Visualization of Displacements
Displaced shapes of slabs and the base layer can be viewed for any project for which a solution exists. To enter the displacement visualization panel, select Displacements from the Visualize menu. This will bring up the panel shown below (the project "test_2_3_skew" that is used as an example here is installed with EverFE2.23). Note that you cannot change any model parameters when in the visualization panel. To return to EverFE's input panels when you are done viewing stresses, select the Return to Model Builder option from the Visualization menu.
Figure 1: Displacement Visualization Panel
As shown below in Figure 2, the upper-left slab is now tan in the model plan view. You can select any slab or combination of slabs for which you want to view displaced shapes by clicking on a slab in the plan view, which changes its color from gray to tan. Clicking on a selected slab will de-select it. To view all slabs in the mode, you can check the Show all slabs box in the visualization panel, which will highlight all slabs in the model. You can also choose to show the base layer underneath the slabs (if it exists) by checking Show the base, and you can superimpose a wire frame of the undeformed system by checking Show undeformed slabs and base. The scale factor on the displacements defaults to 500, and can be varied between 0 and 1000 using the slider entitled Deformation Scale Factor.
Figure 2: Plan View Showing Selected Slabs
After selecting the model components that you wish to view, click on the View Displacements button at the bottom of the panel. This will bring up a visualization window that will show the displaced slabs and/or base in a 3D perspective. For the example "test_2_3_skew," if all slabs and the base are selected, the visualization window will appear as in Figure 3. The slabs are shown in gray, and the base layer in yellow; note how the separation between the slabs and base under the action of the negative thermal gradient is clearly shown, as are the differential displacements at joints.
Figure 3: Deformed Slabs and Base for Project "test_2_3_skew"
As with stress visualization, you can zoom in and out and rotate the view using the mouse. Zooming in can be accomplished by right-clicking the mouse in the visualization window above the window centerline, and zooming out is accomplished by right-clicking below the window centerline. The rate of zoom is controlled by the distance of the mouse-click from the window centerline. Rotation is accomplished by left-clicking in the visualization window. If you ever get "lost" while rotating a view, simply click on the View Displacements button and the model will snap back to the original orientation and scale.
Note: Closing the visualization window will shut down EverFE. However, to reduce desktop clutter, you can minimize the visualization window when you no longer need it.