ASKA - AUTOMATIC SYSTEM FOR KINEMATIC ANALYSIS . A UNIVERSAL SYSTEM FOR STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS BASED ON MATRIX DISPLACEMENT (FINITE ELEMENT) METHOD

The system ASKA (Automatic System of Kinematic Analysis) implements the matrix displacement method, using a discretisation technique. Thereby the complete system is idealised into an assembly of finite elements to which a simplified strain pattern is ascribed. The kinematic compatibility conditions are in this procedure satisfied everywhere, but the static compatibility conditions are as a rule only satisfied at the so-called nodal points where the grid-lines of adjoining elements meet. Finally, a system of equations is set up in the degrees of freedom at the nodal points. This method effectively solves a physically idealised system in an as exact a manner as the finite bits operations on the digital computer allow. Through the years ASKA has been kept up to date by implementing the latest state of the art, be it structural or numerical innovations. For example, the element library, containing about 30 families of elements, certainly represents one of the superior systems today. © 1969.