Abstract
The numerical computations required for structural analysis are well defined and easy to automate. If structural analysis is to be automated fully, however, the modeling process, as well as the numerical computations, must be automated. This paper outlines a procedure for the automation of the entire modeling and analysis sequence.
Structural analysis is considered as one of several planning, design, and analysis applications to be included in a computerintegrated design system. An essential ingredient of such a system is a central data base that supports all applications. A data base using a hierarchicalcomponent-connection concept is first described. A procedure is then outlined by which a modeler program can extract analysis models from this data base. Whereas the central data base describes the structure in terms of its components and connections, the analysis model is in terms of nodes, elements, substructures, slaving constraints, and so on. The features required in a structural analysis program to analyze the resulting model are also described. This program follows well-established principles, but is substantially different in its arhitecture from conventional analysis programs.
A simple frame building is used as an example. However, the procedure is believed to be applicable to structures of a variety of types.
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Powell, G.H., An-Nashif, H. Automated modeling for structural analysis. Engineering with Computers 4, 173–183 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01213979
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01213979