NASTRAN mesh

Menu: Files->Import->NASTRAN mesh...

With this option it is possible to read a file in NASTRAN format (version 68), with GiD accepting most of its entities, which are:

Entity name ( Notes)
CBAR CBEAM CROD CCABLE CBUSH CELAS1 CELAS2 CELAS3 RBAR (translated as 2 node bars)
CQUAD4 CQUADR
CHEXA
CTETRA
CPENTA
CTRIA3 CTRIAR
CONM1 CONM2 (translated as 1 node element)
CORD1C CORD1R CORD1S
CORD2C CORD2R CORD2S
GRID

There are two options that can be used when reading a mesh if GiD already contains a mesh:

1. Erasing the old mesh (Erase);
2. Adding the new mesh to the old one without sharing the nodes; the nodes will be duplicated although they may occupy the same position in the space (AddNotShare).

The properties and materials of elements are currently ignored, because of the difficulties in associating the NASTRAN file properties with the requirements of the analysis programs. Therefore, you have to assign the materials "a posteriori" accordingly. However, in order to make this easier, the elements will be partitioned in different layers, each with the name PIdn, where n is the property identity number associated with the elements as defined in the NASTRAN file. Note that CELAS2 elements do not have associated property identities so these will be created by default when the file is read.