This task shows how to create a local adaptivity on a Mesh Part for a given Static Analysis Case Solution.
This functionality is only available if you installed the ELFINI Structural Analysis product.
● The Adaptivity functionalities are only available with static analysis solution or a combined solution
that references a static analysis solution.
● A global adaptivity must have been defined.
For more details about global adaptivity, please refer to Creating Global Adaptivity Specifications.
Open the sample07_1.CATAnalysis document from the samples directory.
In this particular example, a global adaptivity has been already defined.
1. Right-click the Global Adaptivity.1 object in the specification tree and select the Local
Adaptivity contextual menu .
The Local Adaptivity dialog box appears.
❍ Name: lets you change the name of the local adaptivity.
❍ Supports: gives you the list of the selected elements.
Multi-selection is available: you can select as support one or several vertices, edges, faces or group (except body group).
This multi-selection may be non-homogeneous (that means that you can select two edges and three faces, as example).
❍ Solution: gives you inform information on the referenced solution.
❍ Exclude elements: if you select this option, the selected elements will not have an
objective error and then, the Objective error (%) field will disappear.
In this case, elements will not be taken into account in the re-meshing algorithm.
❍ Objective error (%): lets you specify the objective error of the selected mesh part.
This option is available only if the Exclude elements is deactivated.
2. Select the desired elements as support.
In this particular example, select one edge and two surfaces:
The Local Adativity dialog box is updated.
You can now visualize the value (in %) of the current error (on the condition you have not activate the Exclude elements option).
You can visualize the other selected elements of the Supports list by clicking the arrows as shown here:
3. Enter the desired Objective error (%) value.
In this particular example, enter 20 as Objective error (%) value.
4. Click OK in the Local Adativity dialog box.
An Local Adaptivity.1 object is created under the Adaptivities.1 set in the specification tree.
You can edit the local adaptivity.
For this, double-click the Local Adaptivity.1 object in the specification tree.
Computing with Adaptivity
This task shows how to compute with adaptivity.
Adaptivity management consists of setting global adaptivity specifications and computing adaptive solutions.
● The Adaptivity functionalities are only available with a static analysis solution or a
combined solution that references a static analysis solution.
● To compute with adaptivity, you need to update the solution(s).
● A global adaptivity and optionally a local adaptivity must have been defined.
● The former adaptivity specifications (created before V5R12) can be edited but they can
not be computed with adaptativity.
If you modify these specifications and launch a computation with adaptativity, a warning message informs you that these specifications will not be taken into account. You have to create new adaptativity specifications.
● Open the sample07_2.CATAnalysis document from the samples directory.
In this particular example, a global adaptivity and a local adaptivity have been already defined.
● Compute the static solution.
1. Activate the Estimated local error image to visualize the quality elements.
For this, right-click the Estimated local error image in the specification tree and select the Activate/Deactivate contextual menu.
2. Double-click the Global Adaptivity.1 object in the specification tree to visualize the current error.
The Global Adaptivity appears.
Click Cancel to close the Global Adaptivity dialog box.
3. Double-click the Local Adaptivity.1 object in the specification tree.
The Local Adaptivity appears.
Click Cancel to close the Local Adaptivity dialog box.
4. Click the Compute with Adaptivity icon .
The Adaptivity Process Parameters dialog box appears.
❍ Name: gives you the name of the adaptivity set you want to compute.
❍ Iterations Number: lets you specify the maximum number of iterations you
want to perform to reach the objective error you have defined.
❍ Allow unrefinement: lets you choose to allow refinement or not.
If you allow unrefinement, the global sizes of the mesh parts may be modified.
❍ Deactivate global sags: lets you choose to ignore the global sags.
Existing global sags will be deactivated.
❍ Minimum size: lets you specify a minimum mesh size.
The objective size must be superior to the mesh size.
❍ Sensor stop criteria: lets you specify a sensor.
If you activate this option, the Parameter Convergence frame appears:
■ Sensor parameter: lets you select the sensors.
Multi-selection of sensor criteria is available.
■ Tolerance (%): lets you specify the tolerance value.
To sum up, the adaptivity process stops as soon as:
❍ the maximum number of iterations is reached,
❍ or all objective errors are reached,
❍ or all sensors converged.
5. Deactivate the Minimum size option.
6. Select the Sensor stop criteria option in the Adaptivity Process Parameters dialog box.
7. Activate the Sensor parameter field, select a sensor and enter a Tolerance value (in %).
In this particular example, select the Energy sensor as shown bellow:
You can add other sensor criteria, delete a sensor criteria or delete all the sensor criteria.
For this, right-click a line and select the desired contextual menu: Add, Delete or Delete All.
8. Click OK in the Adaptivity Process Parameters dialog box.
The Computation Status dialog box appears.
At the end of the computation, a Warnings message appears to inform you that the selected sensor has not converged and the objective error is not reached.
9. Click OK in the Warnings message.
Note that a Local Mesh Size Map.1 object has been created under OCTREE Tetrahedron Mesh.1 in the specification tree and that the Adaptivities.1 set is now valid.
10. Activate the Estimated local error image to visualize the quality elements.
For this, right-click the Estimated local error image in the specification tree and select the Activate/Deactivate contextual menu.
11. Double-click the Global Adaptivity.1 object in the specification tree to visualize the current error value.
The Global Adaptivity dialog box appears.
Note that: after the first iteration of computation with adaptivity, the objective error you have specified (9%) is not reached.
12. Click OK in the Global Adaptivity dialog box.
13. Click the Compute with Adaptivity icon .
The Adaptivity Process Parameters dialog box appears.
14. Enter 2 as Iterations Number value and click OK in the Adaptivity Process.