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EFEA 2012 Tutorial

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George Karypis and Vipin Kumar. SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 359-392, 1999.
Revision 0. October 9, 2011
NA:V2012:Z:TUTR:Z:DC-EFEA

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In the current version of the EFEA software, structures can be simulated by twodimensional (2-D) elements, for plate- or shell-type structures, or one-dimensional (1-D)
elements, for beam-type structures. This version allows the modeling of 3-D acoustic
elements. This includes the use of 3-D elements to simulate acoustic media. Some
special elements to simulate the spring/isolator, acoustic treatment, etc., are also available
in Version 2.0 of EFEA (Refer to the EFEA 2012 Users Guide).

This document serves as an introduction to using the EFEA software. There are also six
example problems at the end of the tutorial which provides an in-depth idea of specific
steps needed to accomplish the tasks outlined here. The basic steps in creating an EFEA
model are:

Step 1: Create the conventional FEA model using pre-processing software

Step 2: Run the Pre-EFEA code on the conventional FEA model
Step 3: Modify the EFEA model file generated by the Pre-EFEA code
Step 4: Run the EFEA code on the modified EFEA model file
Step 5: Post-process the EFEA results file in PATRAN

In the remainder of this tutorial, a simple cylindrical structural model with an interior
acoustic medium is used as an example to outline and further explain the above steps.

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Step 1: Create the conventional FEA model using pre-processing software

Users can generate the FEA model in any available pre-process software, i.e. Patran or
MSC.SimXpert . Refer to the corresponding users manual for an explanation of
generating the finite element model in the selected software. The size of each element
can be large, as long as the model captures the main geometric characteristics of the
physical system it models.

Once a finite element model is created, it must be exported in a MSC.NASTRAN short

format data file. This single data file should include all model elements (1-, or 2-D
elements for structure and 3-D elements for acoustic media, if any) and their properties
(material and geometric properties, if available). For a 3-D acoustic model, EFEA
Version 2.0 supports CHEXA (8-node), CPENTA (6-node) and CTETRA (4-node)
elements. As in the current version, EFEA Version 2.0 supports CQUAD4 (4-node) and
CTRIA3 (3-node) elements for the 2-D structural model, and CBAR and CBEAM (2node) elements for a 1-D beam model. Each structural node and element, and each
acoustic node and element must have a unique ID number. Before exporting the FEA
model into a Nastran data file, the user must ensure the equivalence is done on the model,
that is, all duplicated or temporary nodes have been removed. There is one case where
duplicated nodes are needed when creating the conventional FE model. This case is
explained in the following paragraph.

When generating the FE model, if both structure (simulated by CQUAD4 or CTRIA3

elements) and acoustic elements (simulated by CHEXA, CPENTA or CTETRA elements)
exist in the model, the elements on the interface between the structure and acoustic
medium need to be matched. Duplicated nodes with different IDs should be used for
matched structural elements and acoustic elements on the interface. Figures 1-1 and 1-2
are included as an example to illustrate this concept. Figure 1-1 shows a FE model for a
cylindrical structure. This FE model includes 1,314 CQUAD4 elements and 1,316 nodes.
Figure 1-2 shows the 3-D FE model simulating the interior acoustic medium surrounded
by the cylinder. This 3-D FE model includes 3,540 CHEXA elements and 4,242 nodes.

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In creating the model that includes both the cylinder and the medium, the elements on the
interface between the structure and the outer surface of the acoustic medium need to be
matched. Nodes with identical locations but different IDs are used for structural elements
and acoustic elements on the interface. Because of this necessary duplication of nodes,
there are 5,558 nodes, as opposed to 4,242 if equivalence is done, in the final model.

Figure 1-1: Conventional FEA model for the structure

Figure 1-2: Conventional FEA model for the interior acoustic medium

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If there are beams attached to plates when generating the FE model, the beam element
and the corresponding connecting edge of the plate element should be matched. Contrary
to the case for acoustic and structural elements outlined above, the same nodes should be
used for the beam element (CBAR) and plate element (CQUAD4 CTRIA3) at the
attachment point, not duplicate nodes. Hence, the whole model should not have duplicate
nodes except the nodes on the interface of structure and acoustic medium.

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Step 2: Run the Pre-EFEA code on the conventional FEA model

There are two input files to the Pre-EFEA code. The FE model constructed in Step 1 is
the first input. A data.inp file is the second input. The content of the data.inp file
for the cylindrical structural model example is shown below in Figure 2-1.

Figure 2-1: data.inp file

The data.inp file allows users to specify the name of the FE model data file. In this
example, example1.dat is the NASTRAN data file of the cylinder model, as denoted by
the keyword FILE. This is the only required entry in the data.inp file. The
data.inp file also allows the user to control some parameters, i.e. the criterion angle for
identifying the plate-plate joints (ANGLE) and the criterion distance for identifying the
plate-acoustic joints (DIST). Refer to the EFEA 2012 Users Guide for detailed
definitions for these available functions. Once the data.inp file has been created, the
Pre-EFEA code is ready to run.

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The Pre-EFEA code reads in the FE model specified by the data.inp file and detects all
geometric features, changes in material properties, intersections between components,
and interfaces between structural and acoustic elements. Once these actions have been
completed, the Pre-EFEA code automatically:

Disconnects the model at each structural joint location (plate-to-plate, plate-tobeam) by adding appropriate nodes and by updating the connectivity of the
associated structural elements.

Creates all the necessary joints (PJOINT with/without stiffener, BPJOINT)

among structural elements or between structural and acoustic elements
(PAJOINT, APAJOINT).

Outputs the EFEA input data file which contains all the nodes and elements for
the structural and acoustic parts of the model, including modified node numbers
and accordingly updated element connectivity at the joints, and all the necessary
cards which define the joint connections. The available material and geometric
properties defined in the FE model will also be output into the EFEA input data
file using the proper format required by EFEA.

Figure 2-2 shows the plate-plate joints (red lines) generated by Pre-EFEA for the
cylindrical structural model example.

Figure 2-2: Plate-plate joint (red lines) generated by Pre-EFEA code

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Pre-EFEA will output the generated EFEA model into a data file with the name modelall.dat. The summary information on the EFEA model is written into the pre_efea.log
file. An example of the pre_efea.log for the cylinder model is shown below in Figure
2-3:

Figure 2-3: pre_efea.log file

Based on the availability of material and geometric properties (i.e. PSHELL and MAT1
entries for plate or shell properties, PBAR entry for beam properties) in the original FE
model file, Pre-EFEA will also output the corresponding material (i.e. MPLATE,
MBAR, or MRIB cards) and geometric properties (i.e. PLATE, PBAR, or RIB cards) in
EFEA format (some entries may not complete and need to be manually modified by users
as explained in the next section). A sampling of the properties output by Pre-EFEA for
the cylinder model is included below in Figure 2-4:
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Figure 2-4: Property definition part of model-all.dat output file

Following the property definition part, the model-all.dat file lists the grid nodes,
elements and PJOINT entries for the structure model. The grid nodes, elements and
JPLAC/JACPLAC entries for the acoustic model are listed at the end of the file.

Refer to the EFEA 2012 Users Guide for detailed definitions of each entry.

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Step 3: Modify the EFEA model file generated by the Pre-EFEA code

Users need to manually modify the EFEA input data file created from the Pre-EFEA code
in order to provide information about:

The excitation (input powers or forces, locations, and frequencies). The

cards used to define the excitation in the current version of EFEA include:
PLATEF, PLATEB, PLATEIP, PLATESH, ACOUS, ASOURCE,
EDPLTB, EDPLTIP, EDPLTSH, EDACS, PWAVE, and TBL. Refer to
the EFEA 2010 Users Guide for detailed definitions of each entry.

Material properties (for the structural components and for each acoustic
domain). The cards used to define the material properties in the current
version of EFEA include: MPLATE, PACOUS, MBAR, MRIB, and
MISO. Refer to the EFEA 2012 Users Guide for detailed definitions of
each entry.

Geometry properties (for the radiation efficiency computations). The cards

used to define the geometry properties in the current version of EFEA
include: PLATE, PBAR, RIB, ISO, EFEA_PS, and LGOPENING. Refer
to the EFEA 2010 Users Guide for detailed definitions of each entry.

Acoustic absorption properties for representing acoustic treatment. The

cards used to define the acoustic absorption in the current version of EFEA
include: TMMAT and TMDFACE. Refer to the EFEA 2012 Users Guide
for detailed definitions of each entry.

The solver option (by METHOD card. Refer to the EFEA 2012 Users
Guide for detailed definitions of this entry).

The format of the requested output. The cards used to specify the output
information in the current version of EFEA include: OUTFILE, OUTSTR,
OUTACS, OUTBM, OUTDB, REFSPL and REFE. Refer to the EFEA
2012 Users Guide for detailed definitions of each entry.

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Excitation and output type selection must also be manually added. The following Figures
3-1 and 3-2 illustrate the modified entries for the cylinder model:

Figure 3-1: Modifiedmodel-all.dat output; FREQ and SUBCASE 1

Figure 3-2: Modifiedmodel-all.dat output; output format, etc.

Refer to the EFEA 2012 Users Guide for detailed definitions of each entry.

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Step 4: Run the EFEA code on the modified EFEA model file

After Step 3 is completed, the EFEA model file is ready for analysis. Refer to the EFEA
2012 Users Guide for the syntax of running EFEA.

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Step 5: Post-process the EFEA results file in PATRAN

When PATRAN is specified using the OUTFILE keyword in Step 3, the output from
EFEA will be ready for post-processing using PATRAN. EFEA will output multiple
result files in PATRAN *.nod format. Unlike the PUNCH format files in Step 5a, each
of these files corresponds to a combination of one analyzed frequency and one subcase.
The names of these files are in the form of s_freq=XXX_subcase=YYY.nod for plate
elements results, and a_freq=XXX_subcase=YYY.nod for acoustic elements results.
The XXX and YYY in these sample file names are the frequency value and subcase
ID respectively. A template file snod.res_tmpl for plate elements, and anod.res_tmpl
for acoustic elements will also be created for post-processing the results in PATRAN.
The structure model result files s_freq=XXX_subcase=YYY.nod contain the following
results: bending wave energy density, longitudinal wave energy density, shear wave
energy density and normal velocity. The acoustic model result files
a_freq=XXX_subcase=YYY.nod contain the following results: acoustic energy density,
acoustic pressure and acoustic sound pressure level. The following are the steps for postprocessing EFEA results in PATRAN.

(1) Load the model into PATRAN

i.)

Copy the EFEA model data file into a new temp file.

ii.)

Remove the lines with the keyword FREQ, SUBCASE and

ENDSUBCASE in the file.

iii.)

Split the model data file into a structure model file and an acoustic model
file. As discussed in Step 2, in the model data file, the structure node and
element entries are followed by PJOINT entries, and then the acoustic
node and element entries. Hence, the model data file can be easily split
into a structure model file and an acoustic model file. The reason for
splitting the model data file is that the EFEA code output the results for
structure model and acoustic model into separate files.

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iv.)

Import the desired (structure or acoustic) model into PATRAN using

MSC.Nastran Input template (Figures 5-2 & 5-3). In the following steps,
the acoustic model data file is used.

Figure 5-2: Import the EFEA model into PATRAN

Figure 5-3: Imported EFEA model

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(2) Load the PATRAN .nod result template and import the result file

i.)

Click and select [File] -> [Import] from main menu.

ii.)

In the popup Import windows, select [Results] after [Object], and select
[PATRAN 2 .nod] after [Format].

iii.)

In the new popup Template for PATRAN 2.5 Import Results windows,
browse to the local directory where your EFEA model is located.

iv.)

Select anod.res_tmpl file in that local directory, which is generated by

EFEA (Figure 5-4).

Figure 5-4: Load the PATRAN result template

v.)

Click OK.

vi.)

In the Import windows, browse to the local directory where your EFEA
model is located.

vii.)

Select a_freq=1000_subcase=1.nod from the results file generated by

EFEA, as shown in Figure 5-5.

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viii.)

Modified the Zero Tolerance value which is shown in the oval in Figure
5-5 to be 0. This step will avoid unnecessary filtering of results.

ix.)

Click [Apply] (Figure 5-5).

Figure 5-5: Select the result file generated by EFEA

(3) Get contour plot

i.)

Click [Results] from toolbar in PATRAN.

ii.)

Select SPL, Acoustic at the windows located at the right side.

iii.)

Click [Apply].

See Figure 5-6 for an example of a contour of the SPL distribution in the interior acoustic
medium of the cylinder example.

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Figure 5-6: Contour of SPL in acoustic cavity

In the Select Fringe Result box of Figure 5-6, there are only two available sets of
results: Energy Density, Acoustic and SPL, Acoustic. And the results for acoustic
pressure are not available. The reason is that the acoustic pressure values in the
a_freq=1000_subcase=1.nod file are all zeros, as shown in Figure 5-7. In order to
view the acoustic pressure values, the user needs to modify the EFEA data file so that the
entry OUTACS SPL shown in Figure 3-2 is changed to be OUTACS SPL P. Figure
5-8 shows the contour of the acoustic pressure distribution in the interior acoustic
medium of the cylinder example.

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Figure 5-7: PATRAN format file a_freq=1000_subcase=1.nod

Figure 5-8: Contour of acoustic pressure in acoustic cavity

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