Tutorials

The beamFoam tutorials are ready-to-run validation and example cases stored under the repository's tutorials/ directory. Each case uses the standard OpenFOAM case structure and provides Allrun and Allclean scripts.

Tutorial Workflow

Source OpenFOAM and ensure beamFoam is compiled before running a tutorial. A typical workflow is:

> cd $FOAM_RUN/../beamFoam/tutorials/3dDynamicCantilever
> ./Allclean
> ./Allrun

The scripts generally:

1. Create the one-dimensional beam mesh using createBeamMesh.
2. Optionally rotate or translate the initial beam using setInitialPositionBeam.
3. Run the beamFoam solver.
4. Generate validation plots using gnuplot, when plotting scripts are supplied.

Clean a case before repeating it or after changing its mesh, time step or time scheme:

> ./Allclean

Post-Processing

Open the generated case in ParaView:

> touch case.foam
> paraview case.foam

Apply Warp By Vector using pointW to visualise the deformed beam. Function objects under system/controlDict write histories such as end displacement, forces, moments, nonlinear convergence and beam energy under postProcessing/.

Paper Benchmark Cases

The following navigable guides describe the three principal validation cases from the beamFoam paper, including their physical setup, dictionaries, execution, post-processing and expected results.

• 3-D Dynamic Cantilever
• In-Plane Cantilever Subjected to an End Follower Load
• Free Flexible Beam: Kayak-Rowing Motion

Other Repository Tutorials

The repository also includes:

• cantilever: pure bending under a concentrated end moment
• largeDeflectionCantilever: a rectangular cantilever under self-weight
• 3DdynamicCantileverMultiBeamDensity: independent cantilevers with different densities

See the complete tutorials/ directory for development and coupled cases that do not yet have detailed website guides.