OpenSees (Open System for Earthquake Engineering Simulation) is a software package for simulating the seismic response of structural and geotechnical systems. With version 2.5.0+ CCR supports serial (OpenSees) and parallel (OpenSeesSP and OpenSeesMP) implementations.

Category:  Engineering

Availability: Open access for all academic users

Usage Notes

To show the software versions: 
    module avail opensees

Loading the module will set the path and any necessary variables:
    module load opensees/version

About the OpenSees Binaries

Loading the OpenSees modules provides access to three binaries --- OpenSees, OpenSeesSP, and OpenSeesMP. The OpenSees binary can only make use of a single processor. The OpenSeesSP and OpenSeesMP binaries can make use of multiple processors and these can be distributed across multiple nodes. 

The descriptions below can help you choose the binary that is best suited to your purpose:
  • OpenSees: The OpenSees binary is for running OpenSees on a single processor. It is a good choice for solving small models that don't require a long time to solve.
  • OpenSeesSP: The OpenSeesSP binary is for solving a model in parallel using MPI-enabled solvers (e.g. SuperLU and MUMPS). It is a good choice for large models that would take a very long time to solve using the OpenSees binary.
  • OpenSeesMP: The OpenSeesMP binary is for distributing many models runs or other independent OpenSees processing tasks using MPI as a task launcher. It is good for parallelizing parameter sweeps, sensitivity and uncertainty analyses, and simulation-based design optimizations.
Documentation for OpenSeesSP and OpenSeesMP is somewhat limited. The following pdf file is a good place to start: OpenSees Parallel Processing

Additional Information

Examples have been created for using the opensees module in different contexts and these may be found in the CCR's "$UTIL/academic" storage area.

  • A straightforward application of opensees to run sequential simulations (suitable for solving small models):
    $UTIL/academic/opensees/example
  • Using MatLab to drive a parameter sweep in parallel:
    $UTIL/academic/opensees/example-matlab
  • Using OpenSeesMP to drive a parameter sweep in parallel:
    $UTIL/academic/opensees/example-mp
  • Using OpenSeesSP to run a parallel simulation (suitable for solving large models):
    $UTIL/academic/opensees/example-sp

The OpenSees community offers an online seminar series for beginner, intermediate, and advanced users.  Click here to access Discovering OpenSees