[SOLVED] Flexible plugin or core?

[jjcasmar]

Hi,

recently I have found the Flexible plugin and I have found it quite interesting. If we are mainly interested in solid simulation, should we use the Flexible plugin or the core components?

I would like to have an answer based on:
-Maintanance: Is the flexible plugin still developed or it’s deprecated?
-Speed: Which is faster?
-Reusability: I think Flexible wins here
-Any other you may think its interesting.

Sorry for the bunch of messages this days, I’m back to understanding SOFA…

[Hugo]

Hi Juan,

All you messages are always welcome !
Flexible is a plugin of SOFA. This plugin is a specific implementation of the physics (especially mechanics): Flexible decomposes the modeling approach.

Let’s take an example: the TetrahedronFEMForceField. In SOFA, this component defines:

• the mechanical constitutive law (linear elasticity),
• the finite element type : tetrahedron,
• the order of the tetrahedron (linear tetra), i.e. shape function,

All in one.
Flexible decomposes each of these modeling choices: you will have one component for the mechanical law, one for the shape function, one for the quadrature etc.

It is still maintained and used.
It is (a bit) slower than the all-in-one implementation but more intelligible.
Reusable yes and very flexible.
However, everyone is not expert of this plugin.

Hope this helps.

Hugo

[Author]

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