism: for huge studies (Exemple, 200 millions DOF and 2000 time steps
during 5h with 2000 processors

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Outline

1. Introducing a simple study

2. Starting the study
3. Data settings
4. Solving the problem
5. Post-processing the results
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5. Post-processing the results

Results in code_aster

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5. Post-processing the results

Results in code_aster – fields, tables, functions

 Fields: CALC_CHAMP / CREA_CHAMP

 Tables: POST_ELEM / CREA_TABLE / CALC_TABLE /

POST_RELEVE_T / MACR_LIGN_COUPE

 Functions: RECU_FONCTION

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5. Post-processing the results

Results in code_aster – Output files

 IMPR_RESU
 Meshes / Fields / Data contained in a result data structure.

 Different formats: RESULTAT / ASTER/ MED / GMSH/ IDEAS

 IMPR_TABLE
 Different formats: Print the contents of a table in a listing or an Excel file, also plot
curves

 IMPR_FONCTION
 Extract the evolution of a quantity as a function of another

 Formats ‘TABLEAU’ or ‘XMGRACE’,

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5. Post-processing the results

Results in code_aster – Post-process

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5. Post-processing the results

Results in code_aster

 Single field, single physical quantity: cham_gd

 Type;

 Several components;

 A single access number (no time step for example).

 Result data structure: resultat

 Gathering several fields of quantities in a given physics;

 Several access numbers;

 Parameters (depending on the model).

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5. Post-processing the results

Results in code_aster - Fields

 Naming rule XXXX_YYYY :

 Four first characters: name of the quantity (SIGM, EPSI, ERRE, etc);

 Four last characters : location (NOEU, ELGA, ELNO or ELEM).

 Examples:
 Exception! DEPL, VITE, ACCE

 SIEQ_ELNO, SIGM_ELNO

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5. Post-processing the results

Results in code_aster - Fields

 Location of the values:

 Fields on nodes (NOEU) ;

 On the elements: (ELGA) (ELNO) (ELEM).

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5. Post-processing the results

Results in code_aster – Data structure resultat

 Produced by resolution operators

 The type depends on the operator:

EVOL_ELAS (linear mechanics), EVOL_NOLI (non-linear mechanics), EVOL_THER

(linear thermics), MODE_MECA (modal analysis), ...

 At each computation step, one or more fields are stored in the

data structure resultat
 Fields are identified by access variables: INST, NUME_ORDRE, FREQ, NUME_MODE, ...

 Examples of stored fields

Temperatures for a list of time steps / Displacements for the first n modes
Displacements and stresses for a list of time steps
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Outline

1. Introducing a simple study

2. Starting the study
Go
3. Data settings further !
4. Solving the problem
5. Post-processing the results
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Go further

Redo this study with assistant

 Step 1: Choose the type of your study



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Go further

Redo this study with assistante

 Step 2 : Edit et/or add commands



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Go further

Analysis summary before the launch

 Verifier the data setting of the study

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Go further

Calculation information

 Follow-up

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Go further

Study with several stages

 Good practice for several cases:

 Analysis + Post-processing

 Thermal analysis + mechanical analysis

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Go further

Calculation information

 Messages : find the error quickly (only redo post-processing)

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Go further

Calculation information

 Messages : find the error quickly (only redo post-processing)

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Go further

Results view in Post-Process

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Go further

Access to other modules

 MESH: dynamic link

 (Post-Process =>)ParaVIS

 ADAO

 OpenTurns
 Variables

 One value (Table in Numpy format) => Launch to verfify

 (Click CurrentCase) Export to OpenTurns

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End of presentation

Is something missing or unclear in this document?

Or feeling happy to have read such a clear tutorial?

Please, we welcome any feedbacks about Code_Aster training materials.

Do not hesitate to share with us your comments on the Code_Aster forum
dedicated thread.

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Appendix

Special commands

 DEBUT command
 Begins execution, previous lines are ignored

 POURSUITE command
 Restarts execution from a database provided as an input
 Useful to continue a calculation initiated with the same version of code_aster
 Recommended to separate the calculation from the post-processing
Calculation: DEBUT() … FIN()
 FIN command Post-processing: POURSUITE() … FIN()
 Ends the command file and ends the run, following lines are ignored
 Closes the database at the end of execution
 Specifies the format used for the produced base: HDF or Aster

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Appendix

Functions and time stepping

 Functions
 Define a real or complex function of a real variable

 Usually for the loading or boundary conditions, which depends on space or time
FUNC = DEFI_FONCTION( NOM_PARA = ‘Y’,
VALE = ( 0.0, 200000.0, 4.0, 0.0) )

 Time stepping
 Time list for the calculation

 Time management for the iterative algorithms

listr = DEFI_LIST_REEL( DEBUT = 0.0,
INTERVALLE = _F( JUSQU_A = 10.0,
NOMBRE = 10 ) )
time = DEFI_LIST_INST( DEFI_LIST = _F( LIST_INST = listr,) )

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