Introduction to this Section on Data and Data Components

Introduction to this section on data and data components.

It is important that you understand what data Ansys LS-DYNA writes, and how D3PLOT processes it for presentation. Therefore this section is organised to provide the following information:

Format and contents of the Ansys LS-DYNA databases.

In Section 13.1 the format and in Section 13.2 the contents of each of the Ansys LS-DYNA databases processed by D3PLOT are described in more detail. The various output switches available in Ansys LS-DYNA to control their contents are also described.

Global and summary data descriptions.

D3PLOT makes a distinction between global and summary data components, (those for the whole model, materials and contact surfaces), and components for individual element types. Sections 13.3 to 13.5 describe the "summary" data components available for the whole model, materials and contact surfaces respectively.

Data components for nodes and element types that write results.

Not all entity types write results to the files processed by D3PLOT. Only nodes, solids, shells, thick shells, beams and contact surface segments have data components available for them. These are described in Sections 13.6 to 13.11 respectively.

Data components for entities that do not write results.

Those entities which do not write results to databases processed by D3PLOT are lumped-masses, springs, seat-belt types, joints and stonewalls. Nevertheless geometric and other data components are available for these and are described in Section 13.12.

Theory behind data manipulations.

The theory and formulae behind the computation of derived data components is given in Theory and Formulae . For example von Mises stress, principal stresses, etc.