General Information

Summary of LUSAS modelling and results processing features as at Version 14

The following summarises the modelling and results processing features present in the range of LUSAS finite element software products and additional software options at version 14.0.

Note: For detailed information relating to each LUSAS software product click here

User Interface

• Full Native Windows 98/NT/2000/XP implementation
• Treeview-based viewing of model data
• Multiple model windows, and optional text output window and command line
• Display interrupt facility
• Dialogs, file selection boxes, toggle buttons
• Datatips shown when hovering over features
• Evaluation of expressions during data input
• Open Interface to ActiveX compliant Windows software such as MS Excel, Word, Access etc.
• Cut and paste of graphical and text data
• Online help

Geometry

• Fully associative feature modelling - based on CAD type data structure
• Full range of modelling units
• Boolean geometry operations
• Fleshing of geometric attributes
• Analytical Shape wizard
• Generation of points, lines, surfaces, and volumes in Cartesian, cylindrical or spherical coordinate systems
• Automatic generation of surface and line intersections
• Feature manipulation with copy, mirror and translate commands
• Accurate arc definition
• Multi level undo/redo facility
• Options for manifolding, filleting and splitting
• Section property calculator for standard and arbitrary and pre-cast sections
• Standard section libraries to BS4848, AISC Rev 9, and others

Meshing

• Isoparametric meshing in 2D and 3D
• Automatic irregular meshing in 2D
• Extruded irregular meshing in 3D
• Adaptive meshing
• Mesh interrupt facility

Attributes

• Creation and visualisation of varying attributes over features
• Drag and drop assignment to model
• Generation of geometric properties, material properties, boundary conditions
• Automatic support stiffness distribution
• Automatic constraint equation generation
• Generation of wide range of load types
• Definition of load case titles for ease of results interpretation
• Feature based slideline and thermal surface generation and visualisation
• Automatic generation of data input for all analysis types

Display

• Hidden line removal
• Display of element numbers, node numbers, material type, boundary conditions and load data
• Exploded element views
• Colour fill options
• Interactive rotation and transformation options to enable viewing of model from any angle or eye position
• Pre-defined primary views and isometric view
• Selective element viewing by element type, area, geometry type, material type or feature
• Pan, zoom and windowing options
• Multiple graphic windows provide unlimited number of views of a model
• Full plot annotation
• Working and Page layout views

File Handling

• Command file input
• Scripting language support for application customisation
• Session file logging

Interfacing

• PATRAN, IDEAS, FEMVIEW and FAM interfaces
• IGES import and DXF import and export
• LMS interface
• Extensive user interfaces
• Picture file option for hardcopy output
• Print directly to Windows printers

Results Processing

• Comprehensive results processing from multiple analysis runs
• Processing of averaged or element nodal and Gauss point stresses, strain results
• Strain energy, plastic work, rubber stretches and user defined state variables
• Internal results calculator
• Automatic calculation of moments and forces from solids elements
• Basic and Smart load combination facilities
• Enveloping with option for different factors for positive and negative effects
• Reinforcement calculation (Wood Armer) for plates and shell elements with option to minimise reinforcement areas
• Interactive modal dynamics for frequency and time domain solutions
• Interactive spectral response analysis
• Fatigue response calculation
• Report Wizard

Results Display

• Window based views allow different results in different windows
• Deformed mesh plots
• Seperate viewable layers for diagram, contour, vector and discrete data.
• Animation over multiple load cases/load steps/time steps with AVI output.
• Support for local or global directions for results display
• Contours of displacements, potentials, moments or forces using line or colour fill
• 2D/3D stress and displacement vectors
• Bending moment and force diagrams for beam elements with optional peak values displayed
• 3D slice facility with optional contour display
• 2D line sections
• Comprehensive graph plotting facility with export to standard spreadsheet packages
• Display of cracked and yielded Gauss points
• Peak results value display
• Printing and viewing of numerical result values for selected areas of model
• Full results summary
• Automatic time history plotting
• User post processing interface
• Visualisation of slideline/slidesurface forces in global or local directions
• Visualisation of slice section results locations

Product related facilities

Bridge product

• Grillage wizard
• Country-specific bridge loading facilities
• Moving load generator
• Influence line / surface analysis
• Vehicle load optimisation
• RC slab design Wizard
• Beam stress checking facility
• Multiple stage prestress wizard to BS5400

Civil product

• RC slab design wizard
• Beam stress checking facility
• Multiple stage prestress wizard to BS5400

Composite product

• Composite material libaries
• Tsai-Hill, Hoffman, Tsai-Wu (with Cowin extension), and Hashin (fibre and matrix) composite failure modelling

Analyst product

• Adaptive meshing in 2D for continuum elements
• Design factor plotting

Academic product

• Allows running of any LUSAS product

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