OpenBrIM.FEA

This guide walks through building a small finite element model from scratch in the FEA Workflow: setting boundary conditions, defining geometry, assigning materials and sections, applying loads, running the analysis, and viewing results.

Create the Project

1. Click New in the left sidebar.

   
2. Choose the Library and FEA Workflows template.

   
3. Click New Project under FEA Workflow.

   
4. Enter a project name and category.

   
5. Follow the workflow tree to enter project data.

   

Define Nodes and Boundary Conditions

1. In the Nodes section, enter X, Y, Z all as 0.

   
2. Click the icon above the analysis icon in the left sidebar.

   
3. Click the FEA icon.

   
4. Open the DOF tab.

   
5. Click the three-dot menu next to Tx and set the value to Fixed.

   
6. Click the dot at the bottom-right of the Tx cell.

   
7. Drag from the Tx cell to the Rz cell to apply Fixed to all six DOFs (Tx, Ty, Tz, Rx, Ry, Rz).

8. Click the Zoom Extent icon in the right sidebar.

   

   

Define Geometry (Lines)

1. Go to Geometry > Lines.

   
2. Click the three-dot menu on Node 1 and pick a node.

   
3. Pick the second node the same way to create the line.

   
4. Click the three-dot menu next to Name and choose Break.

   
5. Set the number of segments along local X.

   

   

Assign Materials and Sections

1. Go to Properties > Materials.

   
2. Click the three-dot menu next to Name and choose Import Material.

   

   
3. Go to Properties > Sections.

   
4. Click the three-dot menu next to Name and choose Import Section.

   

   
5. Go to Geometry > Lines.

   
6. Click the three-dot menu next to Section at Start and pick a section.

   

   

Define Loads

1. Go to Loads > Static Loads > Load Cases.

   
2. Set Weight Factor Z to −1 to apply self-weight in the negative-Z (downward) direction.

   
3. Go to Loads > Static Loads > Nodal Loads.

   
4. Click the three-dot menu next to Node and pick a node.

   

   
5. Click the three-dot menu next to Load Case and pick a load case.

   
6. Set Fz to −5.

   

Run the Analysis

1. Click the selection box under the settings icon in the left sidebar and choose Loading.

   

   
2. Click Analysis in the left sidebar.

   

   

View Results

1. Click the selection box under the settings icon in the left sidebar and choose Deformed to view the deformed shape.

   

   
2. Go to Loads > Results > Node Displacements to view nodal displacements.

   
3. Go to Loads > Results > FELine Forces to view internal element forces.