META Tutorials

CRASH

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1
1.1. Prerequisites ..................................................................................................................... 1
1.2. Problem Description.......................................................................................................... 1
1.3. Data Files.......................................................................................................................... 1
2. Post Processing Procedure .................................................................................................. 2
2.1. Read Model Geometry and Results .................................................................................. 2
2.2. Handling of entities display. .............................................................................................. 4
2.3. Animation of states ........................................................................................................... 5
2.4. Connections ...................................................................................................................... 5
2.5. Failed elements ................................................................................................................ 7
2.6. Fringe (contour) plots and options - Fringe Range options ............................................... 8
2.7. Identification of results on the model .............................................................................. 10
2.8. Statistics ......................................................................................................................... 11
2.9. Annotations ..................................................................................................................... 14
2.10. Eliminate Rigid Body Motion ......................................................................................... 16
2.11. Vector Results and Intrusion Velocities......................................................................... 17
2.12. Importing second model................................................................................................ 18
2.13. Models comparison with Multi Model, State Statistics................................................... 21
2.14. Models comparison with Cut Planes ............................................................................. 22
2.15. Saving Images & Video................................................................................................. 25
2.16. Report ........................................................................................................................... 26
3. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 30
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1. Introduction

This tutorial provides an entry overview of basic post-processing steps that could be followed within META to conduct a
standard Crash analysis. A PAM-CRASH model is used for this tutorial but the functionality is the same for all the models of all
solvers.
Not all META capabilities and features are exhausted within this tutorial.

The steps described in this tutorial include:

 Loading data and results
 Identifying different items of the model
 Animation
 Fringe (contour) plots and options – Fringe Range options
 Identification of results
 Groups
 Failed elements
 Statistics
 Annotations
 Eliminating rigid body motion (Follow Node) – Intrusion velocities
 Importing second model
 Comparison of two models with Multi Model, State Statistics and Cut Planes
 Saving images and videos
 Report

1.1. Prerequisites
It is recommended for users who have never used META before to read Chapter 2 of META Users Guide.
1.2. Problem Description
The structure consists of two double metal sheet parts connected along
their flanges with mesh-
independent connection elements (e.g. PLINKs). The two beams are
connected with a
cylindrical traverse at the middle of their length, while at the front, they are
connected with a double
traverse structure. This assembly impacts on a rigid barrier with an initial
velocity of 12 mm/ms on
the X direction.

The material property of each component is listed bellow:

Material Properties:

Rails: Traverse:
2 2
E = 210.0 kg/mm.ms E = 210.0 kg/mm.ms
σy = 0.37 σy = 0.235 GPa
ν=0.34 ν=0.34

m≈455 kg
vinit =12 mm/ms

Barrier Properties:
E=70.0 kg/mm.ms
ν=0.34
m≈2.5 kg

1.3. Data Files

The files required for this tutorial are
/tutorials/META_tutorials/CRASH/double_rail.pc
/tutorials/META_tutorials/CRASH/double_rail.DSY
/tutorials/META_tutorials/CRASH/second_model/second_model.pc
/tutorials/META_tutorials/CRASH/second_model/double_rail.DSY

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2. Post Processing Procedure

2.1. Read Model Geometry and Results

Start META.
From the Read Results > Geometry tab, first make sure that the
File Format option menu is switched to either Auto detect or
1 Pamcrash.

1. Iinvoke the File Manager. Navigate and select the file:

../CRASH/double_rail.pc

The model’s geometry can be read from either the input file or the
.DSY file.
However loading geometry from the input file provides extra
information for the model.

The model is read and it should appear as it is shown in the image

on the left.

2. Switch the Read Results card to the Results tab. The

corresponding .DSY file is automatically selected and all available
states are identified in the States tab and selected by default.

Tips:
You may deselect from the list the states that you do not want to
2 load. For this example, load all states.

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1. Switch to the Deformation tab. By default, the Displacements, are

selected for loading.

2. Make sure that the Deformation Scale Factor is set to 1 and that
Ignore Failed Elements check button is deactivated in order the failed
elements to be identified in a later step of this tutorial.
1

3. Switch to the Scalar tab. Two menus appear.

The first one holds all available types of results (stresses, strains, etc).
By default, this is switched to Stresses. Select from this menu the
Strains results.
The second menu includes all available types / components for the
results type that is selected in the first menu. Switch this second menu
to Plastic Strain option.

4. Press Read, at the bottom of the Read Results card, to load the
selected Deformation and Scalar results for the selected states.
3

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2.2. Handling of entities display.

Press F12 key to open the Set Visible Entities card.

1. Deactivate the SOLIDS toggle button in order the solid elements of the
1 wall not to be visible.
2. Deactivate the PLANES so as not to see the cut-planes of the defined
cross-sections. These cross-sections are defined inside the .pc file for
the calculation of section forces by the solver.

Model with Cut Planes and Solids visibility disabled.

1. Press the Set Transparency Style button.

2. Select the Barrier.

Tips:
2 To turn off transparency, right click on the Set Transparency button
and then select the Part.

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2.3. Animation of states

1. Press Animate One Forward

One animation of states is performed until the last state.

Tips:
You can change states using:
- The Up and Down keys when the focus is in the States List
- The Page Up and Page Down keys when the focus is on the model
- Home and End keys navigate the model to the ORIGINAL and the
last state respectively.
- The Animation slider. You can move the slider or press Middle Mouse
Button on the slider to navigate the model to the selected state. Press
Left Mouse Button on the slider to move to the next or the previous
state.

2.4. Connections

1. Open the Connections list

Since the geometry has been loaded from the .pc input file META
1 creates one group for each ANSA connection (from ANSA comments).

2. Select the PAM_PLINH_WSPOTS group

3. Press Right Mouse Button on the selected groups and select the
Show only option to isolate them

2
3

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The PLINK groups are isolated

For better visualization of the PLINKS, you can draw with their real
section

1. Invoke Tools > Settings

2. Enable the Bar/Beam cross-section option under Windows

Settings > Drawing > Model/Geometry

The PLINKs are now drawn with a diameter.

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2.5. Failed elements

Elements can be colored according to the time of failure.

1. Navigate to STATE 1 by middle clicking on the respective step in the

1 slider.

2. Switch the drawing style from PID to Fail Time.

The fringebar appears and the PLINKS are colored according to the
time that they fail.

Tips:
Elements that have already failed at the current state can be identified
by applying the command:
identify element failed

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2.6. Fringe (contour) plots and options - Fringe Range options

1. Press All to bring back to visible all parts.

2. Switch back the coloring mode to Pid.
3. Activate Scalar Fringe.
4. Navigate to the last state.
The model now is colored according to Plastic Strain

1 2 3 4

You can change the palette from which the model is colored.
1 1. Press Right Mouse Button on the fringebar.
2. From the menu that appears select the Fringe Colors option and
then Palettes and Colors.

2
The Fringe Colors window appears from which you can select one of
the available palettes.

3. Double-click the name of the palette.

Tips:
3 You can create your own palettes by pressing the New button under
the Palettes list and new colors by pressing the New button under the
Colors list. For more details about creating new palettes and colors
refer to META tutorial 01-BASIC_STATIC

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Now the model is colored from the default palette.

The default options in the Fringe Options menu are On Element and
Normal Plot.

On Element, means that the element results will be considered for the
interpolation at each point of the surface and this will be represented in
the fringe plot.

1. Press the arrow next to the Scalar Fringe button to open the Fringe
Options menu.
2. From the menu that appears select the On Node option.

Now the node results are considered for the interpolation at each point
of the surface so the coloring of the model is smoother.

3. Press Right Mouse Button on the fringebar and select the Range
Limits option.
4. Type 0.9 in the Max Value field and press Enter

3 4

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The maximum value of the fringebar is set to 0.9 now and the model is
colored accordingly.

2.7. Identification of results on the model

You can identify results on the model using the Identify menu button

or the Identify option from the menu that appears if

you press Right Mouse Button on the drawing area.

1. Press Right Mouse button in the drawing area and from the menu
that appears select the Identify > iFunction > Options and then
deselect the Current Min option in order to identify only the element
with the max function value using the iFunction option.

Press Right Mouse button in the drawing area.

From the menu that appears select the Identify > iFunction > Visible
Elements.

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The element that holds the maximum function value among the visible
is identified on the model.

Tips:
You can control the display of the identified data from the Identify >
Options.

Reset the identification by pressing the iReset button:

2.8. Statistics

Identification of results can be achieved also through

Statistics.

Open Report >Statistics >Statistics

The Statistics table appears. The user can see

information about the parts of the model for the current
state.

Tips:
Having the synchronize button activated the table is
automatically updated every time the state changes.

The parts that are not visible are displayed grayed.

1. Press the Max :: C1 column with Left Mouse Button to

1 sort the Pids in the table according to the Pid with the
maximum value.
2. Select the Pids with the higher values and press Right
Mouse Button on them.
2 3 3. From the menu that appears select the Show only
option to isolate these Pids.

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The selected Pids are isolated.

Tips:
From the menu that appears when you select entities of
the table with Right Mouse Button you can:
- Apply focus commands
- Identify entities and results
- Create annotations
- Explode entities

1. Switch from All Entities to Elements option.

The table is now empty and you can add elements in it.
2. Press the Adv.Filter button in order to use the Advanced
Filter tool of META to select elements.

2
1

3. In the Advanced Filter window select:

Add / Elements / centroidfuncmax /
Max 10
4
4. Press OK

4
3
The 10 elements with the higher centroid function values of
the model are added in the table.

Tips:

Press the button to hide the Add Elements menu.

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8. Press the Columns button to set which columns will be

visible.
8
9. Select which columns will be visible.
Only the selected columns are now visible.

1. Mark some rows of data in the table and press Right

Mouse Button on it.

2 3 2. Select Identify to identify them on the screen.

1
3. Press the button.
A File Manager pops-up and you have the option to save
the selected data (or All) in html or csv format.

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2.9. Annotations

Another way to identify results on the model is using the Annotations

tool.
2

1. Press the iReset button to reset the identification of entities

from the previous steps.
2. Press the Annotations button to open the tool
3. From the Pointer tab select the Element option, to create
annotations on elements.
4. Press the Adv.Filter button to use the Advanced Filter tool for the
selection of elements.

The Advanced Filter window appears.

5. Set the filter as shown in the picture and press on OK.

Tips:
In order to add a second line press the Add button.

Add | Parts | visible

Intersect | Elements | centroid.func.scalar.max| Each Part Max 1

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The Advanced Filter window is closed after pressing Ok and 5

annotations are automatically created and by default placed at the top
left corner of the drawing window.

1. Switch to Text tab.

2. Set the Float Precision to 3
3. Edit the text that is displayed in the annotation.
4. Press Apply.

1 Tips:
You can add variables in the annotations text by pressing Right
Mouse Button and from the menu that appears add model’s or entity’s
2 variables.
In this example the $pid variable has been added from the Element
variables

3
4

5. Switch to the Position tab.

5
6. Press the Follow button in order for the annotations to follow the
entities that they are attached to.
6

1. Select the annotations in the list and press Right Mouse Button on
them.
2. From the menu that appears select the Explode Off Model option in
order for the annotations not to overlay the model and each other.

1
2

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The 5 annotations following the elements they point to.

2.10. Eliminate Rigid Body Motion

In order to visualize deformation of the model without any rigid body

4 motion, it is necessary to apply a Follow-Node scheme (deformation
displayed with respect to a plane).

5 1. Press the Del button in the Annotations card to delete them.

2. Navigate to the ORGINAL state
3. Press Right Mouse Button in the drawing area
4. From the menu that appears select the View option.
5. From the View options select Follow 3 Nodes

6. Pick the 3 nodes that will define the plane to which the deformations
of the model will be transformed

3
6

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7. Press Animate One Forward to see an animation of states

2.11. Vector Results and Intrusion Velocities

1. Click on the ALL button to make everything visible

3 2. Select the !Not option through the context menu of the drawing
area.
3. Select the front plates of the model and press Middle Mouse Button
to isolate them

4. Switch to Vector tab of the Read Results card.

5. Select Velocities from the pull-down menu with the available
results.
6. Switch to Read Options > Nodes tab.
4 7. Activate Follow nodes transform option in order for the vector
results to be transformed to the plane that the deformations of the
model have been transformed.
5
8. Deactivate Deformation and Scalar options and leave only Vector
enabled. Press the cross button next to the Vector option. This way the
new results will be appended to the previous loaded results.
6 9. Press Read
Velocities are been loaded as a new vector label.

8
9

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1. Press on the Vector Fringe button to draw vectors.

2 For better visualization the size of the vectors can be scaled.

2. Press on the arrow next to the Vector Fringe button to open the
options.
3 3. Change the Vector Scale to 15.

Vectors have been scaled.

2.12. Importing second model

A second model or more models can be imported in the same window or in a new window.

1. Switch off the Vector Plot.

4 2. Press All to bring back to visible the rest of the model.

3. From the Read Results > Geometry tab, invoke the File Manager.
Navigate and select:
../second_model/second_model.pc

4. In the window that pops up select the Loading as a new model in

active window option and press OK

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The second model is imported in the active window and you should
see the two models now as they are shown in the image on the left.

5. Switch the Read Results card to the Results tab. The

corresponding .DSY file is automatically selected.
6. Select to load for all states Displacements in the Deformation tab
and Strains, Plastic Strain in the Scalar tab.
7 7. Deactivate the Vector check-box and leave active only
Deformation and Scalar and press Read to load the results.

1. Navigate the new model to the last state.

2. Through the context menu select View > Apply follow nodes of
model and type 0.
Now the deformations of the second model are translated to the same
plane with the first model

3
3. Press the arrow next to the Active Model label to open the Models
List.
4. Select the ALL option to activate both models.
5. Now both models are active.

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Now both models are displayed one on top of the other, deformed at
STATE 9 with contours.

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2.13. Models comparison with Multi Model, State Statistics

A first comparison between these two models can be performed using Multi Model, State Statistics tool.
Multi Model, State Statistics is a table displaying information on Maximum and Minimum values of results at All entities
(Parts, Nodes, Elements and Groups) for every state and for every available model.

Open this tool from Report>Statistics>Multi Model, State Statistics

The Multi Model, State Statistics table appears.

By default it includes results for the currently
loaded Maximum function (Plastic Strain in this
case) for all parts of both models at each state.
The corresponding differences between the two
models (% column) are also available.

Selecting an entity (part in this case) from the

table with Right Mouse Button, a menu appears.
Identification or isolation of the selected part(s)
can be applied directly from this menu

1. Select the Plot Entity option to create curves

for the maximum Function Values of these parts
over the States
1

A New 2d plot window is created having a plot

with two curves, that is one curve for the
Maximum Function values of the part, of each
model, over the States.

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2. Switch back to the MetaPost window, either by

selecting it from the window switcher bar or by
2 pressing Ctrl+Tab
3. In the Multi Model, State Statistics table
select to see only the Selected States, that is
4 STATE 9 in this case.
4. By pressing the button, this table can be
saved in HTML or .csv format.

2.14. Models comparison with Cut Planes

1. Navigate to ORIGINAL state.

2. Press the F12 key and in the window that appears enable the
1 PLANES option.

3. Hide the barrier parts by selecting them using the Not function:

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5 4. Press the arrow next to the Planes button.

5. From the menu that appears select the New>Default XY>No clip
4 option.

6. Press Or with Right Mouse Button

6
7. Select the Planes Option

8
7

8. Pick on the plane previously created with a box selection.

Only thethe
7. From cutting plane with
Selection the
Filter cross section
window is visible
that appears now.
select Planes
8. Select from the drawing area the new created plane

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1. Press the Scalar Fringe button to deactivate the fringe coloring of

the model.

1 2 2. Press the Planes button to open the Planes window.

3. Go to Grid tab and activate the Grid option.

4. Switch to Fringe tab and disable the Fringe Styles.

5. Switch to Settings tab.

5
6. Increase the Line width.
7. Select for Section Color the Model option.

8. Press the arrow next to the Active Model label to open the Models
List.
8
9. Double Click on the color button of the each model.
10. From the Select Color window that appears select the blue color
for the first model and read for the second one.

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11. Navigate to the last state.

The difference between the deformation of the two sections can be
now compared more clearly.

2.15. Saving Images & Video

Images and videos can be saved.

1. Press File and from the menu that appears select Save.

The Export to File window appears.

2. Select for example the PNG option for the File type.
3. Type a name for the image.
3 4. Press Save.
2 An image is now saved in the selected directory.

4 Tips:
Pressing the Options button the Image Parameters card appears.
This includes various Image properties that can be adjusted such as
the resolution of the image, the dimensions of the image, the
background color, etc.

5. Press the Record button from the Animation toolbar

5 6. From the menu that appears select the avi option.

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1. In the Export animation window type a name for the video.

2. Enable the Export Movie option. This way one animation Forward
(this can be changed from the respective pull-down menus) will be
performed in the background and this animation will be recorded
according to the Options that have been selected.
3. Press Save.

1 3

2.16. Report

User reports in HTML, PPTX (e.g: MS Office 2007 PowerPoint and OpenOffice 3 Impress) or postscript format can be
created through the Report Composer.
1. Press Tools and from the menu that appears select the Report Composer option.

The Report Composer window opens.

2 2. Select the PPTX option to create a pptx report.

3. Drag an image from the model using the Left

Mouse Button.
4. Drop the image in the Report Composer.
The image is added in the Slide.
3

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1. Use the Left Mouse Button and resize the

image. You can move it again using Left Mouse
Button.

2. Open Report>Statistics>Statistics.
3. Switch back to Model 0
4. Select the first rows of data with Right Mouse
4 Button.
5. From the menu that appears select the Copy
Clipboard > Selected option.

1. Right click on the slide and select Clipboard > Paste text
from clipboard(Spreadsheet)

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A spreadsheet table has been added in the report.

You can move it and resize it using Left Mouse Button.

1. Select Slide 1 in the Slides List with Right

Mouse Button.
2. From the menu that appears select Set Title.

12

The Text Editor window pops-up.

3. Type the title
4 4. Edit the text. The actions are applied on
selected text.
3 5. Press OK

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A text box is added in the report.

6. Resize it and move it with Left Mouse Button.
7. Finally press Save. A File Manager will open to
save your report.

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3. Conclusion

In this tutorial some of the basic steps for crash analysis post processing have been followed. Not all capabilities were
demonstrated. The user may also refer to META User’s Guide for the functionality of META and detailed description of
functions and procedures.

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