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Adopting to Commercial Standards - GENOA offers a superior, easy to use 3d graphical user interface, that is capable of translating standard FEM meshes from commercial preprocessors (i.e. FEMAP, PATRAN, NASTRAN, ABAQUS, ANSYS, CATIA-cover) and augmenting them for PMC composite application. The Progressive Failure Analysis (PFA) employs a nodal or element based Finite Element Modules commercial packages such as: 1) MSC-NASTRAN, 2) ANSYS (partially utilized for solid element 45 and shell element 63), and 3) nodal based MARC Hot Structure (MHOST, developed by MaRC/NASA, and commercialized/upgraded by Alpha STAR). The computational time in MHOST solver t is reduced by employing Mindlin-Reisner layered shell, and layered solid elements that offer degrees of freedom that are up to 72 times less [2]. These elements are nodal based and offer modeling flexibility in transitioning, fillets, and ply drop offs by inputting different composite material properties at nodes instead of elements [2].

Adaptive Meshing - The GENOA adaptive meshing capability is a good example of a complicated numerical process that is quick and easy to implement. It automatically changes a simple mesh to a complex one at critical damage locations, zooming in on critical points to facilitate tracking crack initiation and growth. Cracks as small as 0.001-inch length have been successfully detected and tracked. Figure 3a shows an example of composite open-hole fatigue specimen and detection of crack initiation of 0.01 inch long. Figure 3b, and 3c show logarithmic sub-elements meshed during the crack propagation and the final failure.

Figure 3: Adaptive Mesh Refinement Options
Available in GENOA

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