Flexcom > New Features! > Flexcom 2022.1

Consistent with modern software trends, we have adopted a new version numbering system starting from this version. The major number now reflects the year of release, with minor and maintenance numbers having the same significance as previously.

Highlights include…

•Truss Element: The new Truss Element is designed specifically for modelling structures which have very low levels of structural bending stiffness (such as mooring chains) and is essentially a simplified version of the standard beam-column element employed by Flexcom. It has 3 translational degrees of freedom at each node, and deforms only in the axial direction (it does not deform in bending or torsion). As it does not solve for nodal rotations, the connection at each node is essentially a pure hinge. The axial force penalty term is retained making the truss element a 7-DOF hybrid finite element with two end nodes.

•Wind Field Generator: The Wind Field Generator app allows you to create wind data files which characterise the wind field as a function of space and time. It acts a user-friendly interface to the TurbSim software which does not have a Window-based GUI of its own. It allows you to run batches of TurbSim wind field simulations to generate all the wind data files required to support your design load cases.

•Flexcom Wind GUI: The architecture of Flexcom Wind, our dedicated wind turbine model building tool, has been updated. It now operates in a similar manner to our DeepRiser software, whereby a library of components can be built up over time, and you can pick and choose the components which you wish to include in any individual model. We hope to further expand the model building functionality, which is currently limited to semi-submersible platforms, in the next program release.

•Soil Modelling: Flexcom can now model T-z curves, which are analogous to the P-y modelling feature which has been available for some time. T-z curves represent the soil-structure resistance in the axial direction and are a useful addition for the analysis of top tensioned risers, which typically run through and below the mudline.

•Rotational Damper: A rotational damper element is now available, in addition to the traditional (translational) damper. It exerts a moment which is inversely proportional to the relative rotational velocity of its end nodes.

•Display of Element Convected Axes in Model View: You can now view the local convected axes for each element in the Model View. By way of background, Flexcom uses a convected coordinate axes technique for modelling finite rotations in three dimensions. Each element of the finite element discretisation has a convected axis system associated with it, which moves with the element as it displaces in space.

See the Flexcom 2022.1 Newsletter for full details on all these new features.