Scenario Services is a cloud based service that allows engineers to run engineering design simulations on the cloud and compare the results using powerful web visualization tools. There four possible use cases (Solution Types) for Scenario Services:
- Optioneering (Available now as Technology Preview)
- Desktop-driven optimization
- QA (Version comparison)
- Automated Optimization on the cloud
All the above use cases involve running engineering analysis/design on the cloud. Note that as of May 2016 only Optioneering solution is available under Scenario Services. Other solutions are in development and will be available in near future. These four solution types are explained below in brief.
Optioneering:
Optioneering is the process of comparing multiple design alternatives for an engineering problem and selecting the optimum one.
In Structural engineering, the design alternatives may involve changing geometry, material, member sections, bracing types, loading patterns etc. The engineer may try out various bracing patterns and compare the results. The roof of a stadium can have varying shapes and curvatures. Building floors can be modeled for gravity framing or lateral framing. Location of piers can be varied for a bridge, and so on.
Clearly, Optioneering is not only confined within the structural engineering domain but can be used for any engineering discipline. However, currently Scenario Services only offers optioneering for general structures using STAAD.Pro engine.
In Optioneering solution, you create the alternate models on desktop. These are then uploaded on the cloud forming Scenarios, which are executed on the cloud and the results are compared. A set of Performance Indicators are selected for comparing results.
Graphical results include side-by-side comparison of selected scenarios as well as Summary results involving all scenarios. Results are also shown as tabular data, which can be downloaded as CSV files. You may also download the result of Analysis/Design under the File section.
Desktop-driven optimization:
In this solution, an Optimization engine running on desktop parametrically generates alternative models. Multiple model attributes may be varied to create the alternative models (chromosomes). The desktop based Optimization engine sends a large batch of models to the cloud to be analyzed. These models are executed in parallel, greatly reducing the execution time. Results from the batch are then downloaded to the desktop engine which then creates another batch of models to be analyzed. This cycle continues until a pre-set optimization threshold is reached.
Post-tensioned tendon optimization in RAM Concept and Pipe-support optimization in AutoPipe are going to use this type of solution.
QA (Version comparison):
QA solutions allow you to run a library of models in two different versions of a software and compare detailed results. This automates the adoption of new software versions to a great extent.
Automated Optimization on the cloud:
This solution is similar to desktop-driven optimization but the Optimization engine also runs on the cloud, spawning multiple generations of models (chromosomes).