GeniE version 5.3:

The main focus of this release has been to ease the work to do beam deflection reporting and to model complex surfaces. Another main reason for the release has also been to allow for import of old frame models and results to do result presentation and code checking in GeniE. Finally, we have made the code checking more flexible and not strictly following the most conservative interpretations as given by the various statutory regulations.

Beam deflection reporting is a requirement by e.g. the AISC code of practice. The new functionality related to beam deflection reporting significantly reduces the engineers’ amount of work since we use cubic interpolation together with the effect of local loads and compare the deflection with AISC pre-defined thresholds (typically a 180, 240 or 360 classified member). Furthermore, it is possible to do scanning operations meaning that GeniE automatically will make an envelope listing the maximum and minimum result over all load cases (or selected load cases). The picture to the rights shows an example of a member that is passing the 180 and
240 criteria, but not the 360 threshold.

GeniE has been used for quite a while to model complex surfaces. Based on the feedback from users we have included new modelling capabilities that will speed up modelling – in some cases 3-5 user operations before is now replaced by 1 user operation. The new features include a much more powerful copy or move operation as a vector can be used directly together with a length specification. Furthermore, the ability to do both scaling and offsetting will help both quick modelling as well as better ways of controlling the mesh in critical parts. The most important functionalities are however a flat-region plate creation tool and an advanced cut-plane option. The new cut-plane option now includes a plane definition based on a point and a vector in addition to point and directions along global co-ordinate axis. The flat-region tool allows the user to easily insert plates between any surrounding structure like e.g. web-frames in a vessel. The example below shows the cut-plane inserted at a random position and the plates are inserted simply by graphic clicking. This used to be several user operations before, while it now is a matter of how many plates need to be inserted.

The creation of the finite element model (or analysis model) is fast for almost most of the cases. We have observed that in cases with large models it has taken to long time to recreate a new analysis model when the user has done minor changes like modifying section or material properties or even load intensities. The new mesh module in GeniE will detect if such minor changes have been performed and will only regenerate the modified parts of an analysis model. In other words, the meshing operation is greatly reduced – up to 80-90% of the time depending on complexity of model and how many minor changes have been done. The settings for re-generation of the mesh are controlled from the activity monitor.

There are many existing structural reanalysis systems (SRS) based on previous generation of Sesam. To ease the upgrade to the present version of Sesam, GeniE can now import a finite element model (frame models) and keep the numbering system. This means that it is possible to import the model and use it in GeniE to create either a model for super element analysis or to do a direct analysis where the finite element numbering system is identical to the original base model. It is even possible to do minor modifications to the model like changing beam section and material properties, beam eccentricities and plate thicknesses. Furthermore, it is also possible to import a result file meaning that the results from a super element analysis, a merge operation or even an old result file for a SRS can be imported into GeniE. GeniE also handles the import of a result file that has been converted from frequency domain (i.e. real and imaginary load cases) to deterministic domain (real load cases only). The obvious benefit is that results from complex or older analyses can be used as basis for result processing like beam deflection reporting and code checking of beams and plates using updated code check revisions. The pictures show results from a wave load analysis (frequency domain results in Xtract) and a typical deflection report of a beam in GeniE (the results have been converted to time domain prior to import in GeniE) scanning more than 250 load cases.

The code checking in GeniE has been available for quite some time and we have learnt from user experiences that they want first of all to have more flexibility as compared to the most conservative interpretations of the standards, but also to do screening studies by running a larger number of load cases. This version of GeniE includes more flexibility whereby the user can decide options for using:

• Maximum or local buckling moments (relevant for compression buckling of members)
• Exclude torsion effects when computing vonMises stresses (AISC)
• Include plastic moment of inertia in formulae 6.2 (Eurocode)
• Compute code check forces when needed and store the worst code check results only. This option will allow code checking of many more load cases

In addition to the major enhancements as described above there are many minor, but useful improvements that will help engineers do their jobs faster. They are all listed in the release notes part of the installation and some of the examples are:

• Import of soil data (import a so-called Gensod file). This will reduce the amount of manual input and make the model less prone to user input errors
• Design wave load condition for minimum base shear or overturning moment (in addition to maximum base shear). In other words – it is now possible to determine the range between maximum and minimum values
• A wave load analysis can now be run with up to 60.000 beams and shells in addition. This means that wave load analysis can be carried out with ease for jackets where a joint(s) has been modelled with shells for the purpose to carry out a stress analysis (requires Wajac version 6.2-01 or later)
• Position of hinges when eccentric beams. This will give more accurate results since the position of the hinge can be at the end of the flexible member (requires Sestra version 8.4-04 or later)
• Explore the current workspace directly from GeniE instead of the need to open it in Windows Explorer
• The time to compute applied loads for compartments has been significantly improved. For a large (e.g. VLCC) 3 cargo hold model the time is reduced by an order of magnitude.
  
  

GeniE version 5.2-04 includes:

• Documentation:
  - User Manual Volume 1 and 3 are updated
  - New training document : Enhancements to Pile Soil modelling - you find this document from GeniE Help Pages under "training Documents"
  - Tutorials: A new example has been added - "B10 Member and Plate code checks" and examples B1-B5 and A1-A3, A5 and A7 have been updated
• Soil data – manual definition of P-Y / T-Z / Q-Z curves
• Splice control data extension
• Soil data - linearly varying skin friction
• Prompt for superelement numbers when Analysis Type "Pile Soil" is selected
• Option for creating "Eccentric hinges" on FEM file, i.e. all hinges are applied at end of flexible part of beam instead of at nodes. This features requires Sestra 8.4-03 or later (this version is now under acceptance testing)
• Save Report - Implemented load sum queries for compartment loads (applied and conceptual), isolating these from equipment loads and manually defined explicit loads
• SACS import : GRUP cards are translated to sets
• GeniE.lite license check is implemented
• Option for setting SESTRA 32bit or 64bit location in the External Applications registry. This is to avoid use of SESAM.INI for GeniE.lite and allow for use of SESTRA 64bit from GeniE

For installation, you need to install the new GeniE version from our download site. Please note the following:

• GeniE will by default be installed to a program version number dependent folder. The user must update any links to GeniE (e.g. in Brix Explorer for Sesam, Sesam Manager or Nauticus Hull) to point to the appropriate GeniE version.
• If you are installing to the same location as a previous installation of GeniE, we strongly recommend manually uninstalling the previous version and validating that all files have been removed prior to installing a different version.
• In case you want to recreate old projects in the new GeniE version, you can do so by importing journal files or XML files. See the User Manual Vol. 3 (Chapter 9) for which method to use.

For more details, please see the release notes.

These downloads are available to users with a valid maintenance contract. You need a username and a password to get access. Contact us for such information.

• GeniE 2010 Download
• GeniE Release Note

The new features in GeniE version 5.1-11 are particulary related to code checking of plates (DNV RP C201.2 or PULS), re-use of data as defined in DVN rule check of tankers to create a 3 cargo hold model, improved finite element meshing capabilities and better support for modelling of very large modesl using 64bit technology, and it focuses:

• In relation to support strength assessment of 3 Cargo Hold Models according to the CSR Tank rules, the following have been implemented:
  - Rule load XML exchange with Nauticus Hull
  - Co-centric stiffeners, i.e. idealized, non-eccentric stiffeners based on a given eccentric flange
  - PULS (DNV RP-C201.2) linear non-linear buckling check for stiffened and un-stiffened panels. Please note that the implementation is generic (i.e. not CSR Tank specific) and it can be used for plate code checking of e.g. offshore structures
• Support for parallel installations. GeniE will not as before be installed to a default location, but to a program version dependent number. If you choose to use parallel installations, you do not need to un-install the previous version and you can safely access your old projects using the previous version of GeniE. In case you want to upgrade old projects to new version, you need to recreate your old projects by use of journal files or XML.
• There are also general improvements on the creation of mesh quality, especially related to model with cut-outs
• GeniE will run a data check on the mesh quality and inform you which elements (and their belonging to a plate) will fail in a Sestra analysis. Such information is given in the tab "Information" (next to the Scripting Window).
• When executing GeniE on a 64bit system, the available virtual memory has been extended from 2GB to 4GB allowing for larger models

For installation, you need to install the new GeniE version one from our download site. Please note the followings:

• GeniE will from this version as default be installed to a program version number dependent folder. The user must update any links to GeniE (e.g. in Brix Explorer for Sesam, Sesam Manager or Nauticus Hull) to point to the appropriate GeniE version.
• If you are installing to the same location as a previous installation of GeniE, we strongly recommend to manually uninstall the previous version, and validate that all files have been removed, prior to installing a different version.

• In case you want to recreate old projects in the new GeniE version, you can do so by importing journal files or XML files. See the User Manual Vol. 3 (Chapter 9) for which method to use.

For more details, please see the release notes.

These downloads are available to users with a valid maintenance contract. You need a username and a password to get access. Contact us for such information.

• GeniE 2010 Download
• GeniE Release Note

GeniE version 5.0-17 is a point release of version 5.0-15 and it focuses:

1. It is now possible to access beams with line loads of type "beam footprint" via the script language. This means that users can make their own scripts accessing such line loads.
2. The installation includes a wizard for creating different types of parameterised models. The wizard is located under GeniE's help pages section for Wizard Templates. The intention is to show users how to make parametric models.
3. The British Standard profile library. There are 600 profiles implemented.

In addition, this release includes a number of error corrections. Among others, the problems related to opening an existing database, xml import (many guide curves in a set) and long path names have been fixed. Please see the release notes for further details.

These downloads are available to users with a valid maintenance contract. You need a username and a password to get access. Contact us for such information.

• GeniE December 2009 Download
• GeniE Release Note

We advice you to upgrade from version 5.0-15 to version 5.0-17. Please remember to uninstall the previous version before installing the new one. Please see the release notes of version 5.0-15 for instructions on how to transfer data from version 5.0-15 to version 5.0-17.