I am searching for a flexible approach to optimize my structure.
I want to create and parametrize a complex geometry in Grasshopper (double curved honeycomb structure) and I have to perform an optimization (let’s say wall thickness as free variable) according to the results of a FEM solver. The idea is to use Code Aster as FEM Solver (open source software) and write a script for the optimization in python. Is it possible to communicate between Grasshopper and Code Aster (or FEM software in general) in an iterative way? Maybe through Geometry Gym?
I don’t have any experience with Grasshopper yet, just commercial CAD and FEM softwares. I need to design curved sandwich panels and optimize them according to the load cases.
Get started, consume all the tutorials and youtube videos and come back to ask more specific problems. As for FEM inside Grasshopper, I’d test out Karamba3d as a first choice and verification with a separate analysis software.
Yes, you should be able to make your Code Aster input files from Grasshopper. Then, it most probably is possible to launch Code Aster and ultimately read its output. Hopefully you’re already comfortable with your FEM tool because you’ll have a lot of learning to do to both learn it and Grasshopper at the same time.
Karamba might be good if you are relying on analysis speed to do your optimisation, although you can do the same thing in SAP2000 using our plug-ins. We have just implemented extraction of 2d analysis results and section cuts here. We also do have links to Strand7. Our analysis extraction is a little more limited and manual with that though (currently, we are looking to improve through API interaction).
We do provide export links from Karamba (to most of the structural analysis software we support) if you did want to then confirm your final result say in SAP2000/Strand7 or CodeAster (see below).
I believe there is an ifc to Code-Aster project underway which may allow you to link into some of our IFC GeometryGym developments. I.E you could develop an ifc structural analysis model using our IFC structural analysis plug-in for grasshopper and then import into code-aster through IFC. I think it still has still got a little way to go but it might be worth getting in touch to see if they have any recommendations on automated ifc import and results in extraction through ifc with code aster, although using this as a verification method to your Karamba optimisation might be a lot less learning and development on your end.