Data Manipulation
Two classes (ElementData, State) are provided for storing and manipulating data associated with the nodes and elements in the finite element model. The data may be either scalar, vector, tensor (symmetric tensor) or general tensor. Both real and complex valued data may be stored.
The ResultMetadata class manages metadata associated with result datasets or states.
The State class is designed to hold solution results at nodes, particles, element centroids or element nodes. It has been optimized to hold a complete set of results at an analysis step for each entity in the model such as a complete set of displacement vectors for each node or stress tensors for each element.
By contrast, the ElementData class is designed to complement the State class by providing a sparse storage mechanism for data based at element faces and edges. It has been optimized to hold quantities such as element distributed traction loads and line loads.
By convention, vector data is assumed to be ordered by (x,y,z) components, six dof vector data by (tx,ty,tz,rx,ry,rz) components, symmetric tensor data by (xx,yy,zz,xy,yz,zx) components, and general tensor data by (xx,xy,xz,yx,yy,yz,zx,zy,zz) components. Element result data is generally used for shell, beam and spring element forces, moments, strains and curvatures. Shell element stress results are ordered (Nxx,Nyy,Nxy,Mxx,Myy,Mxy,Qxz,Qyz), beam element stress results are ordered (Nxx,Myy,Mzz,Torque,Qxy,Qzx,TBimom) with a corresponding ordering for the associated strains and curvatures. Spring element stress results are ordered (Fx,Fy,Fz,Mx,My,Mz).
