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BESO3D Manual Getting started with BESO3D
Zhihao Zuo
Centre for Innovative Structures and Materials
RMIT University, Australia

Two sections are included in this manual: Step-by-step Instruction of using BESO3D and Cautions.
An example is demonstrated in the first section showing a straightforward guide and the second
section is dedicated to a brief description of cautions of using BESO3D.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTION OF USING BESO3D:

In this section, we will demonstrate, step by step, the procedure of optimizing a structure using
BESO3D as a post-processor of ABAQUS
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, from creating a model in ABAQUS/CAE, to optimize
the structure using BESO3D package, to inspecting the final solution. The whole procedure
includes the following steps:
1. Creating an ABAQUS input file for the initial design of the structure.
2. Optimizing the structure using BESO3D.
3. Inspecting the final solution.
4. Continuing optimization from the obtained solution.

To illustrate these steps, a 3D cantilever shown in Figure 1 is used as an example. As length and
force in ABAQUS are dimensionless, no unit is specified in Figure 1 and in the example. Yet the
user can still have prescribed units for default.

20
4
0
100

Figure 1 Design domain of a 3D cantilever.

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Furthermore, we assume that the user has a working folder D:\BESO3D\ where the user has full
control, i.e. file reading, writing and deleting.

1. Creating an ABAQUS input file for the initial design of the structure
First we need to build up the 3D cantilever model and store it in an ABAQUS input file using
ABAQUS/CAE. As introducing ABAQUS is not the main task of this manual, we assume the user
has the preliminary knowledge for ABAQUS/CAE and ABAQUS/Standard and only describe this
step briefly. The version of ABAQUS used in this example is 6.7.1, the same actions/steps apply to
versions 6.4 and above as well.

This step is described as the following actions:
Start ABAQUS/CAE. In order to write the later INP file into the working folder, we would
like to start ABAQUS/CAE from the working folder. Command line is as in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Starting ABAQUS/CAE from the command line.

In the Part module, create a part named Part-1 using the following configurations (which
are specified in the Create Part dialogue): Modelling Space =3D, Type =Deformable,
Shape =Solid and Type (within Base Feature) =Extrude. After sketching a 2020 square as
the section for the solid extrusion, in the Edit Base Extrusion dialogue input 40 for the depth
of extrusion and click on OK. The created part will look as in Figure 3.
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Figure 3 A part of solid extrusion has been created.

In the Property module, create a linear elastic material with Youngs modulus =2E11 and
Poissons ratio =0.3. Create a solid section of type homogeneous using the just-created
material. Then assign this solid section to Part-1. The ABAQUS/CAE window will now be as
Figure 4.


Figure 4 The part has been assigned a solid section.

In the Assembly module, instance the previously created Part-1. Now the created assembly
will be as shown in Figure 5.

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Figure 5 Part-1 has been instanced.

In the Step module, create a step after the initial step and with the procedure type of Linear
perturbation Static, Linear perturbation.
In the Load module, create a boundary condition of the type of Displacement/Rotation with
all three translational DOF fixed (U1 =0, U2 =0, U3 =0) and apply the boundary condition
to one end face of the cantilever. Create a load of the type of Concentrated force with the
CF2 component of -100 and apply the load to the centre of another end face (the user needs to
partition the face using menu Tool->Partition to get the centre as in Figure 6) opposite to
the fixed end face. The boundary and loading conditions are applied as shown in Figure 6.


Figure 6 Fix one end and apply a downward concentrated force at the centre of the opposite end.
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In the Mesh module, assign the part instance with the mesh control of Element shape =Hex
and Technique =Structured. Assign the part instance with element type of C3D8. Seed the
part instance with global size of 1. Then mesh the part instance. The part instance will now
look as shown in Figure 7.


Figure 7 The part instance after being meshed.

In the Job module, create a job and name it Test. Write the model in an input file (select the
created job in the Job Manager dialogue and click on Write Input). Now an ABAQUS
input file named Test.inp will be written to the working folder. Close ABAQUS/CAE.

2. Optimizing the structure using BESO3D
Start BESO3D (the user can do so through the BESO3D shortcut under BESO3D menu in the
Windows Start Menu or double-click the BESO3D.BAT in the install folder). Note that an
accompanying command line window starts to run in order to communicate information for
the user.
In the BESO3D 1.4 dialogue shown in Figure 8, input the complete path of the ABAQUS
executable in the Path of ABAQUS Engine, input D:\BESO3D in Path of Working
Folder and the name of the just created ABAQUS input file Test in the ABAQUS Model
File Name (without the extension .inp). Click on OK to accept the inputs.

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Figure 8 Inputs of the ABAQUS files.

A license agreement will pop up that the user has to accept, otherwise BESO3D will be
terminated. Click on Accept to go on.
The BESO3D - Parameter Settings dialogue shown in Figure 9 will appear. Parameter
settings include two sections Part Parameters that sets parameters specified for each
involved part/instance, and Overall Control that sets evolutionary parameters of the
optimization run. 1. For Part Parameters: input 50 for Volume Fraction (%), MIN for
Mean Compliance, 2.0 for Evolutionary Ratio (%), 2.0 for Admission Ratio (%),
2.0 for Filter Radius. Leave default for Symmetry Property and Topology or Shape
Optimization. Then click on the button Save; 2. For Overall Control: input 0.1 for
Convergency Tol (%), 100 for Max Iteration Number, 1 for Number of L.C. and
1.0 for Weights. Click on OK to start the BESO optimization procedure for the 3D
cantilever.
Note:
1. the filter radius is recommended to be 2-3 times the element size, which in this
example, is the global seeding size of the meshing;
2. for volume minimization, input MIN for Volume Fraction (%) and input a
compliance value for Mean Compliance as the mean compliance constraint;
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3. if there are more than one parts/instances to be optimized, for each part/instance you
need to set up individual parameters and click on Save to active the part, tips are
also found in the field above the button;
4. when more than one load cases are considered, the weighting factors for the load
cases are specified in Weights and they should be split by ,;
5. the named numbers of parts/instances and load cases should not exceed the number
of existing numbers of parts/instances/steps defined in the ABAQUS model file.

Figure 9 Parameter settings for the BESO optimization of the 3D cantilever.

During the optimization run, messages from ABAQUS/Standard and BESO3D are seen to roll
in the accompanying command line window. After a while, a message pops up notifying the
end of the optimization run as in Figure 10 with filled information, where a brief report and
suggestions for further actions are given. Then the user is ready to inspecting the final
solution.

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Figure 10 Message pops up after optimization is finished.


3. Inspecting the final solution
The final solution include the final design of the 3D cantilever that can be viewed by opening the
ABAQUS output database file .odb and the result file Result.txt that stores the evolutionary
history of the volume fraction and the mean compliance.
Open ABAQUS/CAE by typing ABAQUS CAE under the prompt D:\BESO3D> in the
previous command line window in Figure 2.
Open the output database of the final design (note that the intermediate and final designs are
named after the initial ABAQUS model input file with a three-digit number indicating the
iteration number): in the Open Database dialogue of ABAQUS/CAE, select the database file
with the largest number in the file name and open it. As shown in Figure 11, the final design
that is stored in Test043.odb is displayed in the ABAQUS/CAE window. Note that due to
the convergence of the solution, the designs of the last few (say 10) iterations are very similar
and they can all regarded as the final optimal design in most of the circumstances.

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Figure 11 The final design that is stored in Test043.odb.

Double click Result.txt in the working folder, a text file containing the evolutionary history
can be viewed. The result file will as shown in Figure 12 and contains four columns of data:
iteration number, volume fraction, the mean compliance and the time. Note that the volume
fraction data are between 0 and 1, e.g. 0.5 means 50.0% volume fraction.


Figure 12 Result.txt recording the evolutionary history.


4. Continuing optimization from the obtained solution
Sometimes the optimization run stops before the solution converges due to reasons such as that the
maximum iteration number has been set too small. BESO3D offers the user an option to continue
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the optimizing the structure from the design of a previous optimization run. After the optimization
is finished, the user can run CONTINUE.BAT (which is automatically created in the working folder
after an optimization run is started) for further optimization of the structure based on the previous
design.

In this example, we demonstrate how to further optimize the 3D cantilever from the previous
solution and obtain a final optimal design with 20.0% volume fraction.
In the command line window that is mentioned previously in Figure 2, type
CONTINUE.BAT under the prompt D:\BESO3D>. Now the license agreement will appear
again that the user must accept to proceed. Alternatively, the user can double-click
CONTINUE.BAT in the working folder to get started.
After accepting the license agreement, the BESO3D Parameter Setting dialogue appears.
Now input 20.0 in Volume Fraction (%), click on Save button. As we are not sure how
many iterations would be needed, we input 200 for Max Iteration Number. Then click on
OK to continue optimizing the 3D cantilever. Note that for continuing optimization, the
filter radius remains the same as before, therefore the edit field for Filter Radius is de-
activated.
After a while, a message similar as Figure 10 will again appear indicating the end of this
optimization run and advising a brief report.
Follow the instructions in 3 Inspecting the final solution to inspect the optimal design and
results. The final design will look as in Figure 13.


Figure 13 The final design of the continued optimization run.
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CAUTIONS:
1. The parts/instances for which optimization parameters have been set will be designable. Other
following instances are regarded as non-designable.
2. Following element types can be identified by BESO3D: S4, CPS4, CPE4, C3D8, C3D4, S3,
CPS3 and CPE3.
3. The ABAQUS input file and the ABAQUS output database file for every iteration are named
<YOURMODEL>NNN.inp and <YOURMODEL>NNN.odb respectively. The designs can be
viewed by opening either one in ABAQUS/CAE.
4. The program is designed for both problems of mean compliance minimization and volume
minimization, input MIN for either and a constraint value for the other to define the
optimization problem.
5. Be sure to click on Save button to save parameters set for each part/instance, for both cases
of starting a new optimization run and continuing the previous optimization run.
6. Be sure that you have enough parts/instances/steps defined in your ABAQUS model file,
otherwise you will get an error.


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ABAQUS is the trademark of SIMULIA.



If the user has any difficulties in obtaining or using BESO3D, or has queries about updates of the
program, please contact us by email at the following address:

Mike.Xie@rmit.edu.au (Y.M. Xie)