Category Archives: Finite Element Analysis

Using Frame4Buckle with the Alglib solver

The Frame4Buckle spreadsheet carries out a buckling analysis of a column or strut, which may be divided into any number of segments with varying cross section details, allowing the analysis of stepped or tapered members.  The spreadsheet includes a VBA … Continue reading

Posted in AlgLib, Computing - general, Finite Element Analysis, Frame Analysis, Link to dll, Newton, VBA | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Beam actions and deflections, 3D or 2D

Two new functions have been added to the ConBeamU spreadsheet, last discussed here. The new version can be downloaded from ConBeamU.zip, including full open-source code. The new functions, BeamAct3D and BeamAct2D calculate forces, moments, deflections and rotations along a 3D … Continue reading

Posted in Beam Bending, Excel, Finite Element Analysis, Frame Analysis, Newton, Strand7, UDFs, VBA | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Converting from global to local coordinates (and vice versa)

In 3D structural analysis (as well as many other applications) it is necessary to convert section properties, forces, and deflections between coordinate systems defined by individual structural members (local coordinates) and the common coordinate system defining the entire structure (global … Continue reading

Posted in Excel, Finite Element Analysis, Frame Analysis, Link to Python, Maths, UDFs, VBA | Tagged , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Python for VBA users- 7; Making Python go Faster

As reported in the previous post in this series, although the compiled routines included in packages such as Numpy, Scipy, and Pysparse are very fast, other parts of the code turned out to be slower than the equivalent in VBA.  … Continue reading

Posted in Arrays, Excel, Finite Element Analysis, Frame Analysis, Link to Python, Newton, NumPy and SciPy, UDFs, VBA | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Two viewers

I have previously looked at using Excel for generation of images from data listing  3D coordinates of points and lists of connections (see  https://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/daily-download-11-perspective-projection/ for instance), but this approach is limited in what can be done: It will only generate a “wire-frame” … Continue reading

Posted in Animation, Computing - general, Finite Element Analysis, Newton | Tagged , , | Leave a comment