*update1delements

Updates 1D beams, bars and rods, and optionally assigns properties. Alternately, properties and offset can be calculated from a section cut on the model.

Syntax

*update1delements <option1>=<value1> <option2>=<value2> ... <optionN>=<valueN>

Type

HyperMesh Tcl Modify Command

Description

Updates 1D beams, bars and rods, and optionally assigns properties. Alternatively, updates the element property and offset as the result of a section cut on target entities (geometry or elements). This computes sectional properties and materials from intersected entities. Orientation remains unchanged and the offset is calculated in elemental system from elements position relative to calculated shear center. This option is exclusive and can’t be used along with regular orient, offset, property update.

Inputs

adjustoffset=<value>
Adjust the offset when offsetflag=1. Valid values are all, reset and vert.
allshells=<value>
Flag to consider all neighboring shells. For orientation, use usereference=1, orientflag=1 and orientmethod=auto. For offset, use usereference=0 and offsetflag=1.
0 - Do not consider
1 - Consider
connectiontol=<value>
The maximum distance for autoweld on two separated domain loops. Its only applied to inflated domains (surface cut and 2D element cut). Used only when updating 1D elements using a section cut.
value < 0.0 - Autoweld applied in all cases.
value = 0.0 - No autoweld applied (default).
value > 0.0 - Autoweld applied between two domains only if the minimum perpendicular distance between both domains is less than connectiontol value.
consolidateprops=<value>
Flag to define if properties should be consolidated. Used only if consolidationtol is equal or greater than 0.0.
If true, only one PBEAM property is created for each unique beam section-material pair.
consolidationtol=<value>
The tolerance value (percentage) to consolidate similar beam sections while applying a section cut. If the maximum relative variation for the area, inertias and warping constant between two beam sections is less than the tolerance value, both beam sections are considered as equivalent. In that case, only one unique beam section is created.
value < 0.0 - No consolidation is done.
value > 0.0 - Consolidation is done between all beam sections computed at once on the same section cut process.
contacttol=<value>
The maximum contact distance between two separated domains; applies to meshed domains. Use only when updating 1D elements using a section cut. Default -1.0.
value < 0.0 - The maximum contact value is considered as 0.8-times the average element size.
value = 0.0 - No contact
value > 0.0 - Defines the maximum contact distance between elements from two different domain loops. The contact is then ensured by a classical MPC method, using a mortar finite element method.
createpropfromdata=<flag>
Used to create property from metadata. Used only when propflag=1, usereference=1 and propmethod=bydata.
0 - Do not create (default)
1 - Create
createsketch=<flag>
The flag to create a sketch if updated by Section Cut.
0 - Do not create (default)
1 - Create
cutlocation=<label>
Section cut location. Used only when updating 1D elements using a section cut.
Start – Section cut location at start node of 1D element.
Mid – Section cut location at mid of 1D element.
End – Section cut location at end node of 1D element.
0.0 to 1.0 – Parametric location to define cut (variable cut).
Taper – Location of section cut at both ends of 1D element based on taper angle
If cutlocation is not defined, the plane base point is considered as section cut location.
defaultmaterial=<value>
Flag accounting for material in section cut. Used for elastic sectiontype. If the value is not set to geometric, the average moment of inertia will be evaluated considering young modulus and Poisson’s ratio from entity intersected by a plane. It results in the evaluation of stiffness terms as EA /EIyy /EIzz /GJ of the full section. The material impacts the centroid and shear centre location as well as warping properties. If a region is fully defined (no mix of entities with and without material assigned), the max, mean, nearest and user values are ignored. If a region is missing material property, then this parameter defines how to consider material for undefined regions.
geometric - section properties are derived from the area moments of inertia without considering any material. User can select a target material that will be assgined to the created property.
max - applies the highest Young Modulus (and related Nu) from the list of materials seen in intersection.
mean - applies the averaged Young Modulus (and Nu) from the list of materials seen in intersection.
nearest - applies the highest Young Modulus (and related Nu) from the closest region with material assigned.
user - applies target material for this region. Requires material selection.
detatchelements=<label>
Flag to define if 1D elements should be detached from model. If true and if the 1D element is sharing a node with 2D or 3D elements, then the start and/or end node is duplicated.
inputentitytype=<entity_type>
The type of input entity. Valid value is elems. Used only when usereference=0.
inputmark=<mark_id>
The ID of the mark of input entities. Valid values are 1 and 2. Used only when usereference=0.
mergetol=<value>
The merge tolerance to close gaps while updating by Section Cut. If sectiontype=shell, all segments extremities in tolerance will be merged. If sectiontype=solid and targetenttype=SURFS or targetenttype=ELEMS for 2D elements, segments in tolerance will be merged to create closed loops.
offsetends=<method>
The method of offsetting element ends. Used only when offsetflag=1. Valid values are start (offset at start/end A), end (offset at end/end B), and startend (offset at both ends).
offsetflag=<flag>
0 - Do not update element offset values
1 - Update element offset values
offsetlateral=<value>
The lateral offset direction. Valid values are pos or neg. Used when offsetflag=1.
offsetmethod=<method>
The element offset method. Used only when offsetflag=1. Valid values are
auto (when adjustoffset=auto)
reset (when adjustoffset=reset)
tocentroid - Add offset to match beamsection centroid
toorigin - Add offset to match beamsection shear center
offsetnormal=<value>
The normal offset direction. Valid values are pos or neg. Used when offsetflag=1.
orient=<value>
0 - Do not update element orientation using autoupdate1delements
1 - Update element orientation using autoupdate1delements. Used only when orientflag=1 and orientmethod=auto.
orientdatatype=<method>
Provide a label as metadata, which uses inclination information stored as metadata. Used only when orientflag=1, usereference=1 and orientmethod=bydata.
orientflag=<flag>
0 - Do not update element orientation
1 - Update element orientation, use orientmethod
orientmetadataent=<entity_type>
The entity type to use for metadata. Valid value is lines. Used only when orientflag=1, usereference=1 and orientmethod=bydata.
orientmetadatamark=<mark_id>
The ID of the mark for orientmetadataent. Used only when orientflag=1, usereference=1 and orientmethod=bydata.
orientmetadataname=<label>
Provide a label as metadata name where orientation inclination exists. Used only when orientflag=1, usereference=1 and orientmethod=bydata.
orientmetadatatype=<label>
Provide a label as byentity, to use metadata from the entity. Used only when orientflag=1, usereference=1 and orientmethod=bydata.
orientmethod=<method>
The element orientation method. Valid values are auto (normal to plates), bydata, bynodeid, and bysystem. Used only when orientflag=1.
orientnodeid=<id>
The ID of the orientation node. Used only when orientflag=1 and orientmethod=bynodeid
orientsysid=<id>
The ID of the orientation system. Used only when orientflag=1 and orientmethod=bysystem
orientvector=<id>
The ID of the orientation vector. Used only when orientflag=1 and orientmethod=bysystem
planebase={<value>}
Location of the plane for the section cut. Used only when cutlocation is not provided and when updating 1D elements using a section cut.
planeheight=<value>
Height of the plane to define finite plane for the section cut. Used only when updating 1D elements using a section cut.
planenormal={<value>}
Normal of the plane for the section cut. Used only when cutlocation is not provided and when updating 1D elements using a section cut.
planewidth=<value>
Width of the plane to define finite plane for the section cut. Used only when updating 1D elements using a section cut.
propcardimage=<value>
Defines the card image of the property created from input beamsection.
propdatalabel=<label>
Provide a label as metadata, which uses property information stored as metadata. If beam section exists, then a beam property is created. If thickness exists, then a shell property is created. Used only when propflag=1, usereference=1 and propmethod=bydata.
0 - Do not update
1 - Update
propflag=<flag>
Used to update the property on the elements or components.
0 - Do not update
1 - Update
propid=<id>
The ID of the property to apply to elements or components. Used only when propflag=1 and propmethod=byid.
propmetadataentitytype=<entity_type>
The entity type to use for metadata. Valid value is lines. Used only when propflag=1, usereference=1 and propmethod=bydata.
propmetadatamark=<mark_id>
The ID of the mark for propmetadataentitytype. Used only when propflag=1, usereference=1 and propmethod=bydata.
propmetadatatype=<label>
Provide a label as byentity, to use metadata from the entity. Used only when propflag=1, usereference=1 and propmethod=bydata.
propmethod=<method>
The method of updating the property. Valid values are bydata and byid. Used only when propflag=1.
refentid=<entity_id>
The ID of the material to be assigned to the 1D property. Used only when updating 1D elements using a section cut.
refentmark=<mark_id>
The ID of the mark of reference entities. Valid values are 1 and 2. Used only when usereference=1.
refentname=<name>
The name of the material to be assigned to the 1D property. Used only when updating 1D elements using a section cut.
refentsearchtol=<tolerance>
The search tolerance used by the reference entity (default -1). Used only when usereference=1.
refenttype=<entity_type>
The type of reference entity. Valid entities are lines and materials. Used only when usereference=1. Materials is only supported when updating 1D elements using a section cut.
refmethod=<method>
Use metadata from the input entity. Valid value is byentity. Used only when usereference=1.
sectiontype=<value>
The type of beamsection. Valid values are elastic (default), shell, or solid.
taperangle=<value>
Angle between the adjacent 1D elements. Used only when cutlocation=taper.
If angle formed by 2 adjacent elements is lower than this threshold limit, a single cut is done at common node. The same beam section entity will be assigned to both elements (considering the correct end station per element). If the angle is greater than the threshold value, a cut is performed per adjacent element using its x-axis as the plane normal.
Used only when updating 1D elements using a section cut.
targetenttype=<entity_type>
The type of target entity. Valid values are elements, surfaces, and solids. Used only when updating 1D elements using a section cut.
targetmark=<mark_id>
The ID of the mark for target entities. Valid values are 1 and 2. Used only when updating 1D elements using a section cut.
thickness=<method>
The method of assigning shell thickness in case multiple neighboring shells have different thickness values. Used only when offsetflag=1. Valid values are avg, max and min.
translatebeam=<value>
New position to translate the 1D element after executing a section cut.
value = ”none” - No translation is done (default).
value= “shearcenter” - 1D element is translated to a beam section shear center.
value= “centroid” - 1D element is translated to a beam section centroid.
usercompsbydata=<flag>
Used only when propflag=1 and either propmethod=bymethod and usereference=1, or propmethod=byid.
0 - Do not apply property to components (default).
1 - Apply property to components.
usereference=<flag>
0 - Update elements from user input (default).
1 - Update elements by using metadata from entities.
vertexangle=<value>
The angle used to smooth curves while defining the beamsection topology. Valid values are 0 to 180 (default 60).

Examples

Update 1D elements using a section cut:
*createmark elements 1 300-305
*createmark elements 2 586-591 619-638 652-658
Using single cut method with infinite plane and beam section and property consolidation, using a tolerance of 10%:
*update1delements inputenttype=elems inputmark=1 targetenttype=elems targetmark=2 planebase={700 0 0} planenormal={1 0 0} refentid=1 connectiontol=0.0 contacttol=-1.0 consolidationtol=10.0 consolidateprops=1
Using single cut method with finite plane:
*update1delements inputenttype=elems inputmark=1 targetenttype=elems targetmark=2 planebase={502.6 206.1 38} planenormal={0 0 -1} planewidth=200 refentid=1 planeheight=200 connectiontol=0.0 contacttol=-1.0 detatchelements=1 translatebeam=shearcenter
Using variable cut method with infinite plane and translating 1D elements to beam section shear center:
*update1delements inputenttype=elems inputmark=1 targetenttype=elems targetmark=2 cutlocation=0.5 connectiontol=0.0 contacttol=-1.0 detatchelements=1 translatebeam=shearcenter
Using variable cut method with finite plane:
*update1delements inputenttype=elems inputmark=1 targetenttype=elems targetmark=2 planewidth=10 planeheight=10 cutlocation=0.5 connectiontol=0.0 contacttol=-1.0
Using taper cut method with infinite plane:
*update1delements inputenttype=elems inputmark=1 targetenttype=elems targetmark=2 cutlocation=taper taperangle=15 connectiontol=0.0 contacttol=-1.0
Using taper cut method with finite plane:
*update1delements inputenttype=elems inputmark=1 targetenttype=elems targetmark=2 planewidth=10 planeheight=10 cutlocation=taper taperangle=15 connectiontol=0.0 contacttol=-1.0
To add offset to match shear center:
*createmark elems 1 "by config" bar2
*update1delements inputenttype=elem inputmark=1 offsetflag=1 offsetmethod=toorigin

Errors

Incorrect usage results in a Tcl error. To detect errors, you can use the catch command:
if { [ catch {command_name...} ] } {
   # Handle error
}

Version History

2020

2021.1 Added new options connectiontol, contacttol, cutlocation, planebase, planeheight, planenormal, planewidth, refentid, refentname, refentsearchtol, refenttype, taperangle, targetenttype, and targetmark.

2021.2 - Added new options consolidationtol, consolidateprops, detatchelements, and translatebeam.

2022 - Added new values "tocentroid" and "toorigin" to the offsetmethod option.

2022.1 2022.1 – Added new optional arguments defaultmaterial, propcardimage and sectiontype.

2022.2 - Added new sectiontype value solid and new options createsketch and mergetol.

2022.3 - Added new option vertexangle.