Generate a computational model

You can generate finite elements for bars, planar surfaces, or intersections.

1. Click (Analysis Parameters) from the standard toolbar. Alternatively, click Analysis Analysis Types. The Analysis Types dialog opens.
2. Go to the Structure Model tab.
   Note: If the Structure Model tab is not available, select the Model generation option at the bottom of the Analysis Types dialog.
3. Select the type of nodes that you want to generate.
4. Click ... to open the Selection dialog, and then select the bars for which a new node will not be generated.
5. Click ... to open the Selection dialog, and then select the objects and bars for which a new node will not be generated. When geometrical elements are ignored during the generation of the mesh, the finite element mesh is generated without taking these elements into consideration. This is useful during the definition of moving loads. If a regular mesh is not to be affected by a vehicle route (i.e. polylines, lines or a contour along which the vehicle moves), then only the route number needs to be added to the list of objects skipped during the model generation.
   Note: It is possible to ignore geometrical objects such as lines, polylines, contours, arcs, and circles during the mesh generation, but panels and slabs cannot be excluded from the mesh, even if a panel is generated from a contour.
6. If necessary, enter a value for the Maximum length of a bar element for automatic division. This value is used to determine a number of finite element divisions for analyses including: buckling deformation, geometrical imperfections, or elasto-plastic material.
   Note: Division is applied with respect to bar finite elements (a bar is divided by means of nodes). For the analysis types listed, element division into 5 parts is assumed by default. If the total element length is divided by the maximum defined length and the result is greater than 5, then the greater division number is adopted.
7. Select Use first case as a starting one for selected non-linear cases to account for a starting case. A starting case is always the first case on the list according to the user defined case numbering. The Case list box becomes active.
8. Click ... near the Case list box to open the Selection dialog, and then select the cases for which the initial state of the starting case must be taken into account.
9. Click Tolerance calculations to determine the precision of the structure definition (default 1mm; if the precision is smaller than 1mm, the calculated value is displayed).
10. Click Generation of computational model to create the structure model. The Calculations dialog appears showing the progress of the analysis. Once the generation is finished, the Calculation Messages dialog opens and displays potential errors or warnings.