Gimme All Your Damping, All Your Mass and Stiffness Too

Just because OpenSees is open source does not mean it is a fully transparent box. This is mostly because documentation has lagged behind development. So, pessimists would say the box is semi-opaque while optimists would characterize it as semi-transparent. But a few parts of OpenSees are definitely housed in an opaque box. Take, for instance, … Continue reading Gimme All Your Damping, All Your Mass and Stiffness Too →

Meshing for Column Loads

For material nonlinear analysis of frame models, you can improve the computed response by using more displacement-based elements or more integration points in a force-based element. The material nonlinearity occurs inside the basic system, also known as the natural system or the kernel. To capture geometric nonlinearity due to large displacements, you have to go … Continue reading Meshing for Column Loads →

A New Challenge

The results from a previous modeling challenge were excellent with 100% of entries correct. But before we deep dive into the dark world of modeling nonlinear structural response, let's do one more challenge with linear analysis. The frame model shown below is UP50HA from a series of low-rise industrial structures whose reliability under gravity loading … Continue reading A New Challenge →