Multiphysics

Simcenter 3D Multiphysics overview

The Simcenter 3D Multiphysics environment allows you to perform coupled thermal-flow-structural analysis.

The structural analysis uses the Simcenter Nastran Multi-Step Nonlinear (SOL 401) structural solution.
The thermal analysis uses the Simcenter 3D Thermal solver.
The flow analysis uses the Simcenter 3D Flow parallel solver.

You can use the Multiphysics environment to build a single finite element model that you can use for structural, thermal, and flow analyses. You can perform two-way coupling, in which the thermal results and flow results affects the structural solution and the structural results affects the thermal and flow results.

You can also couple the thermal-flow solution to the structural solution (one-way coupling) so that you can include the effects of the thermal-flow results in the structural analysis. For example, you can analyze how the temperature distribution affects the structural deformation.

Single finite element model for all analyses

In the Multiphysics environment, you can create a single finite element model that you can use for the structural, thermal, and flow analyses. For example, you can apply all the appropriate structural, thermal, and flow loads and constraints to your model at the same time.

Additionally, the Multiphysics environment uses physics-based terminology, rather than solver-specific terminology. This means that the various components of the finite element model, such as elements, properties, and materials, have neutral names rather than names that are associated with those entities in Simcenter Nastran or Simcenter 3D Thermal/Flow, for example.

Supported analysis types

You can use the Multiphysics environment to perform:

Structural analysis—Uses a Simcenter Nastran SOL 401 Multi-Step Nonlinear solution, comprised of nonlinear statics, nonlinear dynamics, preload, normal modes, cyclic modes, and axisymmetric Fourier modes solution steps.
Thermal analysis—Uses the Simcenter 3D Thermal solver. The thermal analyses can be steady state or transient.
Flow analysis—Uses the Simcenter 3D Flow parallel solver. The flow analyses can be steady state or transient.
Coupled Thermal-Structural analysis—Links a Simcenter Nastran SOL 401 Multi-Step Nonlinear solution and Simcenter 3D Thermal solution. The thermal results affect the structural solution and the structural results affect the thermal solution. In each time step, the thermal model is solved for the temperatures using the displacements from the structural solver. The structural model is solved for the displacements using the temperatures from the thermal solver. The same mesh is used for both the structural and thermal solution.
Coupled Thermal-Flow analysis—Performs a coupled thermal-flow analysis using the Simcenter 3D Thermal/Flow solver with the parallel flow solver.
Coupled Flow-Structural analysis—Links a Simcenter Nastran SOL 401 Multi-Step Nonlinear solution and Simcenter 3D Flow solution, which uses the parallel flow solver. The flow results affect the structural solution and the structural results affect the flow solution. In each time step, the flow model is solved for the fluid pressures and shear stresses at walls using the displacements from the structural solver. The structural model is solved for the displacements using the fluid pressures at walls from the flow solver. The structural mesh is on the solid part of the model and the flow mesh is on the fluid part of the model.
Coupled Thermal-Flow-Structural analysis—Links a Simcenter Nastran SOL 401 Multi-Step Nonlinear solution and Simcenter 3D Thermal/Flow solution. The thermal-flow results affect the structural solution and the structural results affect the thermal-flow solution. In each time step, the thermal-flow model is solved for the solid temperatures, fluid pressures, and shear stresses at walls using the displacements from the structural solver. The structural model is solved for the displacements using the solid temperatures and fluid pressures at walls from the thermal-flow solver. The same solid mesh is used for both the structural and thermal part of the model and the flow mesh is used for the fluid part of the model.
Mapping analysis—Maps the thermal results, such as temperatures, onto a target model, which is typically an independent structural model of the same geometry that potentially has a different mesh than the thermal model. For example, you can use a mapping analysis to include temperatures or forces in a stress and distortion analysis.

Supported element types

The Multiphysics environment supports a variety of elements for structural, thermal, flow, and coupled solutions. For more information, see Multiphysics elements.

Supported material types

The Multiphysics environment supports the fluid material type for fluid elements used by the flow solver and the following material types for solid elements:

Isotropic, both with and without temperature dependence
Orthotropic, both with and without temperature dependence
Anisotropic, both with and without temperature dependence
Composite laminates

The thermal solver supports anisotropic materials and composite laminates only on 3D elements.

Defining loads

In a structural or coupled thermal-structural, flow-structural, or thermal-flow-structural analysis in Multiphysics, you define mechanical loads as a function of time. However, because the structural part of the solution is static, time is used only as the mechanism to increment loads.

Glue and contact support

Multiphysics structural, and coupled thermal-structural, flow-structural, and thermal-flow-structural solutions support edge-to-edge and surface-to-surface contact and glue.

How do I

Define coupled solution parameters

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Mapping results data to another model in Simcenter 3D Multiphysics

Two-way fluid-structure interaction

Defining multiphysics solution steps

Controlling time steps in a coupled solution

Requesting structural output for Simcenter 3D Multiphysics

Requesting thermal, flow, and thermal-flow output for Simcenter 3D Multiphysics

Adding time points to a structural solution to match a reference solution

Previewing Multiphysics solver syntax

Analyzing multiphysics results

Controlling the export of nodes connected to flow elements

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Simcenter 3D Multiphysics boundary conditions

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