FEA solver

Generated from SU2 commit 6b54b78464 on 2026-10-23. Do not edit this page. Edit the comment above the option in Common/src/CConfig.cpp instead.

FEA_FILENAME

Filename to input for element-based properties

FEA_ADVANCED_MODE

Determine if advanced features are used from the element-based FEA analysis (NO, YES = experimental)

ELASTICITY_MODULUS

Modulus of elasticity

POISSON_RATIO

Poisson ratio

MATERIAL_DENSITY

Material density

More in config_template.cfg: Density used in solids

MATERIAL_THERMAL_EXPANSION_COEFF

Material thermal expansion coefficient

MATERIAL_REFERENCE_TEMPERATURE

Temperature at which there is no stress from thermal expansion

More in config_template.cfg: Freestream temperature at which there is no stress from thermal expansion

KNOWLES_B

Knowles B constant

  • Type: real number
  • Default: 1.0
  • In config_template.cfg: KNOWLES_B= 1.0
  • Used in 1 test case file, for example: config.cfg (1.0)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2683

KNOWLES_N

Knowles N constant

  • Type: real number
  • Default: 1.0
  • In config_template.cfg: KNOWLES_N= 1.0
  • Used in 1 test case file, for example: config.cfg (1.0)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2685

DE_EFFECTS

Include DE effects Options: NO, YES

ELECTRIC_FIELD_CONST

Value of the Dielectric Elastomer constant

  • Type: list of real numbers
  • In config_template.cfg: ELECTRIC_FIELD_CONST= 4.25e-11
  • Used in 1 test case file, for example: configFEA.cfg (4.25E-11)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2691

ELECTRIC_FIELD_MOD

Modulus of the Electric Fields

ELECTRIC_FIELD_DIR

Direction of the Electic Fields

  • Type: list of real numbers
  • In config_template.cfg: ELECTRIC_FIELD_DIR= (0.0, 1.0)
  • Used in 1 test case file, for example: configFEA.cfg ((0.0,1.0))
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2695

DESIGN_VARIABLE_FEA

  • Design variable for FEA problems

More in config_template.cfg: Design variable for FEA problems options: NONE, YOUNG_MODULUS, POISSON_RATIO, DENSITY, DEAD_WEIGHT, ELECTRIC_FIELD

  • Type: one of the values below
  • Values: NONE, YOUNG_MODULUS, POISSON_RATIO, DENSITY, DEAD_WEIGHT, ELECTRIC_FIELD
  • Default: NONE
  • In config_template.cfg: DESIGN_VARIABLE_FEA= NONE
  • Used in 4 test case files, for example: configFEA.cfg (YOUNG_MODULUS)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2699

REFERENCE_GEOMETRY

Consider a reference solution for the structure (optimization applications) Options: NO, YES

REFERENCE_GEOMETRY_PENALTY

Penalty weight value for the objective function

REFERENCE_GEOMETRY_FILENAME

Reference geometry filename

  • Type: string
  • Default: string("reference_geometry")
  • In config_template.cfg: REFERENCE_GEOMETRY_FILENAME= reference_geometry
  • Used in 2 test case files, for example: configAD_fem.cfg (reference_geometry)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2706

REFERENCE_GEOMETRY_FORMAT

Format of the reference geometry file

  • Type: one of the values below
  • Values: SU2, CUSTOM
  • Default: SU2
  • In config_template.cfg: REFERENCE_GEOMETRY_FORMAT= SU2_REF
  • Used in 2 test case files, for example: configAD_fem.cfg (SU2)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2708

REFERENCE_GEOMETRY_SURFACE

If true consider only the surfaces where loads are applied.

REFERENCE_NODE

Reference node for the structure (optimization applications)

REFERENCE_NODE_DISPLACEMENT

Target displacement of the reference node

REFERENCE_NODE_PENALTY

Penalty weight value for the objective function

  • Type: real number
  • Default: 1E3
  • In config_template.cfg: REFERENCE_NODE_PENALTY= 1.0E3
  • Used in 7 test case files, for example: configFEA.cfg (1.0)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2717

TOTAL_DV_PENALTY

Penalty weight value to maintain the total sum of DV constant

STRESS_PENALTY_PARAM

Maximum allowed stress and KS exponent for structural optimization

More in config_template.cfg: Parameters for the corresponding OF (allowed stress and KS multiplier).

  • Type: fixed-size list of real numbers
  • Default: Not extracted; see the code.
  • In config_template.cfg: STRESS_PENALTY_PARAM= (1.0, 10.0)
  • Used in 1 test case file, for example: config.cfg ((1.0, 10.0))
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2723

GEOMETRIC_CONDITIONS

Geometric condition

More in config_template.cfg: Geometric conditions

MATERIAL_MODEL

Material model

MATERIAL_COMPRESSIBILITY

Compressibility of the material

  • Type: one of the values below
  • Values: COMPRESSIBLE, NEARLY_INCOMPRESSIBLE
  • Default: COMPRESSIBLE
  • In config_template.cfg: MATERIAL_COMPRESSIBILITY= COMPRESSIBLE
  • Used in 5 test case files, for example: configAD_fem.cfg (COMPRESSIBLE), config.cfg (NEARLY_INCOMPRESSIBLE)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2730

PRESTRETCH

Consider a prestretch in the structural domain Options: NO, YES

PRESTRETCH_FILENAME

Filename to input for prestretching membranes

  • Type: string
  • Default: string("prestretch_file")
  • In config_template.cfg: PRESTRETCH_FILENAME= prestretch_file
  • Used in 1 test case file, for example: configFEA.cfg (prestretch)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2736

NONLINEAR_FEM_SOLUTION_METHOD

Iterative method for non-linear structural analysis

  • Type: one of the values below
  • Values: NEWTON_RAPHSON, MODIFIED_NEWTON_RAPHSON
  • Default: NEWTON_RAPHSON
  • In config_template.cfg: NONLINEAR_FEM_SOLUTION_METHOD= NEWTON_RAPHSON
  • Mentioned in: Non-linear Elasticity
  • Used in 3 test case files, for example: configAD_fem.cfg (NEWTON_RAPHSON)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2739

FORMULATION_ELASTICITY_2D

Formulation for bidimensional elasticity solver

More in config_template.cfg: Formulation for 2-dimensional elasticity solver

CENTRIFUGAL_FORCE

Apply centrifugal forces Options: NO, YES

More in config_template.cfg: Centrifugal forces due to ROTATION_RATE around MOTION_ORIGIN. GRAVITY_FORCE and BODY_FORCE can also be used with the FEA solver.

PSEUDO_STATIC

Temporary: pseudo static analysis (no density in dynamic analysis) Options: NO, YES

NEWMARK_BETA

Parameter alpha for Newmark scheme (s)

NEWMARK_GAMMA

Parameter gamma for Newmark scheme (s)

RAMP_LOADING

Apply the load as a ramp

RAMP_TIME

Time while the load is to be increased linearly

DYNAMIC_LOAD_TRANSFER

Transfer method used for multiphysics problems

  • Type: one of the values below
  • Values: INSTANTANEOUS, RAMP, CUBIC, QUINTIC, SIGMOID_10, SIGMOID_20
  • Default: RAMP
  • In config_template.cfg: DYNAMIC_LOAD_TRANSFER= RAMP
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2757

TIME_INT_STRUCT_COEFFS

Newmark - Generalized alpha - coefficients

  • Type: list of real numbers
  • In config_template.cfg: TIME_INT_STRUCT_COEFFS= 0.0
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2760

INCREMENTAL_LOAD

Apply dead loads. Options: NO, YES

NUMBER_INCREMENTS

Maximum number of increments of the

INCREMENTAL_CRITERIA

Definition of the UTOL RTOL ETOL

PREDICTOR

Use of predictor

PREDICTOR_ORDER

Order of the predictor

TOPOLOGY_OPTIMIZATION

Topology optimization options

More in config_template.cfg: “Classic” density approach to topology optimization. Each element is assigned a density variable that is used to penalize its stiffness.

  • Type: YES / NO
  • Default: NO
  • In config_template.cfg: TOPOLOGY_OPTIMIZATION= NO
  • Used in 4 test case files, for example: config.cfg (YES)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2777

TOPOL_OPTIM_OUTFILE

Output file for the derivatives of the OBJECTIVE_FUNCTION w.r.t. the design densities. (from config_template.cfg)

TOPOL_OPTIM_SIMP_EXPONENT

The penalization exponent for the Simplified Isotropic Material with Penalization. (from config_template.cfg)

  • Type: real number
  • Default: 1.0
  • In config_template.cfg: TOPOL_OPTIM_SIMP_EXPONENT= 1.0
  • Used in 4 test case files, for example: config.cfg (3.0)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2779

TOPOL_OPTIM_SIMP_MINSTIFF

The stiffness of void elements (normalized by ELASTICITY_MODULUS) (from config_template.cfg)

  • Type: real number
  • Default: 0.001
  • In config_template.cfg: TOPOL_OPTIM_SIMP_MINSTIFF= 0.001
  • Used in 1 test case file, for example: config.cfg (0.001)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2780

TOPOL_OPTIM_FILTER_KERNEL

Filtering is required to avoid numerical issues, see [Sigmund, 2007] (DOI 10.1007/s00158-006-0087-x). Currently available options: CONSTANT; CONICAL (default); GAUSSIAN; DILATE; ERODE. The filter can have multiple sequential stages (2 in this case). (from config_template.cfg)

  • Type: list of the values below
  • Values: CONSTANT, CONICAL, GAUSSIAN, DILATE, ERODE
  • In config_template.cfg: TOPOL_OPTIM_FILTER_KERNEL= (DILATE, ERODE)
  • Used in 4 test case files, for example: config.cfg (( DILATE,ERODE ))
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2781

TOPOL_OPTIM_FILTER_RADIUS

Each kernel can have its own radius (R1, R2, …) or one value can be specified for all. (from config_template.cfg)

TOPOL_OPTIM_KERNEL_PARAM

The Gaussian, Erode, and Dilate filters, have a constant parameter. Again this can be a list. (from config_template.cfg)

TOPOL_OPTIM_SEARCH_LIMIT

The filtering may become very expensive if the mesh has very refined regions. If different from 0 this option mitigates that by limiting the “logical radius” (for immediate neighbors that radius is 1, etc.). (from config_template.cfg)

  • Type: integer
  • Default: 0
  • In config_template.cfg: TOPOL_OPTIM_SEARCH_LIMIT= 0
  • Used in 1 test case file, for example: config.cfg (0)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2784

TOPOL_OPTIM_PROJECTION_TYPE

After the filtering, a projection step can be applied to increase the solid-void contrast, i.e. the discreteness of the solution. Options: NO_PROJECTION (default); HEAVISIDE_UP; HEAVISIDE_DOWN. (from config_template.cfg)

  • Type: one of the values below
  • Values: NO_PROJECTION, HEAVISIDE_UP, HEAVISIDE_DOWN
  • Default: NO_PROJECTION
  • In config_template.cfg: TOPOL_OPTIM_PROJECTION_TYPE= NO_PROJECTION
  • Used in 4 test case files, for example: config.cfg (NO_PROJECTION)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2785

TOPOL_OPTIM_PROJECTION_PARAM

The continuous Heaviside function (step) approximations require a parameter, large value equals more discrete. (from config_template.cfg)

FEA_ID_DIRECTDIFF

ID of the region we want to compute the sensitivities using direct differentiation

RESTART_STEADY_STATE

Restart from a steady state (sets grid velocities to 0 when loading the restart).

  • Type: YES / NO
  • Default: NO
  • In config_template.cfg: RESTART_STEADY_STATE= NO
  • Used in 1 test case file, for example: config.cfg (NO)
  • Code: CConfig.cpp line 2795


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