Karamba3D v3
  • Welcome to Karamba3D
  • New in Karamba3D 3.1
  • See Scripting Guide
  • See Manual 2.2.0
  • 1 Introduction
    • 1.1 Installation
    • 1.2 Licenses
      • 1.2.1 Cloud Licenses
      • 1.2.2 Network Licenses
      • 1.2.3 Temporary Licenses
      • 1.2.4 Standalone Licenses
  • 2 Getting Started
    • 2 Getting Started
      • 2.1 Karamba3D Entities
      • 2.2 Setting up a Structural Analysis
        • 2.2.1 Define the Model Elements
        • 2.2.2 View the Model
        • 2.2.3 Add Supports
        • 2.2.4 Define Loads
        • 2.2.5 Choose an Algorithm
        • 2.2.6 Provide Cross Sections
        • 2.2.7 Specify Materials
        • 2.2.8 Retrieve Results
      • 2.3 The Karamba3D Menu
      • 2.4 User Settings
      • 2.5 Physical Units
      • 2.6 Asynchronous Execution of Karamba3D Components
      • 2.7 Quick Component Reference
  • 3 In Depth Component Reference
    • 3.0 Settings
      • 3.0.1 License
    • 3.1 Model
      • 3.1.1 Assemble Model
      • 3.1.2 Disassemble Model
      • 3.1.3: Modify Model
      • 3.1.4: Connected Parts
      • 3.1.5: Activate Element
      • 3.1.6 Create Linear Element
        • 3.1.6.1 Line to Beam
        • 3.1.6.2 Line to Truss
        • 3.1.6.3 Connectivity to Beam
        • 3.1.6.4: Index to Beam
      • 3.1.7 Create Surface Element
        • 3.1.7.1: Mesh to Shell
        • 3.1.7.2: Mesh to Membrane
      • 3.1.8: Modify Element
      • 3.1.9: Point-Mass
      • 3.1.10: Disassemble Element
      • 3.1.11: Make Element-Set
      • 3.1.12: Orientate Element
      • 3.1.13: Dispatch Elements
      • 3.1.14: Select Elements
      • 3.1.15: Support
    • 3.2: Load
      • 3.2.1: General Loads
      • 3.2.2: Beam Loads
      • 3.2.3: Disassemble Mesh Load
      • 3.2.4 Load-Case-Combinations
        • 3.2.5.1 Load-Case-Combinator
        • 3.2.5.2 Disassemble Load-Case-Combinaton
        • 3.2.5.3 Load-Case-Combination Settings
    • 3.3: Cross Section
      • 3.3.1: Beam Cross Sections
      • 3.3.2: Shell Cross Sections
      • 3.3.3: Spring Cross Sections
      • 3.3.4: Disassemble Cross Section
      • 3.3.5: Eccentricity on Beam and Cross Section
      • 3.3.6: Modify Cross Section
      • 3.3.7: Cross Section Range Selector
      • 3.3.8: Cross Section Selector
      • 3.3.9: Cross Section Matcher
      • 3.3.10: Generate Cross Section Table
      • 3.3.11: Read Cross Section Table from File
    • 3.4: Joint
      • 3.4.1: Beam-Joints
      • 3.4.2: Beam-Joint Agent
      • 3.4.3: Line-Joint
    • 3.5: Material
      • 3.5.1: Material Properties
      • 3.5.2: Material Selection
      • 3.5.3: Read Material Table from File
      • 3.5.4: Disassemble Material
    • 3.6: Algorithms
      • 3.6.1: Analyze
      • 3.6.2: AnalyzeThII
      • 3.6.3: Analyze Nonlinear WIP
      • 3.6.4: Large Deformation Analysis
      • 3.6.5: Buckling Modes
      • 3.6.6: Eigen Modes
      • 3.6.7: Natural Vibrations
      • 3.6.8: Optimize Cross Section
      • 3.6.9: BESO for Beams
      • 3.6.10: BESO for Shells
      • 3.6.11: Optimize Reinforcement
      • 3.6.12: Tension/Compression Eliminator
    • 3.7 Results
      • 3.7.1 General Results
        • 3.7.1.1 ModelView
        • 3.7.1.2 Result Selector
        • 3.7.1.3 Deformation-Energy
        • 3.7.1.4 Element Query
        • 3.7.1.5 Nodal Displacements
        • 3.7.1.6 Principal Strains Approximation
        • 3.7.1.7 Reaction Forces
        • 3.7.1.8 Utilization of Elements
        • 3.7.1.9 ReactionView
      • 3.7.2 Results on Beams
        • 3.7.2.1 BeamView
        • 3.7.2.2 Beam Displacements
        • 3.7.2.3 Beam Forces
        • 3.7.2.4 Node Forces
      • 3.7.3 Results on Shells
        • 3.7.3.1 ShellView
        • 3.7.3.2 Line Results on Shells
        • 3.7.3.3 Result Vectors on Shells
        • 3.7.3.4 Shell Forces
        • 3.7.3.5 Shell Sections
    • 3.8 Export
      • 3.8.1 Export Model to DStV
      • 3.8.2 Json/Bson Export and Import
      • 3.8.3 Export Model to SAF
      • 3.8.4 Export/Import Model to and from Speckle (WIP)
    • 3.9 Utilities
      • 3.9.1: Mesh Breps
      • 3.9.2: Closest Points
      • 3.9.3: Closest Points Multi-dimensional
      • 3.9.4: Cull Curves
      • 3.9.5: Detect Collisions
      • 3.9.6: Get Cells from Lines
      • 3.9.7: Line-Line Intersection
      • 3.9.8: Principal States Transformation
      • 3.9.9: Remove Duplicate Lines
      • 3.9.10: Remove Duplicate Points
      • 3.9.11: Simplify Model
      • 3.9.12: Element Felting
      • 3.9.13: Mapper
      • 3.9.14: Interpolate Shape
      • 3.9.15: Connecting Beams with Stitches
      • 3.9.16: User Iso-Lines and Stream-Lines
      • 3.9.17: Cross Section Properties
      • 3.9.18 Surface To Truss
    • 3.10 Parametric UI
      • 3.10.1: View-Components
      • 3.10.2: Rendered View
  • Troubleshooting
    • 4.1: Miscellaneous Questions and Problems
      • 4.1.0: FAQ
      • 4.1.1: Installation Issues
      • 4.1.2: Purchases
      • 4.1.3: Licensing
      • 4.1.4: Runtime Errors
      • 4.1.5: Definitions and Components
      • 4.1.6: Default Program Settings
    • 4.2: Support
  • Appendix
    • A.1: Release Notes
      • Work in Progress Versions
      • Older Versions
      • Version 2.2.0
      • Version 2.2.0 WIP
      • Version 1.3.3
      • Version 1.3.2 build 190919
      • Version 1.3.2 build 190731
      • Version 1.3.2 build 190709
      • Version 1.3.2
    • A.2: Background information
      • A.2.1: Basic Properties of Materials
      • A.2.2: Additional Information on Loads
      • A.2.3: Tips for Designing Statically Feasible Structures
      • A.2.4: Performance Optimization in Karamba3D
      • A.2.5: Natural Vibrations, Eigen Modes and Buckling
      • A.2.6: Approach Used for Cross Section Optimization
    • A.3: Workflow Examples
    • A.4: Bibliography
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  1. 2 Getting Started
  2. 2 Getting Started

2.5 Physical Units

Previous2.4 User SettingsNext2.6 Asynchronous Execution of Karamba3D Components

Last updated 9 months ago

Karamba3D utilizes two sets of physical units:

  • Internal Calculation and Geometry Input: Units used for internal calculations and reading geometry.

  • Component Input and Output: Units used for the input and output of Karamba3D components.

These units can be set independently of each other. Changing units via the Karamba3D menu necessitates a recompute of the definition for the updated units-settings to take effect.

Upon installation via the msi-installer, users can specify the family of physical units for input and results. The default option is metric (e.g., meters, centimeters, degrees Celsius, Newtons), but Karamba3D also supports Imperial units (e.g., feet, inches, degrees Fahrenheit, kilopounds).

The units can be changed anytime via the Grasshopper/Karamba3D menu or by editing the “karamba.ini” file (see section )

Depending on the selected unit family, Karamba3D interprets geometric input as meters or feet by default. The expected physical units for components are displayed in the tooltip that appears when hovering over an input plug.

Karamba3D includes databases for predefined cross-sections and materials, with properties specified in SI units. This also applies to physical constants (e.g., "gravity") defined in the “karamba.ini” file.

Throughout this manual, SI units will be used exclusively for consistency. Any specific differences between using Karamba3D with Imperial and SI units will be mentioned as necessary.

Non-default Physical Units

For very small or very large models, default physical units may be impractical. The "karamba.ini" file contains parameters to change the basic physical units used for internal calculations and geometry input from Rhino: "UnitLength", "UnitForce", and "UnitMass" (see Fig. 2.4.1). Possible values for these unit identifiers are listed as comments in the "karamba.ini" file. All input and output values will be converted to and from these units. Units can be mixed, but avoid using both Imperial and SI units simultaneously.

When base units are set to "auto" or "default," the unit system determines the default values.

The basic physical units are for internal bookkeeping and geometry input from Rhino. To change the physical units for input and output, use the "CustomUnits" parameter in "karamba.ini" (see Fig. 2.4.2). This parameter expects a list of comma-separated terms in the format "'original unit'>'custom unit'". If an empty list is provided, the default units apply. These new units apply to all Karamba3D components, and you are free to mix SI and Imperial units as needed.

2.3
Fig. 2.4.1: Snippet of the "karamba.ini" file showing basic physical unit settings.
Fig. 2.4.2: Definition of custom physical units for input and ouput.