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Unified Modeling

Solve structural mechanics, heat transfer, and electromagnetic problems with a unified workflow using a finite element analysis model

The unified finite element model workflow lets you solve structural, thermal, and electromagnetic problems and switch between the types of problems. This workflow uses an femodel object and its properties to define the type of problem and all its parameters. This model enables you to specify physical parameters for all three types of analyses, and uses the parameters appropriate for the current analysis type.

A typical unified modeling workflow includes these steps:

  • Create an femodel container while specifying the analysis type and the geometry for a model .

  • Mesh the geometry.

  • Specify physical parameters of the problem using familiar domain-specific terms.

  • Solve the problem to obtain results at nodal locations.

  • Optionally, interpolate results at arbitrary spatial locations.

  • Visualize results by using the Visualize PDE Results Live Editor task or the plotting functions available in Partial Differential Equation Toolbox™.

  • Switch the analysis type as needed to solve the new problem.

Functions

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generateMeshCreate triangular or tetrahedral mesh
solveSolve structural analysis, heat transfer, or electromagnetic analysis problem
triangulationCreate triangulation object from fegeometry (Since R2023b)
setupRadiationSpecify radiation parameters for surface-to-surface heat transfer (Since R2023b)
pdeplotPlot solution or mesh for 2-D problem
pdeplot3DPlot solution or surface mesh for 3-D problem
pdegplotPlot PDE geometry
pdemeshPlot PDE mesh
pdevizCreate and plot PDE visualization object (Since R2021a)
evaluateStressEvaluate stress for dynamic structural analysis problem
evaluateStrainEvaluate strain for dynamic structural analysis problem
evaluateVonMisesStressEvaluate von Mises stress for dynamic structural analysis problem
evaluateReactionEvaluate reaction forces on boundary
evaluatePrincipalStressEvaluate principal stress at nodal locations
evaluatePrincipalStrainEvaluate principal strain at nodal locations
filterByIndexAccess transient results for specified time steps (Since R2023b)
interpolateDisplacementInterpolate displacement at arbitrary spatial locations
interpolateVelocityInterpolate velocity at arbitrary spatial locations for all time or frequency steps for dynamic structural model
interpolateAccelerationInterpolate acceleration at arbitrary spatial locations for all time or frequency steps for dynamic structural model
interpolateStressInterpolate stress at arbitrary spatial locations
interpolateStrainInterpolate strain at arbitrary spatial locations
interpolateVonMisesStressInterpolate von Mises stress at arbitrary spatial locations
interpolateTemperatureInterpolate temperature in thermal result at arbitrary spatial locations
evaluateTemperatureGradientEvaluate temperature gradient of thermal solution at arbitrary spatial locations
evaluateHeatFluxEvaluate heat flux of thermal solution at nodal or arbitrary spatial locations
evaluateHeatRateEvaluate integrated heat flow rate normal to specified boundary
filterByIndexAccess transient results for specified time steps (Since R2023b)
interpolateElectricPotentialInterpolate electric potential in electrostatic or DC conduction result at arbitrary spatial locations (Since R2021a)
interpolateElectricFieldInterpolate electric field in electrostatic or DC conduction result at arbitrary spatial locations (Since R2021a)
interpolateElectricFluxInterpolate electric flux density in electrostatic result at arbitrary spatial locations (Since R2021a)
interpolateMagneticPotentialInterpolate magnetic potential in magnetostatic result at arbitrary spatial locations (Since R2021a)
interpolateMagneticFieldInterpolate magnetic field in magnetostatic result at arbitrary spatial locations (Since R2021a)
interpolateMagneticFluxInterpolate magnetic flux density in magnetostatic result at arbitrary spatial locations (Since R2021a)
interpolateHarmonicFieldInterpolate electric or magnetic field in harmonic result at arbitrary spatial locations (Since R2022a)
interpolateCurrentDensityInterpolate current density in DC conduction result at arbitrary spatial locations (Since R2022b)

Live Editor Tasks

Visualize PDE ResultsCreate and explore visualizations of PDE results in the Live Editor (Since R2022b)

Objects

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femodelFinite element analysis model object (Since R2023a)
fegeometryGeometry object for finite element analysis (Since R2023a)
materialPropertiesMaterial properties for structural, thermal, and electromagnetic analysis (Since R2023a)
edgeBCBoundary conditions on geometry edge (Since R2023a)
faceBCBoundary conditions on geometry face (Since R2023a)
vertexBCBoundary conditions on geometry vertex (Since R2023a)
farFieldBCAbsorbing boundary condition for harmonic electromagnetic analysis (Since R2023a)
cellLoadLoad on geometry cell (Since R2023a)
faceLoadLoad on geometry face (Since R2023a)
edgeLoadLoad on geometry edge (Since R2023a)
vertexLoadLoad on geometry vertex (Since R2023a)
surfaceToSurfaceSettingsSettings for modeling thermal radiation between surfaces (Since R2023b)
cellICInitial conditions on geometry cell (Since R2023a)
faceICInitial conditions on geometry face (Since R2023a)
edgeICInitial conditions on geometry edge (Since R2023a)
vertexICInitial conditions on geometry vertex (Since R2023a)
StaticStructuralResultsStatic structural solution and derived quantities
TransientStructuralResultsTransient structural solution and derived quantities
ModalStructuralResultsModal structural solution
FrequencyStructuralResultsFrequency response structural solution and derived quantities (Since R2019b)
SteadyStateThermalResultsSteady-state thermal solution and derived quantities
TransientThermalResultsTransient thermal solution and derived quantities
ModalThermalResults Modal thermal solution (Since R2022a)
ElectrostaticResultsElectrostatic solution and derived quantities (Since R2021a)
MagnetostaticResultsMagnetostatic solution and derived quantities (Since R2021a)
HarmonicResultsHarmonic electromagnetic solution (Since R2022a)
ConductionResultsDC conduction solution (Since R2022b)

Properties

PDESolverOptions PropertiesAlgorithm options for solvers
PDEVisualization PropertiesPDE visualization of mesh and nodal results (Since R2021a)

Topics