Tutorial

Geometrical modelling functions:

getting started with SOLIDO – mushroom column
SLD Tutorial a SOLIDO

1. Introduction MushroomColumn.sld

This first tutorial deals with the object modelling functions in SOLIDO. The overall modelling
philosophy of solids, defined via a coordinate system (block points) will be illustrated for a simple
mushroom column.

Key elements:

- Creating solids in SOLIDO

- Coordinate system and block points
- Equivalent and point thermal transmittance (Uequi and χ)

2. Case study data

The example concerns a three-dimensional mushroom column:

• Concrete floor: 200 cm by 200 cm and thickness of 20 cm

• Floor insulation: 200 cm by 200 cm and thickness of 10 cm
• Concrete column : 30 cm by 30 cm and height of 250 cm
• Concrete plate below floor
o 90 cm by 90 cm (thickness 10 cm)
o Towards 30 cm by 30 cm (height 30 cm)

The boundary conditions imposed are:

- Top: temperature i = 0 °C, surface heat transfer coefficient = 25 W/m2K

- Bottom: temperature e = 20 °C, surface heat transfer coefficient = 10 W/m2K

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3. Entering the data

Step 1: Open a new data file

- Open a new file using the command File → New to start the data input. A default block
(cube with side 100 cm) with colour number 5 is shown as starting data.
- The cube is defined by two points (black and grey) via the Block Points window.
- At this stage the Grid window is not used.

Step 2: Entering the geometry

- The geometry is entered by 5 blocks in the Blocks window.

- The first (default) block is used to define the concrete plate:
o Colour index is 136 (= concrete)
o Block points coordinates:

- Thereafter 3 new blocks are added: Add a new block in the Blocks window by selecting a
row and using the command Edit → Insert After or press <Insert>.
For concrete elements colour index 136 is used, for the insulation element colour index 133.
A superposition principle is used for the definition of the blocks in the Blocks window. So,
by defining first the insulation layer (row 2 in the Blocks window), and thereafter the
concrete column (row 3), the concrete column has a higher priority and thus intersects the
insulation layer.
Note: Alternatively the function Blocks → Copy after can be used. This function will copy
the selected row in the Blocks window.

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 The corresponding Block points and colour are:

- So far only rectangular solids (with shape ‘RECT’) defined by two block points are used
(rectangular box). For the sloped element below the floor a hexahedron is needed.
- Therefore, first create a new block with colour index 136 in the Blocks window. Secondly,
activate the Block Points window by clicking in this window with the left mouse. Thereafter,
it will be possible to change the shape to a hexahedron: Blocks → Make Hexahedron.
- Now the solid is defined by 8 block points for which the following values are used:

Note: It is also possible to change the black points position (‘set black point’) and drag the
solids points with the mouse cursor (‘drag point’).
Also the orthogonal views can be useful when defining block points.

Step 2: Defining boundary conditions

- Boundary conditions are also defined via blocks in the Blocks window. In this example
colour 174 and 170 have a colour type BC_SIMPL, which stands for a (simplified)
boundary condition (global temperature and global surface heat transfer coefficient).
- Given the superposition principle, the blocks for the boundary conditions should be
defined first (lowest priority): activate the first row in the Blocks window by clicking with the
left mouse and insert two blocks before (Edit → insert before).

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 - In this example we make use of the predefined colours in the Colour database
corresponding to following colour types:

- So far, the object geometry was depicted in the Image window as a wireframe model. To
fill the object go to Image → fill blocks (Triangulate). Now, the materials are
shown for the triangulated object.
- For the triangulated object, it is possible to display the object transparently by selecting
Image → Show Transparent.
- The contact surfaces of the boundary conditions on the object can be made visible by
selecting the command Image → Show BCs.

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4. Preparing the calculation grid and run simulation

- In contrast to TRISCO, the object geometry in SOLIDO is not linked to the grid (so far the
Grid window is thus still only contains the default grid).
- In this example we will use the Automatic Grid Generation function in SOLIDO to generate
the calculation mesh. Go to Grid → Auto Grid Generation… and use the following settings:

- The second step is now rasterising the object using the generated grid: Image → Fill Grid
(Rasterise)
To capture the sloped element correctly, it is important have a sufficient fine mesh at the
level of the block number 7 (concrete floor support).
The rasterised object can be exported to TRISCO, as a rectangularised variant of the
geometry. File → Save as… and select TRISCO Data Files (*.trc).
- The third step is fitting the rasterised object to the original geometry: Image → Fit Grid
- The figure below illustrates these 3 steps (in Graphic Output )

Image → Show Triangulated object Image → Show Rasterised object

Image → Show Fitted object

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 - Solve the system: Calc → Calc System.
- The system contains 265 261 nodes and is solved in a few seconds.

5. Equivalent thermal transmittance (Uequi, W/m²K), point thermal transmittance (χ, W/K)

- The derived thermal properties (Uequi and χ ) can be found after defining the U1D-value for
the floor.
- Define the surface area of the floor: Edit → Area and fill in the coordinates of 3 points to
define the floor area.

- Define the U1D-value of the floor: Edit → U values and fill in the coordinates of 2 points
defining a line along which the U1D-value is calculated.

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 - Select the desired derived thermal properties: Edit → Derived Thermal Properties:

- The Uequi-value (0.441 W/m²K) and χ-value (0.637 W/K) can now be retrieved in the Text
Output :

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