StructureThin

StructureThin is a computational framework for simulating thin-walled structures, balancing accuracy and efficiency. It uses a thin-shell representation, treating structures as a two-dimensional midsurface with through-thickness integration for selected effects. The framework supports linear and nonlinear analyses, including geometric nonlinearity, material nonlinearity, and buckling. It provides modular components for geometry handling, mesh generation, material models (isotropic, orthotropic, composite), boundary conditions, and solver backends. It integrates with CAD tools and post-processing pipelines through standard data formats. It uses reduced-order modeling and adaptive meshing to maintain accuracy where needed while reducing degrees of freedom.

History: StructureThin was developed by researchers in multiple institutions and released as an open-standard framework.

Applications: The framework is used for aerospace skin panels, automotive bodywork, civil engineering shells, pressure vessels, and architectural shells.

Limitations: It is less suitable for thick-walled structures or complex contact problems, and requires careful meshing. Accuracy depends on the thickness-to-span ratio and material behavior, with reduced performance near singularities.

See also: Finite element method, shell element, thin-shell theory, reduced-order modeling, structural analysis software.