Capabilities

CalculiX Extras builds on the CalculiX code base

• It extends CalculiX to write results into ExodusII format. Post processing can be accomplished with several readers. A recommended post processor is Paraview.
• It adds CUDA based solvers (obsolete).
  • Please note the solver extras were research level code which used early libraries interfacing CUDA GPU capabilities. Those libraries have been superseeded by more modern solver technology. Without support, there has been no justification for maintaining these solver extensions. Hence, the solver extras may work, but must be used with due diligence.
  • Currently, the solvers can be called for static analysis in mechanical models in CalculiX.
    • Cuda-Cusp
      • (Outstanding performance for appropriate models.)
    • SuiteSparse Cholmod
      • (Modest performance at last testing in ccx version 2.11. However, since then CUDA has been added to Cholmod and it has not been subsequently testing with CalculiX Extras)
• See PastiX4CalculiX for the current most promising enhancements for solvers callable by CalculiX.

Build Instructions

1. Clone this repository
   • The main branch is the as-distributed CalculiX code.
   • Most people will want to checkout the exodus branch or one of the distribution specific branches (opensuse, ubuntu)
2. These instructions are limited. They assume you are able to build CalculiX from source.
   • The code contains a detailed Makefile which can be modified for the local environment.
   • The distribution specific branches contain automated scripts for building in that distribution's environment.
3. Send bug reports to peter.gustafson@wmich.edu

Usage

Exodus

• ExodusII output format is called on job execution using the command line.

ccx -i jobname -o exo

• Open the .exo file with Paraview.

Solvers (Obsolete)

• The solvers can be called using the *static keyword:

*static, solver=cudacusp
*static, solver=cholmod

Solver benchmarking (Obsolete)

A rigorous round of benchmarking has been completed. If you are unable to download the paper, please contact me.

Known Bugs and Functional Deficits

Exodus

• There are known limitations for output requests with ExodusII
  • Several output requests to ExodusII format are untested.
  • It is not currently possible to change output requests between steps. This is due to a limitation in the exodus format.
  • Node sets are partially implemented but element sets are not implemented

Solvers (Obsolete)

• The solvers have primarily been applied to static solid mechanics models.
• The solvers have have not been actively tested since version 2.11.

Developing for CalculiX

• Doxygen was used to generate documentation which may help with development for CalculiX. The documentation is here. Note also the user documentation for ccx and cgx

Acknowledgments

• Guido Dhondt and Klaus Wittig for their excellent open source finite element contribution.
• The National Science Foundation (for hardware grants which supported this work)
• Western Michigan University and my students