Due to sendSelf and recvSelf implementation neglect, OpenSeesSP is broken. I want it to work. Not for OpenSees Cloud, we'll do fine without OpenSeesSP. Instead, it's for everyone out there who wants to run a large model locally without encountering stubborn errors or jumping through hoops to use OpenSeesMP. So, I have a small request--even … Continue reading An OpenSeesSPecial Request
Category: Community
Fuzzy Zero Length Logic
There's a few interpretations floating around regarding the length--real or implied--of zero length elements in OpenSees. So, I made a Twitter poll to assess popular opinion. https://twitter.com/mikusscott/status/1516085441895624705 Despite being an "easy" question, only 50% of respondents chose the correct answer. Like "When was the War of 1812?", the question gives it away--zero length elements have … Continue reading Fuzzy Zero Length Logic
More Solutions Than Problems
OpenSees has its share of problems: documentation is a work in progress; solid finite element analysis capabilities are not fully developed; benchmarking and verification don't happen too often; and volunteerism drives maintenance and support. Yeah, I know, what support? OpenSees has also generated--or, better yet, been used to generate--more than its fair share of solutions, … Continue reading More Solutions Than Problems
Full Credit
I've been reading the Austin Kleon "trilogy on creativity" and making connections with OpenSees. In the second book, Show Your Work!, Kleon explains why and how you should always credit the creators of work you share. Or, in the world of OpenSees, the creators of work you remix then share. Sure, the creators of the … Continue reading Full Credit
Tips for Squandering OpenSees
I recently came across a blog post by Prof. Amy J. Ko on how tenured faculty can accelerate the demise of tenure. Applying the same sardonic tone, here are five ways you can ensure OpenSees will also be gone sooner rather than later. 1. Don't learn - A firm grasp of linear analysis is sufficient … Continue reading Tips for Squandering OpenSees
Make a Pull Request
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does the tree make a sound? If a model is coded in OpenSees and no one pushes it upstream on GitHub, does the model exist? Is there only the perception that the tree makes a sound and that the model … Continue reading Make a Pull Request
Means and Ends
OpenSees is often a means to an end, or an instrument, with the end being an advanced degree. There is nothing wrong with that! But OpenSees can also be an end in itself. You can learn to automate workflows, to think algorithmically, and to manage data structures--all in the context of earthquake engineering. That end … Continue reading Means and Ends
Your DLL Might Be Ignored
I am not a fan of DLLs (dynamic-link library) for material and element models in OpenSees. There are many technical reasons for my dislike of DLLs--fragile code, multiple versions swirling around online, keeping up to date with the latest OpenSees executable, debugging difficulty, and cross-platform compatibility to name a few. So, if you've published your … Continue reading Your DLL Might Be Ignored
You Get What You Give
In the early days of OpenSees, conventional wisdom was "You get what you pay for". Sure, the internet was around, but the only OpenSees resources were the wiki, the examples manuals, and the message board. Those resources are still around today. But there's a ton of other OpenSees resources available including packages, pre- and post-processors, … Continue reading You Get What You Give
You Didn’t Build That
At what point does a "customized version" of OpenSees become distinct from the main OpenSees? After tinkering with OpenSees, when does it become "your own"? In most cases, the answer to both of these questions is "never". Sure, you will learn a lot by implementing Concrete24, even if it is only an incremental improvement over … Continue reading You Didn’t Build That
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