Lecture 9

Restarting
14.5 Release

ANSYS LS-DYNA
in Mechanical APDL
2012 ANSYS, Inc. February 5, 2013 1 Release 14.5
 Objectives
This lecture concerns Restarting. The three types of restart analyses in ANSYS LS-
DYNA are discussed: simple, small, and full restarts.

Topics:
A. Restarting Definition
B. Types of Restarts
C. Performing a Simple Restart
D. Performing a Small Restart
E. Performing a Full Restart
F. Using EDSTART in a New Analysis
G. Restarting Workshop

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 A. Restarting Definition
Restarting means performing an analysis which continues from a previous
analysis. A restart can begin from either the conclusion of or the middle of a
prior analysis.
Possible Reasons for Performing A Restart
The previous analysis was killed by the operating system or the user
(sw1)
The previous analysis exceeded the user defined CPU limit.
There was an error in the previous analysis and a restart is used to
diagnose and/or correct the error.
The previous analysis was not run to a long enough termination time.

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 B. Types of Restarts
A simple restart is one for which the original database (Jobname.DB) has not
been altered in the new analysis. A simple restart is performed when the LS-
DYNA solution was prematurely interrupted by the exceeding of a user defined
CPU limit or by the issuing of the sense switch control sw1.
A small restart is used to run an analysis to a longer termination time than
initially specified and/or to make minor modifications to the model. The
following commands can be used in a small restart.
EDRC - Specifies rigid/deformable switch controls
EDRD - Switches parts from deformable to rigid & back
EDRI - Define inertia props. for new rigid body from EDRD
EDTERM - Specifies various termination criteria
EDDUMP - Specifies output frequency for D3DUMP file
EDSP - Small penetration checking for contact entities
EDDC and EDVEL commands (previously discussed).

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 ... Types of Restarts
A full restart supports most new analysis commands:
Portions of the model may be added or removed
Additional materials and loading changes are permitted
Jobname automatically changed to Jobname_nn (nn=01, ) to prevent
overwriting old data when new results files are created

There are some restrictions for full restarts, including:

Contact specifications and initial velocities cannot be changed
Adaptive meshing is not supported, even if present in 1st run

There are some new features for full restarts, including the EDIS command, which
specifies stress initialization
Deformed nodal positions and stresses/strains from a previous analysis are
carried forward into a full restart analysis

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 C. Performing a Simple Restart
The EDSTART command specifies the status of a restart in an explicit analysis.
The menu path for the EDSTART command is:
Solution > Analysis Options > Restart Option ...

There are two specifications required during a Simple Restart

1. Choose Simple Restart from the Restart Option Pull-Down Box
2. Specify the file name for the dump file to be used during the restart. The number
of dump files is dependent upon the EDDUMP command. The default dump files
created by the LS-DYNA program are d3dumpnn, where nn=01,02...99

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 ... Performing a Simple Restart

During a simple restart, prior values for the words of requested memory
and binary file scale factor should be used.

After issuing a simple restart, immediately issue the SOLVE command as

no changes are allowed to the database in a simple restart.

Upon issuing the SOLVE command, the analysis will be continued from
the specified d3dumpnn file and all results will be appended to the
results files Jobname.HIS and Jobname.RST.

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 D. Performing a Small Restart
There are four steps required to perform a small restart:
1. Choose Small Restart from the Restart Option Pull-Down Box
2. Specify the file name for the dump file to be used during the restart.
The default dump file is d3dumpnn, where nn=01,02...99

3. Change the termination time with the TIME command.

4. Make other minor modifications to the model such as changing bodies from
rigid to deformable. The following slides describe the available restart
commands.
Note: As with a simple restart, prior values for the requested words of memory and
binary size scale factor should be used.

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 ... Performing a Small Restart
The EDRD command allows switching between rigid and deformable bodies:
Solution > Rigid-Deformable > Switch

Select the desired action: Initialize,

Deform to Rigid, Rigid to Deform, or List
Specify the Part Number to be switched
Specify the master rigid body number
(only when switching from deformable
to rigid).

The ability to switch a part from deformable to rigid and back to deformable
enables longer duration analyses to be performed.

By switching the parts to rigid while in the air during a drop test, the CPU time
can be greatly reduced. Proximity to the ground (i.e., a coordinate location),
initiation of contact, etc. can be used to trigger termination of the run. A
restart can then be performed in which the rigid body is converted back into a
deformable body for the rest of the transient.

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 ... Performing a Small Restart
The EDRC command controls parameters used in switching between rigid and
deformable bodies:
Solution > Rigid-Deformable > Controls

Select the desired action: Add, Delete, or List

Welds and nodal constraints can be Activated or Deactivated
The maximum time step size can be specified after switching.

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 ... Performing a Small Restart
The EDRI command allows specification of rigid body properties after switching
from a deformable body:
Solution > Rigid-Deformable > Inertia Property

Select the desired action: Add,

Delete, or List
Specify the part number for the
rigid body.
Specify the rigid body properties:
1) Center of Mass
2) Total mass
3) Moments of Inertia

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 ... Performing a Small Restart
The EDDC and EDSP commands allow specification of contact properties for a
restart analysis:
Preprocessor > LS-DYNA Options > Activate/Deactivate Entity

Select the type of contact to activate or

deactivate
Specify the contact and target
components for contact type
Preprocessor > LS-DYNA > Options >
Advanced Control

Select an action Add, delete or list

Specify the contact ID range (from
EDCLIST) and increment for small
penetration checks to be performed.

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 ... Performing a Small Restart
The EDDUMP command specifies the output interval for the D3DUMP file in a
restart analysis:
Solution > Output Controls > Number of Steps

Specify the number of output steps for the restart output interval

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 ... Performing a Small Restart
The EDTERM command specifies termination criteria for an explicit dynamic
analysis:
Solution > Analysis Options > Criteria to Stop

Analysis can be terminated when a

selected node or rigid part reaches
a specified location (global
coordinate) or makes contact
Termination information can also
be listed

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 ... Performing a Small Restart

The model size in a restart can also be reduced by deleting elements (EDELE) or
unselecting parts (ESEL,U,PART).
Loading curves may not be extended in a small restart. Therefore, it is suggested
that original load definitions be extended past the original termination time in
anticipation that a small restart may be needed.
Upon issuing the SOLVE command, the analysis will be continued and all results
will be appended to the results files Jobname.HIS and Jobname.RST.
Additional results from a small restart will be shown in loadstep 2 of
Jobname.RST.

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 E. Performing a Full Restart
The steps in doing a full restart are explained in detail in the ANSYS LS-DYNA
Users Guide. Essentially, a full restart is a new analysis starting from an
initialized state. New data may be entered into the model, including nodes,
elements, material data, and loading.
After issuing the EDSTART,3 command, the jobname is automatically changed to
Jobname_01 to avoid overwriting any previous results or database. The jobname
is incremented by 1 for each new full restart. Most ANSYS LS-DYNA features
can then used as before.
The EDIS command specifies which Parts are to be initialized. Data taken from
the restart dump file (specified via the EDSTART command) is used to pre-stress
these Parts.
Consult the Commands Reference for additional details.

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 F. Using EDSTART in a New Analysis
In addition to being used for a restart, the EDSTART command can be used in a
new analysis for:
Changing the memory size to be used.
Changing the scale factor for binary files.
For both of these options:
1. Specify New Analysis from the Restart Option pull down menu
2. Enter the memory size to be used (in words) for the new analysis
3. Enter the scale factor for binary file sizes (Default is 7).

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 ... Using EDSTART in a New Analysis

For a new analysis, you do not need to use the EDSTART command
unless the memory and the file scale factor options need to be changed.
In a new analysis, do not specify the dump file so that the default
d3dump01 file will be created.

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 G. Restarting Workshop
This workshop consists of the following problem:
WS09. Small Restart Analysis
Please refer to your Workshop Supplement for instructions.

Rigid Wall

Soft Metal

Rubber

Stiff Wall

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