Hierarchical Material Property Definition in Finite Element Analysis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional finite element analysis methods face challenges in managing and reducing redundancy when defining material properties, especially as models grow larger and involve multiple users, leading to repetitive and redundant definitions of material types.
Innovation Solution
A hierarchical system for defining material properties, where each material type has a parent except the root, allowing inheritance and explicit definition of properties, reducing redundancy and improving organization through a visual tree representation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional individual definition method is used for each material type, then complete material property definition is achieved, but redundancy increases and management becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple material type definitions into a hierarchical structure where a parent material type contains common properties that are inherited by multiple child material types. This consolidation eliminates redundant property definitions across multiple material types while maintaining complete and accurate material property information for each specific material type in the finite element model.
2Loss of substance
If hierarchical inheritance system is implemented, then redundancy is reduced and organization is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the material property definition system into a hierarchical structure with parent material types containing common properties and child material types inheriting these properties. This segmentation organizes the complex information into manageable levels, reducing redundancy while maintaining system tractability through clear inheritance relationships and visual tree representation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If models grow larger with more elements and users, then comprehensive material coverage is achieved, but tracking and managing material types becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hierarchical inheritance system as an intermediary layer between the finite element model and material property definitions. This intermediary structure automatically tracks and manages material types through inheritance relationships, providing visual tree representation that makes tracking material types straightforward even in large, multi-user models with comprehensive material coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method and software product for defining material properties hierarchically in a finite element analysis of a structure is disclosed. As a material type is created, the type is checked whether it is a root material type. If so, all of the material properties are defined explicitly in the current definition. Otherwise, the parent material type is searched and located first until the traversing finds a root definition. All of the material properties of the parent material type(s) found are read in and stored as the base properties of the material to be created. The material properties explicitly defined in the current definition of the material will either overwrite or add to the base properties. The material properties definition resembles a hierarchical tree: each of the material properties type has a parent material except the root material type which is on the top of the tree.