User Defined Element |
 
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User Defined Element |
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Using this feature, you may redefine element properties (such as stiffness, mass, diameter and drag coefficients) by creating your own custom subroutine. You have access to a range of solution variables including nodal kinematic variables (displacements, velocities, accelerations) and elemental restoring forces (effective tension, bending moment, curvature, torque etc.). Equipped with this information it is then possible to directly change elemental properties while a simulation is in progress. The modified element parameters are passed back to Flexcom from this subroutine at the beginning of every solution step. Use of this feature requires some programming expertise, but it provides complete generality for power users to change elemental properties at any instant during the simulation. Some illustrative examples are provided to help upskill users and demonstrate the potential of this powerful modelling feature.
•*USER DEFINED ELEMENT provides advanced Flexcom users with the ability to define custom code for altering element properties.
The DLL subroutine interface is defined in the Subroutine Format section. If you would like to see an example of how this keyword is used in practice, refer to J01 - Dropped Object and Recovery, in particular, the recovery of the dropped object which uses a User Defined Element subroutine to redefine the buoyancy diameter of the lift balloon.