7/17/2014 MSC.

Nastran Discussion Community: Thickness optimization using Nastran-Matlab

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mehdi_bgh2012
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Reged: 08/16/13
Posts: 22
Thickness optimization using Nastran-Matlab
#12935 - 06/24/14 03:23 PM
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HI,
I have a quadrangular clamped plate that have been meshed with 4 equal sized shell element in Patran. Each
element has its own thickness. So we have 4 element and 4 thicknesses. There is a point load acting on plate in
special node. I want to determine the thickness of the each element through an arbitrary algorithm in MATLAB
(e.g. GA).
For this purpose, I have to alter the thickness of each element and run the model within MATLAB milieu. Then
compare the Von Mises stress of each element using determined algorithm in MATLAB to get to optimum
thicknesses. By repeating this process I will find the optimum thickness of each element.
I recommend the following way to do so:
1.making FEM model in Patran and saving the .bdf file of the FEM model.
2.reading and altering the existing thicknesses in .bdf file using MATLAB.
3.Saving altered .bdf file using Matlab.
4.Running Nastran by .bdf input file.
5.Reading output file using Matlab to extract the Von Mises stress of each element.
6.Use the reached stresses in algorithm
7.Do the above steps again.
I am using Nastran/Patran/Matlab 2012
Is there any one to know how to do such work?
Is there any other opinion to optimize such kind of problems using Nastran?
Any Help will be appreciable.
Regards
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Dave_P
Reged: 11/18/03
Posts: 1193
Loc: Mi chi gan, USA
Re: Thickness optimization using Nastran-Matlab [Re: mehdi_bgh2012]
#12936 - 06/25/14 04:31 AM
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A more typical approach is to run SOL 200 directly in Nastran. The MSC Nastran Design Sensitivity and
Optimization Users Guide has a specific example of that (Cantilevered plate, DSOUG3), where they vary individual
shell element thicknesses.
--------------------
Regards,
Dave Popejoy
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Paul_Blelloch
Advocate
Reged: 12/03/03
Posts: 634
Loc: San Di ego, CA
Re: Thickness optimization using Nastran-Matlab [Re: mehdi_bgh2012]
#12938 - 06/25/14 08:37 AM
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Nastran has its own optimization capability (SOL 200) that would solve this problem, though it doesn't have a
genetic algorithm. It uses gradient based solvers, which should work fine for the problem you've described. We've
run Nastran through Matlab to do optimizations that weren't feasible directly in Nastran, but we wrote our own
code to update the model and you'd have to do the same. It isn't that difficult to write a Nastran deck with some
placeholders and write code that updates those placeholders in Matlab. If you're willing to work with Python
instead of Matlab, you might also check out OpenMDAO (http://openmdao.org/). It has built in links to Nastran
--------------------
Paul Blelloch
ATA Engineering, Inc.
11995 El Camino Real, #200
San Diego, CA 92130
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/nastrandmap/
(858) 480-2065 - phone
(858) 792-8932 - fax
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mehdi_bgh2012
New Poster
Reged: 08/16/13
Re: Thickness optimization using Nastran-Matlab [Re: Paul_Blelloch]
#12939 - 06/25/14 12:09 PM
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7/17/2014 MSC.Nastran Discussion Community: Thickness optimization using Nastran-Matlab
http://forums.mscsoftware.com/nastran/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=pr_nastran_gen&Number=12935&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1 2/2
Posts: 22
Thanks Paul,
Could you please give me extra information about writing code that can optimize the FEM using Matlab. Is there
any sample example about it.
The problem that i have explained in my first post was an example to know how i can cope with optimization
problem in Nastran. But the original problem is complex. I want to optimize civil aircraft wing skin and spar web
thickness through FEM static analysis. Do you think that by using Nastran's optimization capability, the reached
thicknesses will be acceptable or I must use another optimization algorithms as well?
Is there anyone to have experience in this case?
Best Regards,
Mehdi,
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Prafulla_K
New Poster
Reged: 06/27/06
Posts: 12
Re: Thickness optimization using Nastran-Matlab [Re: mehdi_bgh2012]
#12940 - 06/26/14 03:41 AM
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Hi,
As you have explained in your problem, basically all your elements are candidate for thickness optimization, this is
possible with topometry optimization available in Nastran itself.
Topometry optimization is an element-by-element sizing optimization. Unlike conventional sizing
optimization where all elements referencing a property entry are grouped as one design variable, each designable
element has an independent design variable in topometry optimization.
refer TOMVAR card in quick reference guide & Design sensitivity user guide for example on topometry.
Regards,
Prafulla
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mehdi_bgh2012
New Poster
Reged: 08/16/13
Posts: 22
Re: Thickness optimization using Nastran-Matlab [Re: Prafulla_K]
#12941 - 06/27/14 01:00 PM
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Thx
What about linking Nastran with Simulink. Suppose you want to control the forces applied to some nodes through
Simulink during the transient analysis, How this work can be done?
regards,
Post Extras:
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