To make life a little easier for a beginner in FSI, we have prepared a checklist of steps that are standard to all FSI projects. In reality, this is just the tip of the iceberg, since each project has its own specific characteristics.
What does one need to know in order to run joint calculations?
The answer to this question is not that simple. Let's go through the checklist together and reveal all the subtleties and "secrets" at each step.
The FSI project checklist
Or a brief overview of the main points. In this section, we will examine the basic set of actions required to prepare and launch a joint calculation, namely:
- How to set up an Abaqus project
- How to set up a FlowVision project
Setting up an Abaqus project
You have prepared an Abaqus project and want to perform FSI calculations. But before getting started with the FSI project, it is important to perform a series of steps that will help avoid future mistakes and questions. The steps that need to be performed:
- Check the dimensions of the Abaqus project.
- Launch the Abaqus project for calculation. Make sure the Abaqus project can be launched and runs successfully without FSI (you can just comment out the co-simulation lines if you have already added them).
- Create exchange surface(s).
- Select variables for data transfer (U - displacements, COORD - coordinates - for Abaqus, PRES - pressure, CF - concentrated force for FlowVision).
- Set up co-simulation lines in the .inp file.
Configuring the FlowVision project
To set up a FlowVision project, you need to:
- Check the unit system being used in the project.
- Create an "Imported Object" - import the geometry of the object (objects), which are to be deformed.
- If modeling deformations of an object with a complicated shape, then there is a possibility that its geometry contains self-intersections. If this is this case, FlowVision will not be able to run the project. To check for this: right click on the imported object > check geometry for self-intersections. If FlowVision happens to find self-intersections, then you will need to remake the geometry in line with FlowVision requirements.
- Create a Moving body modifier on the imported object and, if necessary, scale / move / rotate the object via the modifier properties. It is important to correctly place the body in the starting position.
- Create an external connection with the FE-complex.
- If necessary, set heat / load relaxation.
- Edit connection settings: specify the IP address of the computer that will be running the FE-complex and the port over which to connect.
- Run the FV project for calculation without connecting to the FE-complex and make sure that the calculation launches successfully and the results are physically sensible. For this, turn on the "Disable connectors" option when starting the calculation.
Launching an FSI calculation
- Run Abaqus via the command prompt.
- Start the calculation in FV: this can be done via the PrePostProcessor, Terminal, and also via the command prompt, having prepared a command file.
- Having launched your simulation, you can observe the deformation of bodies via the Viewer module.