nonlinear static structural analysis. Apply increasing load in steps & release.

Using Optistruct & Hypermesh non linear static analysis, I wish to apply increasing load in steps and then release the load. I wish to see the residual deformation due to yielding of the structural steel once the applied load has been removed.
This is not a transient time dependent scenario. I believe DLOAD, TLOAD1, TABLED1 cards may be relevant.
1 - How are Optistruct users best able to learn this loading method?
2 - where in the support documentation is this covered? This is a fundamental FEA topic.
Answers
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you can perform NL Static Simulation in OptiStruct, for this.
There are 2 ways:
- multiple NL Static loadcases with each loadcase final load value as desired (using CNTNLSUB option to create subsequent loadcases)
- single NL Static loadcase, using TLOAD1 and TABLED1 to create a pseudo-time table, with the carying load, as you've supplied in the table above.
For option #1, I would just run 1st loadcase from zero to point 5, and then 2nd loadcase from 5 to 7, and last subcase removing all load.
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Thanks.
It was the CNTNLSUB option that I was not aware of & needed to add to my assumed method. This method then has the advantage that it allows different NLPARM, NLOUT, NLAPADT cards for each case.
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i've found these around here… 1 example using 2 loadcases, and another with a single subcase, "time" dependent.
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