SOLVERS Home: Initial Conditions (Static)

Description

Initial Conditions File

Selects a previously generated results file (the initial file) to be used as the initial conditions for the current analysis. Any result case from the initial file can be used as the initial case.

There are a number of uses for this feature, including the following:

To extend a previous analysis by appending new result cases to the same result file.
Examples of this include adding result steps to nonlinear static and quasi-static result files. This requires that the name of the result file specified in SOLVERS: Files be the same as the name of the initial file. If the result case used as the initial case is the last one in the initial file, the additional result cases are appended to the initial file. If the result case used as the initial case is not the last case in the initial file, all result cases after the initial case will be deleted and the new additional result cases will follow the initial case in the initial file.
To extend a previous analysis by saving the new result cases to a new result file.
This is similar to the previous use except that the new result cases are not appended to the initial file but saved to a new file. This requires that the name of the new result file specified in SOLVERS: Files be different to the name of the initial file. The new result cases are saved to the specified result file overwriting that file (there is no option to append to that file when it is a different name to the initial file).
To start a new analysis using a different analysis as the initial conditions.
This includes using a nonlinear static analysis result case as the initial conditions for a quasi-static analysis. In this case, the results are stored in the file specified in SOLVERS: Files, overwriting that file. The initial case is included in the quasi-static result file as Result Case 0.

Time Steps

This option is applicable only when a quasi-static initial file is used for a quasi-static continuing solution.

Append remaining time

Time steps defined in the time table (SOLVERS: Time Steps) that represent a time earlier than the time instance of the result case used as the initial case are skipped. Time steps that represent a time after the time instance of the initial case are added. For example, if the initial case represents time=25 s, and the table defines 50 steps of 1 s, at the completion of the analysis the result file will contain result cases up to an including time=50 s. In the case where the maximum time in the time table represents a time less than or equal to the time instance of the initial case, no further result steps will be produced.
Append all time steps

Time steps defined in the time table (SOLVERS: Time Steps) are added to the time instance of the result case used as the initial case. For example, if the initial case represents time=25 s, and the table defines 50 steps of 1 s, at the completion of the analysis the result file will contain result cases up to and including time=75 s.