MIDAS - Multifunctional interface between design and mechanical response solver

The MIDAS interface is a tool without graphical user interface designated for manipulating both input and output data to software package for structural analysis. MIDAS's source code, written in C++, is released under GPLv3+ license regulations.

The aim of this software is to create widely applicable tool improving the cooperation between two professions, designers and the structural engineers.

It can work with data files of different formats - UNV, VTK, VTK XML as well as OOFEM, SIFEL, T3d and ANSYS native formats. The raw data loaded by MIDAS are parsed in order to build an internal object structure representing the analyzed model. On top of that, the complete topological connectivity of the model is internally assembled in such a way that each geometrical element (point, edge, face, cell) is aware of other elements with shared vertexes. The structured data can be analyzed, modified or refined in various ways, all done by intrinsic MIDAS's features. These are, for instance, the mesh quality control, searching and merging identical nodes and finite elements, detection and clearing elements of zero dimensions, localization and eliminating the domains separated from the main body, detection of unsupported nodes of local kinematic mechanisms, parallel computing support, etc. Multiple independent meshes with split nodes can be connected utilizing hanging nodes or rigid arms, thus for instance, the effect of reinforcement bars can be integrated in parent meshes. Moreover, eccentric joints of beam elements are also allowed through rigid arms, where the perpendicular distances between the beam axes are found either automatically or fed by means of input.

Obviously, the MIDAS interface is a tool with relatively simple but powerful dispositions. Due to the license regulations covering the source code, MIDAS can be easily extended according to additional needs, e.g. when solving non-standard problems with complex geometry and topology.