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
  3. 2.2 Setting up a Structural Analysis

2.2.1 Define the Model Elements

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Last updated 10 months ago

In Karamba3D, straight lines form the basis for beam, truss, and spring elements, while shells and slabs are based on meshes. Figure 2.2.1.1 illustrates a definition that creates a single beam, assembles a model, and displays it. The “Create Linear Element” component, in its LineToBeam variant, takes a “Line” object as input and generates a beam element from it. By default, Karamba3D assumes all geometry input is in meters, disregarding the unit settings chosen in Rhino.

Assigning names to elements is beneficial when working with large, complex structures. In Figure 2.2.1.1, the name “MyBeam” is assigned to the new beam element. For grouping elements, it can be useful to give them multiple names at once. This can be achieved by separating the alternative names with "|" which stands for "or".

Element identifiers do not need to be unique, allowing for the grouping of elements.

The “Assemble” component consolidates all structural information into a model. When connected to a panel, the model displays its basic features: “c.Length” represents the characteristic length, calculated as the diagonal of the bounding box of the structure. For a beam, two nodes define one element. In the absence of material definitions, Karamba3D automatically generates a default material, applied to the default beam and shell cross-section, resulting in two cross-sections as shown in Figure 2.2.1.1. The model does not contain loads but includes a default load-case.

A load-case represents a scenario where a group of external actions simultaneously impact a model. For instance, wind can affect a structure from multiple directions, but not all directions at once. Each distinct wind direction is treated as a separate load-case.

Fig. 2.2.1.1: A structural model with geometry only