Input Dynamic Load Functions via Excel

A MS Excel VBA-based tool to import the dynamic load functions into SCIA Engineer via Excel.

Input the parameters for the Modal function and the Base function. Very useful when you have to add a lot of functions, or when you want to ‘generate’ these functions yourself, and import them into SCIA Engineer.

Instructions

Macros need to be enabled for this tool to work.

1. Make a backup copy of your SCIA Engineer project
2. Create a Dynamic Load Function in this excel workbook
   • Go to the Input-sheet in this excel workbook
   • Under header "DLF", input values for:
     • ID: -> starts with value 1, and increments with 1 (so: 1, 2, 3, …)
     • Name: -> input a unique name
     • Multiply or Sum: value 0 for mulitply, or value 1 for sum
3. Create a Modal Function in this excel workbook
   • Go to the Input-sheet in this excel workbook
   • Under header "Modal fct", input values for
     • DLF_Name: -> refers to the definition in the "DLF"-table ; must be exactly the same name as in the "DLF"-table
     • ID: -> starts with value 0, and increments with 1 (so: 0, 1, 2, …) for each new function
     • Type: value 0=constant; 1=linear; 2=parabolic; 3=sinusoidal -> depending on the Type some columns must get a value, and other columns MUST have a 0 (see table below)
       
4. Create a Base Function in this excel workbook
   • Go to the Input-sheet in this excel workbook
   • Under header "Base fct", input values for:
   • DLF_Name: -> refers to the definition in the "DLF"-table ; must be exactly the same name as in the "DLF"-table
   • ID: -> starts with value 0, and increments with 1 (so: 0, 1, 2, …) for each new function
   • Type: value 0=constant; 1=linear; 2=parabolic; 3=sinusoidal; 4=end&repeat -> depending on the Type some columns must get a value, and other columns MUST have a 0 (see table below)
     
5. Export the Dynamic Load function from this excel workbook
   • Go to the Input-sheet in this excel workbook
   • Click the [Export Dynamic Load Function]-button
   • Input a name for the XML-file that will contain the definitions of the Dynamic Load Functions
6. Import the Dynamic Load Functions into SCIA Engineer 
   • Open SCIA Engineer (use SCIA Engineer 32-bit)
   • Open the .esa project from point 1. (see above)
   • Select Main menu > File > Update > XML file, and select the exported XML file from point 5. (see below)