How do you collaborate and share your numerical simulation workflows and tools?

Version control is a crucial aspect of collaborating and sharing numerical simulation workflows and tools. By using version control systems such as Git, teams can track changes to their code, coordinate work on different aspects of the project, and easily revert to previous versions if needed. This ensures that everyone is working with the most up-to-date code and helps prevent conflicts and errors. Additionally, version control facilitates transparency and accountability within the team, making it easier to understand the evolution of the project over time.

To reduce risk in structural analysis, a formal modelling process based on sound engineering and FE analysis principles, such as the ones proposed in Chaper 3 of the Modelling Guide for Timber Structures (web.fpinnovations.ca/modelling), should always be adopted.

Documenting the current state of a process is an obvious prerequisite for simulation, which helps execute realistic what-if scenarios. However, in transactional processes, documenting an accurate flow especially when there are rework loops and real-time decision-making is not that straightforward. This requires effort and access to subject matter experts to validate the current state.

Documenting the numerical simulation workflows is essential for effective collaboration and sharing of tools. By providing clear and detailed documentation, team members can understand the processes, assumptions, and decisions made during the simulation. This helps in replicating and validating the results, as well as in troubleshooting and improving the workflow. Documenting also ensures that knowledge is preserved and can be easily transferred to new team members, making the workflow more accessible and sustainable.

Automating tasks in numerical simulation workflows and tools can greatly enhance collaboration and sharing. By automating repetitive or complex tasks, such as data processing, model setup, or result visualization, teams can improve efficiency, reduce errors, and ensure consistency across the workflow. Automation also makes it easier to share and replicate the workflow, as it minimizes the need for manual intervention and reduces the likelihood of human error. This streamlines the collaboration process and allows team members to focus on more critical aspects of the simulation.

For modelling and analysing the seismic response of timber structures (web.fpinnovations.ca/modelling), scripts, batch files, and homemade programs are usually ultilised. Batch files typically can be used to run repetitive analysis tasks, and scripts can be adopted for not only running repetitive analysis tasks but also post-processing. Homemade programs can be even more powerful for automating the whole modelling and analysis process.

Modelling Guide for Timber Structures (web.fpinnovations.ca/modelling) proposed specific rules,conventions, and protocols for performing numerical simulation and deriving input data for design and analysis of timber structures under various loads, e.g., gravity, wind, and earthquakes.?

The concept for the development of the Modelling Guide (web.fpinnovations.ca/modelling) was initiated and carried out by FPInnovations, but it is the result of a global effort involving over 100 collaborators, including experts from research institutes, consulting firms, manufacturers, software companies, government entities, and associations. This is an excellent example of sharing.

Collaborating and sharing numerical simulation workflows and tools involves several key practices. Using version control, documenting workflows, automating tasks, standardizing formats, sharing resources, and learning from others are essential. Version control ensures that everyone is working with the most up-to-date code, while documentation and standardization help in understanding and accessing data. Automating tasks improves efficiency, and sharing resources and learning from others fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange.

The definitive guide for timber structure modelling (web.fpinnovations.ca/modelling) brings together the experience gained from recently built timber projects, and the latest research development in the modelling of timber structures. It will support the application and development of timber construction given that timber structures increasingly require demonstration of performance or equivalency through computer modelling, regardless of whether prescriptive or performance-based design procedures are used.