Altair Multiscale Designer 2021.2 Release Notes

New Features

Support for OptiStruct Shell Elements
Multiscale Designer material models for OptiStruct (MATMDS) can now be used with shell elements (CQUAD / CTRIA) for all solution types. This completes support for MATMDS within OptiStruct for shell models (PCOMP/G/P), continuum shell models (PCOMPLS), and solid models (PSOLID).

Enhancements

Damage Models and Plasticity Models have been Updated for More Accurate Fiber Phase Failure
When a fiber phase fails within an element, all damage models and plasticity models now ensure that element has no additional load carrying capability in any phase in any direction. In addition, several enhancements were made to the damage models and plasticity models that improve their overall accuracy.
Abaqus Export
Multiscale Designer material models exported to Abaqus do not support *EXPANSION for the calculation of thermal strains and *DENSITY for the calculation of mass. The following *MATERIAL cards are supported with Multiscale Designer material models in Abaqus; *USER MATERIAL, *USER MATERIAL, *DENSITY, *EXPANSION, and *DEPVAR.
Thermal Residuals
Thermal residuals due to ply angle mismatch are more accurately accounted for and verified in OptiStruct and Abaqus for all element and solution types. Total, Mechanical, and Thermal strains (homogenized and multiscale) are available for post-processing.