Materials Limit

SOFiSTiK
1

I would like to ask if it is possible to unlock the limit of defining materials up to 999? I am trying to assign a random field to my numerical model which has more than 1000 elements and this requires more than 1000 materials to be defined.

I have received the following support message:

“it is not possible to increase the number of materials above 999. The reason is not the actual creation of new materials, but it can come in the later course of the calculations to problems in the creation of the stiffness matrices that we cannot fully represent. Therefore, a sufficient quality assurance on our part is not possible”

I wanted to ask if anyone had avoided this problem in a different way?? Thank you in advance for your help.

2

Never had the problem myself.
But if you want to randomise the stiffness of the elements (if that indeed is the objective), you could use the ASE commands:

  • GRP FACS $ for the entire stiffness
  • GRP2 QUEA/QUEX/QUEY/QU_M/QEMX/QEMY $ The individual directions/actions
  • ELEM FACS $ entire stiffness for one element
3

Thank you very much for the answer. I would like not only randomise the stiffness but also cohesion and friction angel.

4

Sorry, a bit outside my comfort zone.

Maybe use a combination of materials (up to 999), stiffnesses and thicknesses (the latter if it is a 2D model)