Exporting Data to NASTRAN

You can export the fluid loads obtained at the end of a Simcenter STAR-CCM+ run to an external file, which can be read into Nastran to calculate the response of the solid structure.

  1. Import the Nastran model into Simcenter STAR-CCM+ (for instructions, see Importing a CAE Model).
  2. Run the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ simulation.
Map the computed fluid loads onto the imported Nastran model:
  1. Right-click the imported Nastran model and select Map Data > Surface Data...


  2. Set up the Map Imported Model Data dialog as explained in the section, Mapping Boundary Data to Imported Surfaces. In the dialog, set Data to Map to either temperature, pressure, or traction (that is, pressure and wall shear stress).
    When mapping pressure or traction data, you can instruct Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to compute the corresponding nodal forces and map them onto the Nastran model vertices:
    • To map nodal forces, activate Compute nodal forces from mapped pressure data in the Map Imported Model Data dialog.


    Simcenter STAR-CCM+ automatically adds a surface mapper under the Tools > Data Mappers node that represents the mapping operation that you set up using the dialog. When you click Apply in the dialog, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ automatically executes the mapping operation.

  3. Export the mapped data to an external file following the instructions in the section, Exporting Mapped Data. Choose .nas as file extension.
    When computing nodal forces, you can choose to export either the pressure (or traction) surface data, or the nodal forces:

    The exported .nas file is a text-based file that contains the Bulk Data keywords for the selected export quantity.
  4. To use the exported data in a Nastran simulation, you can append it to the Nastran simulation file by using the INCLUDE keyword, for example INCLUDE 'starccm_pressure.nas'.