Useful Links:

Download OpenSees and Tcl/Tk:

http://opensees.berkeley.edu/OpenSees/user/download.php
You will have to register as a user
Running opensees.exe will give you a command prompt for which you will run OpenSees code
Documentation of OpenSees commands:
http://opensees.berkeley.edu/wiki/index.php/Command_Manual
Modeling Commands (e.g. creating nodes, elements, constraints, loads, masses, etc.)
Analysis Commands (e.g. constraint handler, solution algorithms, convergence tests, analysis control
type, etc.)
Output Commands (e.g. record node displacements, element forces, etc.)
Basic OpenSees Examples:
http://opensees.berkeley.edu/wiki/index.php/Basic_Examples_Manual
Examples for truss, frame, concrete, steel, pushover, time history, etc.
Step-by-step description of commands
Text Editors:
You can use NotePad to edit Tcl scripts (just be sure to save as a .tcl file)
For syntax highlighting (e.g. comments in a different color), Crimson Editor is a nice alternative
http://www.crimsoneditor.com/ (Its FREE!)
The above links should provide you with the information necessary for your use of OpenSees in this class. If
you would like further background information see:
Step-by-step manual for people new to OpenSees or command line interpreters:
http://opensees.berkeley.edu/wiki/index.php/Getting_Started
Introduction:
To run a model:
Put the OpenSees executable in the same folder as the file you wish to run, OR use the cd command in
the OpenSees.exe command prompt to move the directory containing your OpenSees model
(modelDirectory)
E.g. >> cd modelDirectory
To execute your code, in the OpenSees.exe command prompt type (Note: you can also include this
command in your Tcl files to call another file):
>> source filename.tcl
General Tips:
Note: There are no units in OpenSees. You define basic units and stick with it (i.e. if your input is all in
units of kips & inches, your output will be in kips & inches)
Comments in Tcl are with the # symbol. Use them often!!
Defining and using variables:
o Define a variable (a=23) with: set a 23.
o Use a variable by putting $ in front of it (e.g. $a)
o Do simple math (4*a) with: [expr 4*$a]

Simple cantilever example (cantileverEx.tcl):

#---- SET-UP MODEL ---# units : kip, in

# clear all variables
wipe;
# Define model domain: 2 dimensions, 3 dof per node
model basic -ndm 2 -ndf 3;
#---- define GEOMETRY ---set L 50;
# create nodal coordinates: node, #, x-coord, y-coord
node 1 0. 0.;
node 2 0. $L;
# boundary conditions: node#, DX, DY, RZ (1=fixed, 0-free)
fix 1 1 1 1;
#---- define MATERIALS ---set SteelTag 1; # associate a tag to the material
set Es 29000;
set Fy 50;
set b 0.02; # Strain hardening ratio
uniaxialMaterial Steel02 $SteelTag $Fy $Es $b 20 0.925 0.15;
#---- define CROSS-SECTION ---# rectangular 3x4 steel fiber cross-section
# with 5 fibers along the width, 5 fibers along the height
set b [expr 3./2.];
set h [expr 4./2.];
set SectionTag 1
section Fiber $SectionTag{
#command: patch rect $matTag $numSubdivY $numSubdivZ $yI $zI $yJ $zJ
patch rect $SteelTag 5 5 -$b -$h $b $h
}
#---- define ELEMENTS ---# define geometric transformation: Linear, PDelta, or Corotational
set TransTag 1; # associate a tag to transformation
geomTransf Linear $TransTag;
# number of integration points

set np 5;
# create beam-column (element #1) from node 1 to 2
element forceBeamColumn 1 1 2 $np $ SectionTag $TransTag;
#---- define RECORDERS (Output) ---# displacements of free nodes
recorder Node -file DFree.out -time -node 2 -dof 1 2 3 disp;
# support reaction
recorder Node -file RBase.out -time -node 1 -dof 1 2 3 reaction;
# element global forces
recorder Element -file FEle.out -time -ele 1 force;
#---- define LOADS ---set Fx 1.;
pattern Plain 1 Linear {
load 2 $Fx 0. 0.; # node#, FX, FY, MZ
}
#---- define ANALYSIS PARAMETERS ---# Method to create and solve system of equation
system BandSPD
# Method to number DOFs
numberer Plain
# Constraint handler (Plain, Penalty, Lagrange, Transformation)
constraints Plain
# Convergence test and tolerance
set Tol 1.0e-8;
test NormDispIncr $Tol 6 ;
# Solution algorithm (Linear, Newton, ModifiedNewton, NewtonLineSearch, etc.)
algorithm Newton
# Integration (control) scheme (LoadControl, DisplacementControl, ArcLength)
set numIncr 50; # number of increments in analysis
set maxDispl 5.0; # total displacement = 5 inch
set delta [expr $maxDispl/$numIncr];
# push node 2, in the x-dir (dof=1)
integrator DisplacementControl 2 1 $delta
# create the analysis object (Static, Transient)
analysis Static
# Do the analysis
analyze $numIncr
wipe; # clear everything after analysis is done

Output:
In static analysis, the first column is the load multiplier. If your applied load is 1 (as in this example),
then this column is equal to the applied load
For the cantilever example, the data in each column of the output files are listed below:
o DFree.out (displacements/rotation of node 2): Load, x, y, rotation
o RBase.out (reaction forces at node 1): Load, Fx, Fy, M
o FEle.out (global element forces at node i, j): Load, Fxi, Fyi, Mi, Fxj, Fyj, Mj
There are many different types of output recorders. In the homework, you will be told what column
pertains to which data.
In Matlab:
dFree = load('DFree.out');
F = dFree(:,1);
d = dFree(:,2);
figure(), hold all, box on
plot(d,F,'b-*')
xlabel('Displ (in)'), ylabel('Force (kip)')

12

10

Force (kip)

0.5

1.5

2.5
Displ (in)

3.5

4.5