Modeling Shear Wall Structures
with Large Numbers of DOFs
by
Jack Demitz
Abstract
The evolution of the PC
industry has had a profound effect on the field of finite element analysis. Structural
models that were once run on mainframes and minicomputers using input decks
that were processed in matter of hours or days, now can be run on a PC in a
matter of seconds or minutes. Coupled with this increase in computing power,
the price for this computing power has dropped significantly such that almost
everyone has access to these resources.
As the cost of executing finite element
analysis has dropped, the efficiency of most models developed by today's users
have dropped. In the past, when the price of computing power was at a premium,
the user had to pay attention to the ordering of nodes in the model such that
the problem would be solved at a minimum of expense. Today, the price of
computing is so cheap and the power of PCs are so great that it typically would
cost the user more to optimize the node numbering. Furthermore, the increase
computing power and advancements in software have allowed users to greatly
increase the complexity of finite element models. As the complexity of the
model increases, the burden on system resources increases, translating to
increased solution time. For models with relatively few numbers of degrees of
freedom, solution time is insignificant. When modeling structures with large
numbers of degrees of freedom, solution time becomes a significant factor.
Additionally, the increased complexity of models also greatly impacts the time
to post process results.
The purpose of this presentation is to
discuss the implications of modeling shear wall structures with significantly
large numbers of DOFs. The impact of model complexity and the effect of node
numbering on system resources are discussed. Methods for post processing are
presented.
Biographical Information
For the past 3 and a half
years, Mr. Demitz has been working for the Bechtel Power Corporation. His
experience includes the design of turbine generator foundations, blast
enclosures, and nuclear containment analysis.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering 1993, University of Delaware
Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering 1999, University of Delaware