OpenSees Applications

OpenSees Express

The Sequential OpenSees application, called OpenSees-Express on DesignSafe, runs on a single core in a dedicated Virtual Machine (VM) on DesignSafe. This application should be your starting point for any analysis.

Start here with a Minimum Working Example (MWE) -- a simple script that has all the features of your final one, but uses a small model and few, short, analyses. While some MWEs can be tested on your local manchine, a final test should be done here in "production mode" on DesignSafe.

OpenSees on DesignSafe has enough compute resources for you to run a moderate-sized model with a few loading cases. Because your job is executed immediately, you receive immediate feedback in your iterations as you build and test your model and add complexity to it.

DesignSafe gives you two ways to run the sequential version of OpenSees (called OpenSees-Express): via an interactive interface, or by submitting to the WebPortal with a simple click of a button.

Advantages

  • Ideal for mall model with few load cases.
  • Runs on runs on its own, shared, virtual machine (VM). The VM on DesignSafe is configured with several processors are significant memory.
  • Execution is immediate, there is no queue nor a need for HPC allocation.
  • Advantages over your local computer:
    • You can access data files available on DesignSafe -- no need for download.
    • Your output is stored on DesignSafe -- no need for upload.
    • Better compute resources: processor, memory, read/write-speed, disk space.

Disadvantages

  • The model and the analysis are handled by a single processor, so all analyses are run sequentially.
  • The VM is a shared resource.