FIDAP Interface

Solver	Fidap
Type of mesh	unstructured mesh
Dimension	2D and 3D

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The translator creates the FIDAP Neutral File version 7.0 and offers the possibility to also write the Fidap FDREAD File.

Creating the FIDAP Input File

The translator writes the FIDAP Input File using an unstructured mesh and its boundary condition file. To create the FIDAP input file, "Select solver" → FIDAP in the "Output" menu. After clicking "Write input " you can specify the following options for the interface:

• select an existing unstructured mesh
• give the name of the boundary condition file
• give the prefix name of the FIDAP input files (default is fidap)
• create a FDREAD File (Yes or No)
• write element groups for untagged walls in 3D (Yes or No)
• for common nodes between edges which are tagged "THIN" and edges which are not, set which condition has priority.
• option to create one element group for each family containing at least one element. In such case, the group name is the family name.
• give a zero tolerance: all coordinate values smaller than this tolerance are reset to zero.

The interface generates the FIDAP Input File located in the project directory. Defining entity name and thin surface for FIDAP

Currently, only two types of tagging are commonly used for FIDAP, the entity name or element group name tagging and the "thin surface" tagging.

Defining boundary conditions, properties and entity name

To define boundary condition click on the "BC" icon in the "Output" menu. Supported boundary conditions are:

Boundary conditions	Value(s)
Entity name	enter a name, default is part name
Velocity	curve number x,y,z value factor
Flux/Free boundary condition	degree of freedom flag curve number degree of freedom factor
Boundary element group	degree of freedom flag
FIDAP boundary condition	label curve number value scale
Nodal boundary condition	degree of freedom curve number value factor

Thin surface:

Thin surfaces can only be defined on interfaces between two blocks and therefore exist only in 3D models. When such an interface is defined "thin", all the nodes interior to this surface are duplicated but NOT the nodes on its edges. As a result of the duplication, two different element groups are created for the face, one with the original nodes, the other with the "twin" nodes. Aside from the edge nodes, the 3D element groups on each side of the face also use different sets of nodes.

If two or more interfaces tagged "thin" meet at a common edge, the user may want this edge to be regarded as "interior" and therefore have its nodes also duplicated. For this purpose, edges can also be tagged "thin".

To define a thin wall (and thin edge) set the 'Entity name' of the part to the word "THIN".

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