Finite-Element Engineering Applications Based on FEMPlayer and Mathematica Player Pro

Joze Korelc and Teja Melink

University of Ljubljana
Jamova 2, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Matija Gams
Slovenia National Building and Civil Engineering Institute
Dimičeva 12, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract

FEMPlayer is Mathematica package for running interactive AceFEM based finite element applications using Mathematica Player Pro. The AceFEM package is a general finite element environment designed to solve multi-physics and multi-field problems. However, the everyday engineering work in many cases requires interactive software solutions that are easy to use, dedicated to solve only specific engineering tasks and are also cost-effective. The FEMPlayer package and Mathematica Player Pro combined provide the power of Mathematica and AceFEM for the fraction of the cost. Following the concepts of Mathematica Player Pro the FEMPlayer package enables easy development of high-performance and low-cost interactive finite element based engineering applications.

Two FEMPlayer based solutions are presented. The first example is a relatively simple structural engineering application which allows calculation of buckling load beams under various boundary conditions. An example of complex application is a package where the method for the verification of the seismic resistance of brick-masonry building structure is implemented. This is an example where the modern engineering design codes require implementation of a computationally complex, multi-stage procedure that involves finite element modeling at several scales.