[Rocky FAQs] What is Point Cloud in Ansys Rocky?

[FAQ]

What is Point Cloud in Ansys Rocky?

Point Clouds enable you to import a simple text file containing field data to define points in space. They are very useful to support External Modules that require information that varies through all 3 dimensions of the simulation domain.

Rocky software allows you to create Static Point Clouds with different dimensions and units, moreover, you can load a set of point clouds at once by importing a Transient Point Cloud text file, which specifies the start and end times for individual static point clouds.

This data can then be used by Rocky software in various ways depending upon the functionality of the External Module (Ready-to-use Modules or Customer Custom External modules created with Rocky Solver SDK) making use of the Point Cloud to read external data that are used by the modules to introduce different physics to the solver.

Firstly, you need to create a .txt file with the values you want separating with spaces or commas. Just pay attention that the first row must contain x, y, z and at least one scalar variable (see the example below). The following row must contain the values for each point.

Transient Point Clouds

Transient Point Clouds consist of sets of Static Point Clouds that are applied during the simulation following specific start and end times. In order to import a Transient Point Cloud, it is necessary to import a main text, csv or xlsx file containing the start and end times of each Static Point Cloud that will be then automatically imported to compose the Transient Point Cloud. If desired, an optional third column with the name of the files (with the file extension) for each start and stop time, as shown below:

For more information, about creating and adding Static and Transient Point Clouds refer to the section About Point Clouds in the Rocky User Manual.

Ansys Rocky™ particle dynamics simulation software

Learn more about Ansys Rocky™ software in Ansys Rocky  Innovation Space.

Janaina Oliveira

Technical/Product Publications