Code_Aster

Actors

Caroline Han-Ching — 2010-04-14T12:54:51Z

External partnerships and contributions around Code_Aster are not new.

Are you a developer or a user? Send us your logo - it will be displayed on this page.

They already use Code_Aster

This section aims at mentioning every organization and laboratory, insofar as their use of Code_Aster and/or their contributions were published (with their explicit authorization).

See also the communication about the Code_Aster Libre day and the distributors list.

See the document: Comparison between contact modelizations within the Aster and Abaqus EF codes (fr)

Academics

LaMSID - UMR EDF/CNRS	LAEGO - ENSG Nancy	Ecole Centrale Paris
LMT ENS Cachan	INSA de Lyon	Université d'Aix La Chapelle, Lab. Biomécanique
Ecole Centrale Nantes - R&DO

Industrials

Asterfem	Ingenieurbuero fuer Mechanik	Numerical Engineering & Consulting Services
NESYS Engineering	p.èn.lab	Tangent'delta
tortuetec	Toumbas Engineering

Independant validation

Thanks to EDF R&D funding several organizations participated to the Validation of previous Code_Aster versions.

Company	Validation field
CS-SI	Fracture mechanics (Jan 1997) Earthquake (Jul 1997)
CETIM	Linear thermo-elasticity (Jun 1997)
DeltaCAD	Contact-friction (2002) Shells (Apr 2001) with UTC-GSM Thermal (Apr 1997, Mar 2001)
Engineering Systems International (ESI)	Contact (Aug 1997)
Institut Aérotechnique (IAT)	Beam (May 2001)
Ecole des Mines de Douai	Aspic-Ascouf (Jun 2001)
Institut de Recherche en Construction Navale (IRCN)	Dynamic response (Mar 1997)
Samtech	Acoustics (Oct 1997) with LMS_NT Modal analysis (Apr 1998) Dynamic substructuring (Oct 1997)
Séchaud & Metz	Earthquake (Jul 1997)

Services

Caroline Han-Ching — 2010-04-22T15:57:47Z

Services for EDF units

EDF-R&D is the exclusive distributor of services for EDF. However EDF-R&D can always call for another distributor (see next paragraph) to provide these services.

The Emergence of Distributors

EDF-R&D offers services to EDF only. The free software model allows other companies to offer services around Code_Aster. A wide range of products will be offered: trainings, the code and particular tools (on a CD-Rom), installation on-site, development services, etc. The service supply regulations are stated in the license (see the Download section).

Distributors can apply to appear in the list below.

Distributors list

	Asterfem provides consulting services in technical engineering area about numerical simulation and mechanical design in english and in italian language; thanks to the modern communications and data exchange tools it is able to carry out its activity throughout Europe: Finite element analysis (FEM); Product development and optimization; Fluidodynamic analysis (CFD); Basic and advanced FEM courses; Basic and advanced Code-Aster, Salomé and Gmsh courses. Site : www.code-aster.it www.asterfem.com
	C-S offers services around de Code_Aster : Trainings, help, Maintenance of specific versions, Production of dedicated tools. Site : http://dps.c-s.fr/srchtml/aster/aster_accueil_fr.html
	DeltaCad offers services around de Code_Aster Trainings, installation, help, Production of dedicated tools, etc. Site : http://www.code-aster-services.com
	The Ingenieurbuero fuer Mechanik offers services in German, English and Italian language around Code_Aster : Consultancy Training, seminars, assistence Integration with other codes, python programming Simulations Site : www.code-aster.de
	Logilab specialized in Python and its scientific applications; it also offers services for : Integration, Developments, Trainings. Site : http://www.logilab.com
	NECS (Numerical Engineering & Consulting Services) Scientific computing company, specialized in Civil Engineering Technical expertise along with nonlinear computations and simulations in the civil engineering area, Training, help, installation, studies, developments on the Code_Aster platform, Transport of Code_Aster to the Windows platform, Production of engineering dedicated tools, Development of specific modulus (constitutive laws, finite elements, macro-commands, etc.), Creation of bridges linking Code_Aster and specific numerical platforms (integration, pre and post treatment, etc.), Scientific trainings : simulation techniques and theory. Note : You can download an executable for Windows PC users on their website. Site : http://www.necs.fr
	Nesys offers research services, as well as technical assistance and modelization advice. Especially : Production of the Femap-Code_Aster interface, Theoretical trainings and practices to modelize in Code_Aster. Site : http://www.nesys.fr/
	p.èn.lab consulting services are interesting the traditional field of Architecture/Engineering (2D/3D linear and non-linear analyses both in material and geometrical field) and make use of a combination of design and Finite Element Method techniques by means of Open Source code (Code Aster). Site : http://www.penlab.it/engineering/
	Tangent'delta offers services around Code_Aster : Trainings in structural dynamic and acoustic; Development of material and structure models ; Development of new functionalities (elements, constitutive laws, etc) ; Distribution of a converter of models from Nastran format (.bdf/.dat/.nas) to Code_Aster mesh format (.mail) and Code_Aster file command format (.comm). Site : http://www.tgdelta.com/
	tortuetec GmbH, Vienna, Austria: Tortuetec computers: Code Aster and Salome at the push of a button Modeling of structures and materials: material modeling, fatigue, friction and wear, fretting, cyclic plasticity, crystal plasticity, multiscale modeling Using Zebulon, Code Aster and Salome In french, english, russian and german Site : http://www.tortuetec.eu/

NEW Version

Caroline Han-Ching — 2010-04-23T08:10:44Z

Incremental Updates

It deals with the successive increments of the 10.x versions from the sources of the STA10.2 version. The incremental updates archives are available on the HISTOR web page.

Notice

these developments are new, this is what one might call an unstable branch!
sometimes a subversion cannot be used before the next corrective (see also prerequisites modifications at the bottom of this page),
the bases (computations results) cannot be reread from one week to another because data structures regularly change.

Why keep up with weekly versions?

to have your own developments ready to be integrated into the reference version,
to punctually recover a routine in order to rectify an anomaly, etc.

Advice

do not modify the installed STA 10.2 version (keep it as a reference),
see the README provided with the STA 10.2 sources to install this version as a NEW10 (change the ASTER_VERSION variable and the …/bibpyt/Accas/properties.py file if necessary),
astk contains an automatic update service for development versions.

How-tos

Note: in the commands below, replace [ASTER_ROOT] by Code_Aster's installation path, for instance /opt/aster.

start the automatic update :

[ASTER_ROOT]/ASTK/ASTK_SERV/bin/as_run --auto_update --nolocal

as_run will download updates from this website according to the information contained in the configuration file ([ASTER_ROOT]/ASTK/ASTK_SERV/conf/config), then it will implement them one by one, and rebuild Code_Aster. The —nolocal parameter can force an updates search on the website, even if the default mode is set to find files on the local machine.

During this operation, astk - which includes as_run - is automatically updated from the 1.6.5 version.

Required manual changes

version 10.2.x : The update to 10.2.13 fails. This will be corrected in the next update (to 10.2.14). A temporarly workaround is possible (read the forum).

version 10.1.x : from 10.1.24, Code_Aster needs the python module numpy in place of Numeric.

Numpy must be installed from the package provided in the system (usually named python-numpy) or from sources.

To build Code_Aster against numpy, you must tell from the numpy C include are. You must add in the config.txt file on a single line:


 INCL | numpy | 1.3.0 | -I/opt/aster/lib/python2.6/site-packages/numpy/core/include

Change using the correct path of your numpy installation.

NB : This shoud not be necessary if you installed numpy from your distribution packages (in this case, include files will be copied into a standard location, /usr/include for instance).

Then launch Code_Aster update (as_run —auto_update). If you already launched an update but it failed, just start a reconstruction with as_run —make.

version 10.0.x : from the 10.0.19 version, Code_Aster both uses Mumps libraries — smumps and cmumps — in addition to the double-precision versions previously used (dmumps et zmumps).

If you installed Mumps with the aster-full package, type:

cd [ASTER_ROOT]/public/mumps-4.7.3
 . [ASTER_ROOT]/aster_profile.sh
 . [ASTER_ROOT]/NEW10/profile.sh
 make simple cmplx

You must add these 2 libraries in the config.txt file. For instance, replace:

BIBL | mumps | 4.7.3 | -L[ASTER_ROOT]/public/mumps-4.7.3/lib -ldmumps -lzmumps -lpord
 -L[ASTER_ROOT]/public/mumps-4.7.3/libseq -lmpiseq

by :

BIBL | mumps | 4.7.3 | -L[ASTER_ROOT]/public/mumps-4.7.3/lib -ldmumps -lzmumps -lsmumps -lcmumps -lpord
 -L[ASTER_ROOT]/public/mumps-4.7.3/libseq -lmpiseq

Then launch a Code_Aster update (as_run —auto_update). If you already launched an update but it failed, just start a reconstruction with as_run —make.

Before the 1.8.0 version, as_run does not correctly delete fortran90 sources. To solve this problem, type:

cd [ASTER_ROOT]/NEW10
 rm bibf90/mumps/amumpr.*

version 9 : see the archives

version 8 : see the archives

Download updates

Studies examples

Josselin Delmas — 2008-09-02T17:36:12Z

We present here over a hundred examples of projects undertaken with Code_Aster:

(in french)

We present here over movies on a study of a pump made with Salome-Meca:

Pompe primaire

Links :

Salome-Meca

Josselin Delmas — 2010-07-27T11:57:44Z

Salome-Meca : integration platform for mechanical analysis

The Salome-Meca platform is a free software with integrated pre-processing (CAD and mesh), computational mechanics and post-processing facilities.

The non-linear finite element analysis software Code_Aster has been integrated as a complementary module in order to provide functionalities of numerical modeling easily accessible from the graphical interface of the platform. It is the integration of the Code_Aster services in the Salome platform.

Conversely, all the Salome services (CAD, meshing, post-processing) are accessible from the control language of Code_Aster based on the Python language. The Salome CAD and meshing services are also available inside Code_Aster in order to provide these facilities from inside the finite element software thanks to a powerfull Python-based scripting language. Thus, Code_Aster has complete functionalities of CAD. This can be considered as the integration of Salome capabilities into Code_Aster.

The integration of the Code_Aster services in the Salome platform:

facilitate the catch in hand of the Code_Aster:
- assistants of setting in data of current studies (linear elasticity, modal analyze , thermal), or complexes (chaining fluid-structure);
- launching of the Code_Aster tools by simple click (Eficas, ASTK, Stanley);
- creation of a calculation case by selection of a command file and a grid in Salome.
ensure the various coherency settings in data:
- selection in Eficas of a geometrical group or a mesh group since Salome to affect the boundary conditions and the loadings;
- automatic creation of the mesh group corresponding to the geometrical groups present in the command set;
- display in Salome of a mesh group specified in Eficas;
- export of files since Salome towards ASTK;
- conversely, export of files since ASTK towards Salome;
allows to carry out coupling of codes with the other integrated codes without Salome:
- coupling fluid-structure Code_Saturne—Code_Aster;
- magnetothermal chaining Carmel—Code_Aster.

Integration of the Salome services:

The integration of the Salome service allows to:

Make a complete study (CAO, grid, calculation, postprocessing) in a command set Code_Aster thanks to the pylotage module. Thus one can create self-supporting command files.
Use Salome as postprocessing tool by Stanley to post field visualizations and curves layouts, to replace gmsh and XMgrace.
Tool-trades exploiting Geom and Smesh (functionalities, language of high-level).

Tools

Josselin Delmas — 2008-09-02T17:36:23Z

There are two categories of tools:

The dedicated tools, which are tools specific to the exploitation, production and distribution of electricity. They use Code_Aster as a solver. Some examples are:
- MEKELEC: transformation posts and aerial lines analysis
- EVEREST: metallic frame and lattice pylon dimensioning.
- GEVIBUS: vibration under flow of steam generator tubes (contact : andre.adobes[at]edf.fr)
- CIRCUS: integrated tool for pipe-work analysis (contact: patrick.vaugrante[at]edf.fr)

The tools that can be used with Code_Aster are:
- EFICAS: Interactive command file editor (it can be downloaded from here)
- HOMARD: 2D/3D mesh adapting by refinement and coarsening (it can be downloaded from here)
- METIS: Automatic numbering of mesh nodes
- MISS3D: dynamic interaction between “ground-structure-fluid” (contact: georges-cc.devesa[at]edf.fr)
- MED: Modelling and data exchange between calculation codes; SALOME platform
- GIBI : meshing and 3D visualisation tool by CASTEM (Copyright CEA)
- GMSH: meshing and 3D visualisation tool (open source, under GNU GPL license)
- SALOME : Salome is a free software which provides a generic platform for Pre and Post-Processing for numerical simulation. It is based on an open and flexible architecture made of reusable components available as free softwares

NB: the contents of the websites provided above is given under the responsibility of their author.

Performances

Caroline Han-Ching — 2010-04-22T10:49:23Z

Presentation of the reference machine

The machine is composed of 7 Novascale 5160 nodes, each of them having 16 Intel Itanium II, 1.6 GHz processors with 128 Go of random access memory and 838 Go /tmp. It also has 2 more nodes dedicated to development, equipped with 4 CPU and a 32 Go RAM.

Linux 64 bits (ia64)
Type of processor	Intel Itanium 2
Frequency	1,6 GHz
Number of processors	16
Memory size	128 Go

List of performance tests

This page presents some of Code_Aster performances on use tests which are representative of its potential uses.

Name of the use test	Description
perf001	Elastic computation of a hollow ring subjected to internal pressure
perf002	Hollow snap hook subjected to internal subpressure: thermo-elastic computation
perf003	Square plate meshed in shell elements: modal computation
perf004	Hollow snap hook subjected to internal pressure: elastoplastic computation
perf005	Two half spheres meshed in volumic elements : elastic computation with contact
perf006	X-shaped plate: computation with dynamic substructuring
perf008	Elastic computation of a full diabolo subjected to a thermal loading
perf009	Elastic computation of a RIS pump subjected to internal pressure
perf010	Elastic computation of a diabolo - Parallel case
perf011	Elastic computation of a vessel subjected to a thermal loading

Elastic computation of a vessel subjected to a thermal loading

Nicolas Sellenet — 2010-07-21T12:50:05Z

In this example the computation of a elastic vessel subjected to a thermal loading is carried out.

Modelizations

Name of the use test	perf011
Code version	10
Type of analysis	Elastic computation
Material behaviour	Elastic
Geometric behaviour	Small displacements
Dominant type of mesh	Hexahedron

Results

Modelizations	A	B
Type of mesh	Quadratic	Quadratic
Number of ddl	864 574	864 574
Number of mesh	147 456	147 456
Memory used (Mo)	2 791	1 606
Total time (s)	3 163,75	1 147,65
MECA_STATIQUE time (s)	2 965,95	996,76
Number of processors	1	4
Type of parallelism	Séquentiel	MPI
Method	MUMPS	MUMPS

Back to the results page

Elastic parallel computation of a full diabolo subjected to a thermal loading

Caroline Han-Ching — 2010-04-22T11:33:34Z

In this example the computation of an elastic diabolo subjected to a sinusoidal thermal loading is carried out. This modelization is similar to perf008. Its goal is to present parallelism possiblities in Code_Aster.

Modelizations

Name of the use test	perf010
Code version	10
Type of analysis	Elastic computation
Material behaviour	Elastic
Geometric behaviour	Small displacements
Dominant type of mesh	Hexahedron

Results

Modelizations	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
Type of mesh	Linear	Linear	Linear	Linear	Linear	Linear	Linear	Linear
Number of ddl	499 203	499 203	499 203	499 203	499 203	499 203	499 203	499 203
Number of mesh	187 680	187 680	187 680	187 680	187 680	187 680	187 680	187 680
Memory used (Mo)	6 188	6 188	6 188	1 362	1 207	1 140	1 090	1 067
Total time (s)	1 620,12	959,73	676,19	1 550,53	988,49	680,37	637,11	582,07
MECA_STATIQUE time (s)	1 592,04	934,42	651,26	1 523,18	847,34	442,03	415,84	238,85
Number of processors	1	2	4	1	2	4	8	16
Type of parallelism	OpenMP	OpenMP	OpenMP	MPI	MPI	MPI	MPI	MPI
Method	MULT_FRONT	MULT_FRONT	MULT_FRONT	MUMPS	MUMPS	MUMPS	MUMPS	MUMPS

Parallel performances of the MECA_STATIQUE operator

With the MULT_FRONT solver

With the MUMPS solver

Back to the results page

Code_Aster and parallelism

Caroline Han-Ching — 2010-07-08T08:00:00Z

by O. Boiteau, T. de Soza, N. Sellenet and N. Tardieu, EDF R&D/AMA

In Code_Aster parallelism keeps improving. Today users can simply implement it via Astk. To do so it is necessary to choose the MPI version of Code_Aster, use the MUMPS solver (SOLVEUR=' MUMPS' in the command file) and show Astk the number of desired MPI processes (mpi_nbcpu). From there Code_Aster automatically generates a cyclic distribution of the mesh.

These basic options make two steps operate at the same time: elementary computations and assembly – which take the longest computation time, and resolutions of linear systems – which take the most important memory.

A more advanced use is possible, nevertheless it requires more parameterization.

Indeed it is possible to modify the default partitioning to obtain better performances. In order to do so we use the command MODI_MODELE which enables to choose between various distributions of mesh/processors: MAIL_CONTIGU (distribution per package of contiguous mesh), MAIL_DISPERSE (cyclic distribution by mesh), or SOUS_DOMAINE (distribution of the mesh via a partitioning computed beforehand by operator DEFI_PART_FETI).

Other options enable to reduce the computation's memory consumption. For instance we can decrease that intrinsic of Code_Aster via the key word SOLVER: it is possible to use MATR_DISTRIBUEE=' OUI'. Thus each MPI process will only build the matrix pieces corresponding to the packages of mesh for which it is responsible. In addition we can significantly decrease the memory peak of the linear system resolution (profit up to factor 6) by activating the out-of-core memory management of MUMPS solver (key word SOLVER, OUT_OF_CORE=' OUI').

Gains in memory thanks to MATR_DISTRIBUEE on the RIS Pump (800 000 d. o. f.) and Epicure (860 000 d. o. f.) studies according to the number of processes. On the graph we can see the consumption of the memory manager: JEVEUX_std (MATR_DISTRIBUEE=' NON'), JEVEUX_dist (MATR_DISTRIBUEE=' OUI') and the memory consumption of MUMPS solver in out-of-core.

In the same way, parallelism and its performances are followed week after week thanks to the addition of new use tests in the use test base (example: perf009, perf010 et perf011).

Usetest perf010 (499 203 ddl)	Epicure study: perf011 (860 000 ddl)

On these graphs, we can notice the contribution of parallelism used with its basic options. In the case of the Epicure study we note that we can gain up to a factor 10 on 32 processors.

For more information, please refer to documentations U2.08.06 'Notice d'utilisation du parallélisme', U1.03.03 'Indicateur de performance d'un calcul (temps/mémoire)' and U4.50.01 'Mot-clé SOLVEUR'.