<div>Hi all,</div>
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<div>I would like to have information about the best way to handle FEM data in VTK file.</div>
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<div>Mainly, we use shell meshes (triangles or quadrangles) and the following data would be manipulated in VTK:</div>
<div>- reduced element or fully integrated (1 or 4 integration point in the neutral fibre)</div>
<div>- different integration point over thickness per element (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, ...)</div>
<div>- different integration algorithms over thickness (GAUSS, SIMPSON, ....) defining different weight and locations of these integration points over thickness</div>
<div>- stress tensor at each integration point over thickness</div>
<div>- strain tensor at each integration point over thickness</div>
<div>- effective plastic strain at each integration point over thickness</div>
<div>- thickness at each integration point in the neutral fibre</div>
<div>and possibly additional results per integration points...</div>
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<div>This topic seems to have already been tackled.</div>
<div>Indeed, I have read several posts about the vtkLSDynaReader class, as well as its documentation on </div>
<div><a href="http://public.kitware.com/VTK/doc/nightly/html/classvtkLSDynaReader.html">http://public.kitware.com/VTK/doc/nightly/html/classvtkLSDynaReader.html</a></div>
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<div>As it is indicated in one of the post, the ultimate goal would be to benefit from vtk format/library to manipulate FEM data, and from ParaView as PostProcessor</div>
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<div>However, from these posts, it seems that VTK is not really fitted to store FEM data, and for such a purpose, a good knowledge in VTK is necessary. It may also be necessary to extend it.</div>
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<div>Most notably, it seems currently possible to have only one scalar field, vector field, and tensor field per element. In the last VTK versions, has this "limitation" been overriden?</div>
<div>Is it possible to store several fields of different types per element?</div>
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<div>Would you have some advices about the best way to proceed?</div>
<div>Is there somewhere some guidelines/tutorials?</div>
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<div>It the VTK format has still some limitations, is it foreseen to override them in the next release?</div>
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<div>I thank you for your help.</div>
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<div>Cheers,</div>