How to Create & Update *INITIAL_VELOCITY_GENERATION

Cards for LS-DYNA

Daniel J. Young, PE
FHWA/NHTSA National Crash Analysis Center
The George Washington University
June, 2003

This document is to explain how to create *INITIAL_VELOCITY_GENERATION cards for LS-

DYNA. As of the time of this document’s creation no known pre-processor for LS-DYNA
models were known to update this card if the model was translated or rotated. Neither LS-
POST nor HyperMesh would update the card’s values. If a model was translated or rotated in
either of these pre-processors and then exported, to create a keyword input file for LS-DYNA
analysis, the values for *INITIAL_VELOCITY_GENERATION card would NOT BE correct!
Ingrid would change the output to *INITIAL_VELOCITY corresponding to each node. With a
large model this would take a very long time to update by hand, besides being mindlessly
tedious. Creating the initial velocity, especially for rotating bodies such as spinning vehicle
tires, are simple but also a little tricky. The intent of this document is to provide a clear
understanding of how to create or update this property card.

Example 1: Finding *INITIAL_VELOCITY_GENERATION values for rotation about the Z axis.

Let’s start off with an example where a vehicle is rotated about the Z axis 25°. This is a
common angle for many NCHRP Report 350 tests. The initial velocity for the vehicle is 100
km/h. Figure 1 shows a description of the rotation.

X Y
θ

Figure 1
LS-DYNA input for *INITIAL_VELOCITY_GENERATION card for Example 1.

*INITIAL_VELOCITY_GENERATION
$ ID STYP OMEGA VX VY VZ
2000112 1 78.025888 25175.217 11739.396 0.0
$ XC YC ZC NX NY NZ PHASE
3672.05 754.52 362.112-0.4226182 0.9063077 0.0 0

Variables for the example

V = Velocity of vehicle = 100 km/hr = 27777.777 mm/s
θ = 25°

Input values for *INITIAL_VELOCITY_GENERATION card of Example 1.

VX = V*cos(θ) = 25175.217
VY = V*sin(θ) = 11739.396
XC = X coordinate on rotational axis. See Figure 2.
YC = Y coordinate on rotational axis. See Figure 2.
ZC = Z coordinate on rotational axis. See Figure 2.
NX = -sin(θ) = -0.4226182, x-direction cosine. See Figure 3.
NY = cos(θ) = 0.9063077, y-direction cosine. See Figure 3.

Reference point for rotation of axis, i.e.: (XC,YC,ZC)

For example 1: Node 2025315 (3672.05, 754.52,
362.112)
Figure 2
 y

axles

θ°
NY

NX Reference point for rotation of axle, i.e.:

(XC,YC,ZC)
vehicle
θ°

x
Figure 3

Example 2: Finding *INITIAL_VELOCITY_GENERATION values for a rotation first about the Z

axis followed by a second rotation about the X axis.

In this second example a vehicle is first rotated 25° about the Z axis followed by a second
rotation of 9.462° occurring about the X axis. This is to create vehicles that are moving on an
inclined plane such as a hill. Velocity of the vehicle is 100km/hr. Figure 4 shows a
description of the rotation. Important note: Order of rotations is important! If rotation order is
reversed you will end up with a different orientation.

LS-DYNA input for *INITIAL_VELOCITY_GENERATION car for Example 2.

*INITIAL_VELOCITY_GENERATION
$ ID STYP OMEGA VX VY VZ
2000112 1 78.025888 25175.217 11579.680 1929.880
$ XC YC ZC NX NY NZ PHASE
3672.05 684.725 481.223-0.4226182 0.8939773 0.1489910 0

0.89397733213358860709224101594932
Variables for the example
V = Velocity of vehicle = 100 km/hr = 27777.777 mm/s
θ = 25° Z-axis rotation.
β = 9.462° X-axis rotation.
Input values for *INITIAL_VELOCITY_GENERATION card of Example 2.
VX = V*cos(θ) = 25175.217
VY = V*sin(θ)-Vsin(θ)*sin(β)*tan(0.5*β) = 11579.680
VZ = V*sin(θ)*sin(β) = 1929.880
XC = X coordinate on rotational axis. See Figure 5.
YC = Y coordinate on rotational axis. See Figure 5.
ZC = Z coordinate on rotational axis. See Figure 5.
NX = -sin(θ) x-direction cosine. See Figure 3 for a 2D example.
NY = cos(θ)-cos(θ)*sin(β)*tan(0.5*β) y-direction cosine. See Figure 3 for a 2D example.
NZ = cos(θ)*sin(β) z-direction cosine. See Figure 3 for a 2D example.
 Z

X θ Y

a
β
c α
d
b
e

Figure 4 – Visual of Rotations for Example 2

Reference point for rotation of axis, i.e.: (XC,YC,ZC)

For example 2: Node 2025315 (3672.05, 684.725,
481.223)
Figure 5

References

LS-DYNA Keyword User’s Manual, Version 960 Volume I, Copyright 2001 by Livermore
Software Technology Corporation, Livermore, California.