Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “building engineers”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 487 records · Page 27
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2003

Operational Issues in the Development of a Cost-Effective Reusable LOX/LH2 Engine

The NASA Space Launch Initiative (SLI) was initiated in early 2001 to conduct technology development and to reduce the business and technical risk associated with developing the next-generation reusable launch system. In the field of main propulsion, two LOXLH2 rocket engine systems, the Pratt & Whitney / Aerojet Joint Venture (JV) COBRA and the Rocketdyne RS-83, were funded to develop a safe, economical, and reusable propulsion system. Given that a large-thrust reusable rocket engine program had not been started in the U.S. since 1971, with the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), this provided an opportunity to build on the experience developed on the SSME system, while exploiting advances in technology that had occurred in the intervening 30 years. One facet of engine development that was identified as being especially vital in order to produce an optimal system was in the areas of operability and maintainability. In order to achieve the high levels of performance required by the Space Shuttle, the SSME system is highly complex with very tight tolerances and detailed requirements. Over the lifetime of the SSME program, the engine has required a high level of manpower to support the performance of inspections, maintenance (scheduled and unscheduled) and operations (prelaunch and post-flight). As a consequence, the labor- intensive needs of the SSME provide a significant impact to the overall cost efficiency of the Space Transportation System (STS). One of the strategic goals of the SLI is to reduce cost by requiring the engine(s) to be easier (Le. less expensive) to operate and maintain. The most effective means of accomplishing this goal is to infuse the operability and maintainability features into the engine design from the start. This paper discusses some of the operational issues relevant to a reusable LOx/LH2 main engine, and the means by which their impact is mitigated in the design phase.

Ballard, Richard O.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Report Series: Finding of Effect, and Mitigation Documentation for Building 23-702, Mercury, Area 23, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) plans to demolish Building 23-702 in the town of Mercury (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15278), which is on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada (see Figure 1). The purpose of the undertaking is related to the modernization of Mercury for future mission needs. The NNSA/NFO will implement this undertaking in accordance with the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA. Building 23-702 was built in 1965 as a foil handling building for the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL), who worked on the design and engineering of nuclear weapons and other nuclear experiments. The building appeared to have secondarily functioned as a storage for radioactive sources in the 1980s and 1990s. The building was operational until 2004, then deactivated sometime between 2005 and 2014. The town of Mercury and the immediate surrounding area have been formally determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register, NRHP) as the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource No. D230) under Criteria A and C for its importance in supporting nuclear testing and scientific research from 1951 through 1992. Building 23-702 was identified as a contributing element to the MHD in a 2018 architectural survey of the district (Reno et al.) and recorded on a Nevada Architectural Resource Assessment (ARA) form (Reno et al. 2017). Building 23-702 was also identified in Appendix C of the Mercury PA as a Category I contributing element, indicating that it might be individually eligible for the NRHP. It is a historic property for the purposes of compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and subject to the stipulations of the Mercury PA.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Rapid Flux Phenotyping to Accelerate Metabolic Engineering of Cyanobacteria

This project established a rapid flux phenotyping platform to accelerate metabolic engineering of cyanobacterial hosts. As proof of principle, we applied this platform to optimize cyanobacterial production of isobutyraldehyde and ethylene in Synechococcus PCC 7942, as well as lysine and fatty acids in the fast-growing strain S ynechococcus PCC 7002. By matching the throughput of strain characterization to the rate of strain generation, this research provided the foundation for a rational “design-build-test-learn” cycle for metabolic engineering of cyanobacteria and other bioenergy-relevant microbes.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1989

A systems engineering management approach to resource management applications

The author presents a program management response to the following question: How can the traditional practice of systems engineering management, including requirements specification, be adapted, enhanced, or modified to build future planning and scheduling systems for effective operations? The systems engineering management process, as traditionally practiced, is examined. Extensible resource management systems are discussed. It is concluded that extensible systems are a partial solution to problems presented by requirements that are incomplete, partially immeasurable, and often dynamic. There are positive indications that resource management systems have been characterized and modeled sufficiently to allow their implementation as extensible systems.

Hornstein, Rhoda Shaller↗
NASA NTRS2001

Nanotechnology Concepts at Marshall Space Flight Center: Engineering Directorate

Nanotechnology is the art and science of building materials and devices at the ultimate level of finesse: atom by atom. Our nation's space program has need for miniaturization of components, minimization of weight, and maximization of performance, and nanotechnology will help us get there. Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) Engineering Directorate is committed to developing nanotechnology that will enable MSFC missions in space transportation, space science, and space optics manufacturing. MSFC has a dedicated group of technologists who are currently developing high-payoff nanotechnology concepts. This poster presentation will outline some of the concepts being developed including, nanophase structural materials, carbon nanotube reinforced metal and polymer matrix composites, nanotube temperature sensors, and aerogels. The poster will outline these concepts and discuss associated technical challenges in turning these concepts into real components and systems.

Bhat, B.↗
NASA NTRS2014

A Modular Aerospike Engine Design Using Additive Manufacturing

A modular aerospike engine concept has been developed with the objective of demonstrating the viability of the aerospike design using additive manufacturing techniques. The aerospike system is a self-compensating design that allows for optimal performance over the entire flight regime and allows for the lowest possible mass vehicle designs. At low altitudes, improvements in Isp can be traded against chamber pressure, staging, and payload. In upper stage applications, expansion ratio and engine envelope can be traded against nozzle efficiency. These features provide flexibility to the System Designer optimizing a complete vehicle stage. The aerospike concept is a good example of a component that has demonstrated improved performance capability, but traditionally has manufacturing requirements that are too expensive and complex to use in a production vehicle. In recent years, additive manufacturing has emerged as a potential method for improving the speed and cost of building geometrically complex components in rocket engines. It offers a reduction in tooling overhead and significant improvements in the integration of the designer and manufacturing method. In addition, the modularity of the engine design provides the ability to perform full scale testing on the combustion devices outside of the full engine configuration. The proposed design uses a hydrocarbon based gas-generator cycle, with plans to take advantage of existing powerhead hardware while focusing DDT&E resources on manufacturing and sub-system testing of the combustion devices. The major risks for the modular aerospike concept lie in the performance of the propellant feed system, the structural integrity of the additive manufactured components, and the aerodynamic efficiency of the exhaust flow.

Peugeot, John↗
NASA NTRS2011

Simulating Ice Accretion Effects on Engine Performance

Develop a modeling tool that can be used to predict the onset of engine icing due to ice crystal ingestion. The tool will be capable of modeling the effects of ice build up as well as its effect on engine performance. Perform a parametric study of an engine with simulated ice blockage effects at altitude conditions. Using the tool, estimate the effect of blockage in the low pressure compressor due to ice buildup (accretion), and its effects on engine performance.

Jorgenson, Philip C. E.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Role of Cyber-Physical Testing in Developing Resilient Extraterrestrial Habitats

Extraterrestrial long-term habitat systems (henceforth referred to as habitat systems) require groundbreaking technological advances to overcome the extreme demands introduced by isolation and challenging environments. A habitat system must operate as intended under continuous disruptive conditions. Designing for the demands that challenging environments will place on habitat systems (e.g., wild temperature fluctuations, galactic cosmic rays, destructive dust, meteoroid impacts, vibrations, and solar particle events) represents one of the greatest challenges in this endeavor. This engineering problem necessitates that we design and manage habitat systems to be resilient. System resilience requires a comprehensive approach that accounts for disruptions through the design process and adapts to them in operation. As the habitat system evolves—growing in physical size, complexity, population, and connectivity—and diversifies in operations, it must continue to be safe and resilient. In this endeavor, we should take advantage of lessons learned in developing civil infrastructure responsive to catastrophic natural hazards, autonomous robotics platforms, smart buildings, cyber-physical testing, complex systems, and diagnostics and prognostics for intelligent health management. This study highlights the importance of system resilience and cyber-physical testing to address the grand challenge of developing habitat systems.

Public health and safety↗
NASA NTRS2017

Hypervelocity Impact Testing of Materials for Additive Construction: Applications on Earth, the Moon, and Mars

Additive Construction is the process of building infrastructure such as habitats, garages, roads, berms, etcetera layer by layer (3D printing). The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are pursuing additive construction to build structures using resources available in-situ. Using materials available in-situ reduces the cost of planetary missions and operations in theater. The NASA team is investigating multiple binders that can be produced on planetary surfaces, including the magnesium oxide-based Sorel cement; the components required to make Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), the common cement used on Earth, have been found on Mars. The availability of OPC-based concrete on Earth drove the USACE to pursue additive construction for base housing and barriers for military operations. Planetary and military base structures must be capable of resisting micrometeoroid impacts with velocities ranging from 11 to 72km/s for particle sizes 200 micrometers or more (depending on protection requirements) as well as bullets and shrapnel with a velocity of 1.036km/s with projectiles 5.66mm diameter and 57.40mm in length, respectively.

Hypervelocity Impact↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Preliminary Findings of the Experimental Development Unit Cold Flow Test for a Generation Zero Nuclear Propulsion Engine

Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) technology will greatly benefit human travel to Mars by significantly shortening transit times, improving crew safety, and providing more mission flexibility than traditional chemical rockets. As part of DRACO follow-on work to develop, build, and fly a generation zero NTP engine, a full scale flight-like experimental design unit (EDU) reactor was constructed to collect sufficient on-ground performance data to characterize flow induced vibrations (FIV) of critical reactor structures/components, inform development of the engine and reactor control algorithm, and collect pressure drop and flow distribution data across the reactor. The fluid conditions for the test program were designed to achieve system responses equivalent to that of an operational engine through all phases of engine operation including reactor startup, mainstage operation, reactor shutdown, and reactor cooldown. Over 100 tests were executed, flowing either GN2 or GHe through the EDU at varying flow rates and pressures. This experiment provided early validation of flow behavior and vibration risks before nuclear testing, boosted critical subsystem TRLs, informed design iterations, and reduced future test costs. The steady-state flow parameters for the experiment were modeled in Ansys Thermal Desktop, allowing rapid tuning and experiment-informed updates to a flight-like test matrix. The EDU dynamic environment was characterized with accelerometers, strain gauges, and high-frequency pressure transducers all sampled at 20 kHz. While many narrow-band oscillations were identified, no significant FIV occurred; the reactor structural responses tend to be enveloped by typical launch vehicle ascent vibration environments (defined up to 2 kHz), although significant energy is also present at higher frequencies.

Flow Induced Vibration↗
DOE OSTI2020

SCEPTRE 2.1 Quick Start Guide

This report provides a summary of notes for building and running the Sandia Computational Engine for Particle Transport for Radiation Effects (SCEPTRE) code. SCEPTRE is a general purpose C++ code for solving the Boltzmann transport equation in serial or parallel using unstructured spatial finite elements, multigroup energy treatment, and a variety of angular treatments including discrete ordinates and spherical harmonics. Either the first-order form of the Boltzmann equation or one of the second-order forms may be solved. SCEPTRE requires a small number of open-source Third Party Libraries (TPL) to be available, and example scripts for building these TPL's are provided. The TPL's needed by SCEPTRE are Trilinos, boost, and netcdf. SCEPTRE uses an autoconf build system, and a sample configure script is provided. Running the SCEPTRE code requires that the user provide a spatial finite-elements mesh in Exodus format and a cross section library in a format that will be described. SCEPTRE uses an xml-based input, and several examples will be provided.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2021

SCEPTRE 2.2 Quick Start Guide

This report provides a summary of notes for building and running the Sandia Computational Engine for Particle Transport for Radiation Effects (SCEPTRE) code. SCEPTRE is a general- purpose C++ code for solving the li near Boltzmann transport equation in serial or parallel using unstructured spatial finite elements, multigroup energy treatment, and a variety of angular treatments including discrete ordinates and spherical harmonics. Either the first-order form of the Boltzmann equation or one of the second-order forms may be solved. SCEPTRE requires a small number of open-source Third Part y Libraries (TPL) to be available, and example scripts for building these TPLs are provided. The TPLs needed by SCEPTRE are Trilinos, boost, and netcdf. SCEPTRE uses an autotools build system , and a sample configure script is provided. Running the SCEPTRE code requires that the user provide a spatial finite-elements mesh in Exodus format and a cross section library in a format that will be described. SCEPTRE uses an xml-based input, and several examples will be provided.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2021

SCEPTRE 2.3 Quick Start Guide

This report provides a summary of notes for building and running the Sandia Computational Engine for Particle Transport for Radiation Effects (SCEPTRE) code. SCEPTRE is a general- purpose C++ code for solving the linear Boltzmann transport equation in serial or parallel using unstructured spatial finite elements, multigroup energy treatment, and a variety of angular treatments including discrete ordinates (Sn) and spherical harmonics (Pn). Either the first-order form of the Boltzmann equation or one of the second-order forms may be solved. SCEPTRE requires a small number of open-source Third Party Libraries (TPL) to be available, and example scripts for building these TPL are provided. The TPL needed by SCEPTRE are Trilinos, Boost, and Netcdf. SCEPTRE uses an autotools build system, and a sample configure script is provided. Running the SCEPTRE code requires that the user provide a spatial finite-elements mesh in Exodus format and a cross section library in a format that will be described. SCEPTRE uses an xml-based input, and several examples will be provided.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Investigation of powertrain system decarbonization using electrically assisted turbocharging and hybridization in off-road vehicles

In recent years, the causes, effects, and existential threat of a global anthropogenic climate shift have drawn significant attention and stimulated mitigation efforts from all genres of scientific, political, and industrial bodies. The greenhouse effect and the detrimental environmental impact of excess greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, like carbon dioxide, is well studied and targeted as the primary culprit for aversive action. However, some fields exist where reducing GHG emissions is met by considerable challenges. One such field is the production and operations of off-road vehicles. Applications of these vehicles are highly diverse and are often characterized by rugged, especially transient, and power intensive duty cycles that make one-fits-all vehicle configuration solutions impractical. This research surveys existing literature to identify the modern technologies packages and challenges that face development and configuration of powertrain systems which currently navigate the regulated emissions and unique duty cycle requirements of this market space. A novel powertrain concept is proposed and evaluated with respect to the pinnacle objectives of load performance improvement, criteria pollutant reduction, and reducing the life cycle GHG intensity of its operation. A sure-fire path to vehicular GHG reduction is through improving the fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines (ICEs), an entrenched component of the off-road vehicle sector. Unfortunately, this is more easily said than done. An approach that has proven successful in this endeavor is engine downsizing and turbocharging, where a larger engine is replaced with a smaller one with added air system boosting via turbocharger to reduce frictional and pumping losses while also enabling access to additional fuel energy. However, practical realization of these potential benefits is often impeded by the transient response capability of the smaller engine across the operating space. For this reason, downsized ICE powertrains have turned to electrified forced induction systems (EFISs) for a decoupling of exhaust energy and engine speed from boost capability. Platformed on 48V hybrid technology, these systems introduce the need for more sophisticated controls around the engine gas-exchange process for the management of boost performance and exhaust gas emissions. On this account, simulation studies utilizing a GT-POWER model of a turbocharged 4.5 L engine outfit with an EFIS using an electrically driven compressor (eBooster®) are conducted to provide insight into the performance of this air handling architecture on an off-road engine. The results show that improvement in transient torque response time in sync with reduction in engine-out soot and NOx emissions are possible with an engine recalibration that leverages the transient air-fuel ratio authority of the eBooster®. Benefits are further demonstrated when duty cycle simulations of the 48V mild-hybrid engine concept are exercised, showing an acute decrease in cumulative fuel usage and soot production. Powertrain hybridization is another technological pathway achieving pronounced GHG reduction successes in modern on-road vehicle applications through integration of Li-ion battery technology. In the off-road vehicle segment, a review of available literature concludes that hybridized architectures are present but generally lack the depth of technologies that have both high specific energy and power capabilities, and thus are limited in their inclusion of Li-ion batteries for ICE assistance and enhanced energy storage capability. Therefore, building on the mild-hybrid engine results, the downsized and eBoosted engine concept was integrated into a larger high-voltage battery-hybrid series-electric powertrain system. Hybrid powertrain parameter sensitivity studies were carried out in a numerical charge-sustaining framework, providing novel insights into power flows between the battery and the engine and how their respective capabilities and operation contribute to GHG and criteria pollutant emissions of diverse duty cycles. Application of supervisory power management introduced robustness into the power sourcing and battery SOC control process and showed that optimum specification of battery properties can yield synergies between GHG emissions and battery energy capacity. Furthermore, examination of recent literature on Li-ion batteries has shown that pack manufacturing is a highly energy intensive process, thereby producing considerable quantities of GHGs that scale with energy storage capacity. Also scaling with a battery’s energy storage capacity is its investment cost. In consideration of these factors, an inclusive technoeconomic and GHG life cycle analysis is conducted. This analysis systematically compares the carbon footprint and total cost of ownership associated with the proposed hybrid powertrain concept to reference and alternative powertrain configurations, facilitating a thorough evaluation of the decarbonization effectiveness and economic viability.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Gripper Test Assembly Status Report (FY2020)

Refueling systems for fast reactors are designed to handle fresh and used core assemblies (fuel, reflector, and shield core assemblies) within the reactor vessel in an opaque coolant environment without visual reference. These refueling machines are designed to work in a sodium (or other fast reactor coolant) and argon vapor space environment and are engineered with the rotatable plug system to allow for the movement of fresh and spent fuel into and out of the reactor core. The refueling machines are a critical component in any reactor and thus need to undergo extensive testing in a prototypic environment to ensure that they will meet all of the system functions and requirements. Argonne has developed an innovative compact refueling system design for the Advanced Fast Reactor-100 that is based upon some mechanisms used in previous reactor designs, such as the U.K.’s Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) and some mechanisms that have not been used in sodium. This compact refueling machine supports the reduction in size of the AFR-100’s reactor vessel, and if fully developed, would support and inform the development of the in-vessel refueling machines for such commercial reactors as the GEH PRISM reactor plant, the ARC Clean Energy’s ARC-100 reactor, and the Natrium reactor, among others. This refueling system is a vital component of a fast reactor that supports reducing the cost of the reactor and increasing its reliability. During the development of the compact fuel handling machine conceptual design for the AFR-100, a lack of testing data for many mechanical components in sodium under typical in-reactor loads and conditions was discovered. The reduction in lifetime of the various mechanical components in the liquid sodium environment needs to be quantified versus the calculated component lifetimes under normal conditions in the testing while they are subjected to typical loading profiles experienced in the past. The Gripper Test Assembly discussed here includes a full-size gripper device with appropriate mechanical features that will be tested in sodium to provide this testing data. The Gripper Test Assembly is used to test various mechanical fuel handling components submerged in high temperature liquid sodium. These mechanisms are gears, bearings, gripper jaws and head, universal joints and shafts, ball screws, among others. These components will be tested under the typical sodium environmental conditions experienced during refueling operations with appropriate loading conditions that simulate the removal and insertion of core assemblies into a fast reactor grid plate structure. This Gripper Test Assembly is the second in a series of refueling system mechanisms developed for testing in sodium. The first test assembly is the Gear Test Assembly (GTA) which was used to test the performance of gears and bearings operating in sodium. Because of the successful testing conducted with the GTA, it was decided to continue with the development of the Gripper Test Assembly which uses the same gears and bearings tested in GTA. Using the data collected during operation of this gripper test assembly, lifetime reduction factors of the various mechanical components can be calculated for the material combinations selected. These lifetime reduction factors can be used in the design of future mechanical systems which operate in these environments to accurately predict component end of life. In addition, an understanding of the ability of these components and mechanisms to operate under-sodium with the chosen materials will be accomplished. Again, this Gripper Test Assembly is the follow-on test article to the Gear Test Assembly which was testing the ability of gears and bearings operating in a sodium environment. Once fabricated and qualified, it will be tested in the Mechanism Engineering Test Loop (METL) facility located in Building 308 at Argonne National Laboratory.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Need for research and training reactors for advanced reactor designs

Full text of publication follows. Research and training reactors have served a valuable role in helping train workforce for currently operating fleet of light water reactors. These research and training reactors have been used in reactor laboratory classes to familiarize the students with such vital concepts as approach to criticality, reactor period, neutron moderation, reactivity, flux distribution and leakage, etc. As the industry moves toward advanced non-light-water reactor designs, it is critical that research and training reactors be developed and deployed at university campuses to help train the new generation of nuclear and non-nuclear engineers who are likely to design, build, and operate these advanced reactors. Among the designs currently being pursued for nuclear power generation include molten salt, sodium cooled, and gas cooled designs, with options for various fuel forms. Thus, industry and DOE in collaboration with academic institutions should devise plans on how to familiarize the next generation of nuclear workforce with hands-on experience necessary for such designs. These research and training reactors will play a vital role in familiarizing the future workforce with hands-on experience with concepts associated with fast spectrum reactors, gas cooled reactors, and other features not associated with light water reactors. In addition to classical nuclear engineering concepts, these advanced research and training reactors can also be used for hands-on training as well as for research on features being considered in the design of GEN-IV reactors: cyber security for digital control room operations, hybrid energy system, hydrogen generation, district heating, autonomous control... (author)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2023

CASTLE: Conflict Analysis Strategy Testing Laboratory Environment v.1.0.0

SAND2024-01743O The Conflict Analysis Strategy Testing Laboratory Environment (CASTLE) is a software framework that enables and simplifies building a novel, turn-based strategy game in which it can define its own rules, maps, pieces, and interactions. The software is for novice to experienced programmers with some knowledge of Unity3D, a tool used in game production. CASTLE includes a library of common game mechanics used for strategic wargames and traditional board games, such as cards, tokens, dice, and grid maps. It follows design principles popularized by the video game industry and uses singletons for managing portions of the code. CASTLE builds on Unity's component-based design and can respond to engine events during execution. Among the numerous user-friendly features: Build games quickly and cost-effectively Network in real-time and apply data to new games developed on the framework Host multiple participants online Connect rule- or machine learning-based agents to a CASTLE game to serve as opponents or to simulate games Collect data collection from players and in-game behaviors Create a survey to gather demographics or opinions from players Store data locally or save it to an external database through Representational State Transfer (REST) functions CASTLE, which was prototyped using Microsoft Azure, is also designed for easily distributing online games using popular cloud services. The multiplayer functionality includes an agent interface, allowing developers to construct AI players that can substitute for humans in any of the games. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525.

Fabian, Nathan↗
DOE OSTI2024

Improving and Automating Building Model Data Exchange

There are many instances throughout a project’s lifecycle where there arises a need for quick and accurate risk assessment of building designs. For example, an unexpected design change during construction may necessitate structural engineers to perform a seismic risk assessment on analytical models of the updated building design using high fidelity structural analysis software, such as ANSYS or Abaqus. However, the efficiency of such workflows often depends upon the interoperability of architectural design software and structural analysis software. When the quality of this interoperability is lacking or even non-existent, the efficiency of virtual engineering workflows is hampered, which increases project costs. A McGraw Hill industry survey of professional users of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technologies found that there is high demand for BIM interoperability for structural analysis, but that the value/difficulty ratio is currently too low for practical use. There have been efforts by the academic community to facilitate model data exchange between the architectural design and structural analysis domains, but such solutions have not been widely adopted by industry, face technical challenges, and oftentimes are limited in applicability for users of various BIM software. Therefore, INL is developing capabilities to improve, automate, and generalize model data exchange between architectural BIM software (e.g., Revit) and structural analysis software (e.g., SAP2000, ANSYS). The goal is to help expedite and automate as much of the pre-processing step for creating analytical models in finite element analysis software as reasonably as possible. Such a "BIM-to-FEA" conversion tool should provide direct benefit to end-users through accuracy, automation, quick turn-around, and wide applicability. To generalize the application of this BIM-to-FEA conversion tool and increase its useability among the many different commercial BIM software currently used by industry, the program is being developed with the concept of openBIM. OpenBIM is the application of non-proprietary, open data standards that allow for BIM model data exchange in a format that is accessible, retainable, and useable for all users. The most widely used open, non-proprietary data exchange format for BIM is the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) schema. IFC is developed by buildingSMART international and is ISO certified (ISO 16739-1:2018). The BIM-to-FEA conversion tool is being developed for compatibility with typical commercial building designs of steel framed structures. The tool is currently capable of importing architectural BIM data of framed building structures, recognizing and extracting the aspects of the model that are required for structural analysis, adjusting the connectivity of frame members, and finally exporting to an analytical model stored in the IFC format. The exported IFC analytical model can then be imported into various openBIM compliant software, such as SAP2000. Such capabilities have already been tested on commercial software, as shown above, and continue to be improved. Work is underway to test the conversion on various commercial BIM software, develop a user-friendly interface, incorporate the program into the broader DeepLynx data warehouse project being developed by INL, and to eventually open-source the tool for the benefit of the community. Future development of the tool envisions the ability for efficient iterative risk assessment of generative building designs, all within a workflow utilizing open-source tools. One such open-source tool will be MOOSE, an advanced finite element analysis tool developed at INL. The conversion tool will also branch out from typical commercial building designs and will aim to incorporate nuclear construction. The aim will be to convert both structural and non-structural components of nuclear facilities, such as curved concrete containment structures and piping systems, respectively.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗