CSV Format for Bulk Loading Material Properties

Materials can be read in bulk from an external CSV formatted text file.

The CSV file must contain a header row and one or more additional rows of materials. The units must be consistent with the SI or IPS values displayed on the dialog. Please ensure they are specified in the proper format as no unit translation or checking is done here. The columns can be in any order.

Table 1. CSV File Format
Section Content
Header Row units, material-group, material-name, E, nu, rho, CTE, k, TYS, CYS, UTS, failure-criterion, stress-strain-curve-file-name
Material Rows

  • Col 1: units can be either “SI” or “IPS” and will define material units for the given row. The entire row must all be in consistent SI or IPS units as defined on the dialog fields. For example E must be in units of “pa” for SI or “psi” for IPS.

  • Col 2: material-group is a string

  • Col 3: material-name is a string

  • Col 4: E is Modulus of Elasticity

  • Col 5: nu is Poisson’s Ratio

  • Col 6: rho is density

  • Col 7: CTE is Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

  • Col 8: k is Thermal Conductivity

  • Col 9: TYS is Tensile Yield Strength

  • Col 10: CYS is Compressive Yield Strength

  • Col 11: UTS is Ultimate Tensile Strength

  • Col 12: failure-criterion must be one of the text strings “max-vm”, “max-shear”, “max-normal”, “christensen” or “not-specified”

  • Col 13: stress-strain-curve-file-name must be a .CSV formatted text file in the same directory. This is optional and only required for non-linear materials.
    Note: When specified, E will be ignored and instead derived from the supplied stress vs strain curve.

Elasticity Modulus

  • Elasticity modulus can be left blank when a stress-strain curve is defined. The elasticity modulus is calculated using the first two point on the curve.
  • If both elasticity modulus and the stress-strain curve are defined and if the elasticity modulus calculated from the curve is different from the elasticity modulus defined in Col 4, the stress-strain curve is edited to accommodate the elasticity modulus defined in Col 4.

Example file (mymaterials.csv)

units,material-group,material-name,E,nu,rho,CTE,k,TYS,CYS,UTS,failure-criterion,stress-strain-curve-file-name 
SI, myGroup, mySteel, 2.1311, 0.26, 8000, 1.5e-7, 50, 2.8e8, 2.8e8, 3.3e8, max-vm, my-stress-strain-xy-file.csv

Example file (my-stress-strain-xy-file.csv)

strain,stress 
0.00,0.00 
0.005,5.30e8 
0.4,5.30e8