A Grasshopper Plugin for Finite Element Analysis with Solid Elements and Its Application on Gridshell Nodes

Abstract

Linking architectural models to structural analyses can be demanding and time-consuming, especially when the architectural models cannot be accurately analysed using readily available one- or two-dimensional finite elements. This paper presents a tool for finite element analysis using solid elements developed as a plugin for Grasshopper 3D® that enables designers to include analyses of complex objects within the same software as the design exploration. A benchmark using the tool on a cantilever beam is compared with both ANSYS® and the theoretical solution, before the versatility of the tool is demonstrated by analyzing the metal part in timber gridshell nodes. The results were satisfying and the tool can prove especially useful for early phase design and collaboration between diciplines.

Keywords

• FEA
• Grasshopper 3D
• Solid FEM
• volumetric analysis
• gridshell
• reticulated shell