Carry out a single cross-sectional analysis#

This first tutorial will give the instructions to the basic functionalities of the tool.

Suppose that we want to carry out a single cross-sectional analysis. The task is to carry out a quick cross-sectional analysis of a specific cross-sectional design. Specifically, in this tutorial, we want to set values to the locations of spar webs and get the torsional and bending stiffness (\(GJ\), \(EI_{yy}\), \(EI_{zz}\)).

Run the example#

To run the tutorial, start a command line prompt, change directory to this tutorial folder, and run the following command:

python run.py cs_design_analysis.yml 1

Result can be found in the file cs_design_analysis.out.

Files of this tutorial#

Input#

For this and all analysis of iVABS, there is one top-level yaml file as the main input and a Python script to trigger the analysis. All others are the supporting files.

Table 1 Tutorial input files#

File

Description

cs_design_analysis.yml

Main input file

run.py

Python script running the analysis

airfoil_simple.xml.tmp

Cross-sectional design template

SC1095.dat

Airfoil data

material_database_us_ft.xml

Material database

This tutorial mainly focuses on the main input file. Tutorials on other files will be explained later.

Output#

Table 2 Tutorial output files#

File

Description

cs_design_analysis.out

Analysis result

Main input file specification (cs_design_analysis.yml)#

Note

For more details on the syntax of the YAML format, please see A Brief Introduction to YAML.

Basic layout of the main input file#

1cs:
2  # Define cross-sectional designs
3
4analysis:
5  # Define analysis steps

Define the cross-section#

This block specifies the base design of the cross-section that will be analyzed.

 1cs:
 2  - name: "airfoil"
 3    parameter:
 4      a2p1: 0.82
 5      a2p3: 0.58
 6    design:
 7      dim: 2
 8      tool: "prevabs"
 9      base_file: "airfoil_simple.xml.tmp"
10    model:
11      md1:
12        tool: "vabs"
cs

Root key of the list of cross-section base designs.

`` - name: “airfoil”``

Name of the cross-section.

`` parameter:``

Root key of the parameter specification.

Note

For more details on how to prepare the parameterized base design of a cross-section (airfoil_simple.xml.tmp), please see Parameterization of Composite Slender Structures.

Define the analysis#

1analysis:
2  steps:
3    - step: "cs analysis"
4      type: "cs"
5      analysis: "h"
6      output:
7        - value: ["gj", "eiyy", "eizz"]

Note

For the complete list of available keys to get beam properties, see Beam Properties.