Simulation Steps
So what are the steps to do a computer simulation of a crack in a dam? You can watch each step below.
Each movie will open in a new browser window.
First, the engineer does a two-dimensional computer drawing of the dam.
Next, the engineer tells the computer where the dam is attached to the ground, along the bottom of the dam.
Now the engineer must tell the computer where there are loads, or pushes and pulls, on the dam.
The dam is being pushed by the water on the left.
The engineer tells the computer where the dam is cracked.
The engineer chooses the material of which the dam is made, in this case, concrete.
The engineer tells the computer to run an analysis of the cracking in the dam.
The computer returns the results of the simulation, showing the engineer how the crack grew.
