Comprehensive training for both beginners and advanced users looking to enhance their finite element analysis skills.

Our courses blend lectures, hands-on tutorials, and follow-up Q&As, led by DIANA Training Specialists.
Participants get hands-on experience with DIANA software, and certification upon successful completion*.

* For engineers based in the Netherlands, Constructeursregister KE/PE points are available for all of our courses.

See the list below for our available courses and upcoming dates. You can always refer to our YouTube channel for recorded webinar sessions. For requests on specific training, more details on listed courses, or to discuss tailor-made courses, please contact us.

DIANA Course Topics

Our most popular course for new users of DIANA FEA, consisting of six modules which include training and follow up Q&A sessions over a period of two weeks. Emphasis is placed upon nonlinear analysis of (reinforced) concrete structures, with a spotlight on crack modelling, and failure analysis. Delegates will learn good practice in nonlinear finite element analysis, and also the criteria for choosing the correct crack model from those available, how to converge criteria, and the setting of corresponding parameters.

  • Module G-1: Getting Started with DIANA (Beginner) 
  • Module I-1: Python Scripting & Automatization (Intermediate) 
  • Module I-2: Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis (Intermediate)
  • Module I-3: Reinforced Concrete Analysis (Intermediate)
  • Module I-4: Thermo-Stress Analysis (Intermediate)
  • Module I-5: Heat of Hydration & Early Age Concrete Cracking (Intermediate)

Each module can be booked separately, although we strongly suggest if you have not used DIANA FEA before, you register for Module G-1, before proceeding to the Intermediate modules. 

Next course: to be confirmed, contact us

This
4-module course, which takes place over two weeks, focuses on getting
participants familiar with finite element analysis, and provides a basic
practical level of expertise with DIANA FEA. Each module can be booked
individually:

  • Module G-1-1: Basic principles of finite element analysis
  • Module G-1-2: Finite element formulation 
  • Module G-1-3: Geometry modeling and analysis types 
  • Module G-1-4: Simplify your model

Next Course: to be confirmed, contact us

This course will prepare the participants to understand the range of materials used the architecture, the best way to model geometry for the situation, and which analyses should be carried out.  After completing this module, you will gain a good understanding of the behavior of masonry structures, and the capabilities of DIANA regarding their assessment.

Topics covered: 

  • Overview on general behavior of masonry structures
  • Different components of masonry structures and modelling strategies
  • Materials models for masonry
    • Micro modelling (discrete crack approach)
    • Macro modelling (smeared crack approach)
      • Total strain cracked model
      • Engineering masonry model
  • Analysis for structural assessment of masonry structures
    • NLTH
    • Pushover
  • Strengthening of masonry structures and modelling strategies

Next Course: to be confirmed, contact us

Participants with the necessary knowledge to deal with complex reinforced concrete designs, and proficiency in choosing the right mesh, material and analysis options applicable to the design of wind turbine foundations.  After completing this module, you will have a good understanding of the design of wind turbine foundations, and how utilizing a nonlinear 3D solid FEA model can help create a safe, and cost-efficient design. Topics covered: 

  • Workflow: Design of the wind turbine foundation
    • on grade, or on piles 
    • size of the wind turbine foundation 
  • 3D Nonlinear model
    • structured mesh 
    • design of reinforcement
    • recommended material models 
    • analysis & checking
  • Automating the whole process

Next Course: to be confirmed, contact us

The aim of this course is to provide a general overview of the geotechnical challenges in modelling soil and soil-structure interaction by FEA and how DIANA can help engineers in overcoming them, with particular emphasis on excavation engineering applications in hard and soft soil.  Learning objectives include: 

  • To recognize the characteristics of soils & rocks behavior
  • To explain the meaning of model parameters
  • To calculate the stress and strain response for simple continuum models
  • To recognize the capabilities and limitations of models
  • To evaluate the applicability of models in practical geotechnical applications
  • To calibrate the model parameters based on soil data including possible range and sensitivity analysis
  • To judge the results of geotechnical FEM models

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Participants will gain a good understanding of how to set up a groundwater flow analysis; and how to design different types of groundwater flow boundaries, including how to couple the flow analysis with the structural analysis. Topics covered: 

  • Steady state analysis 
  • Transient analysis 
  • Groundwater flow material parameters
  • Groundwater boundary flow conditions 
  • Exercise: Two-dimensional analysis of an earthfill dam (insight)
  • Q&A 

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With particular emphasis on the dynamic specific modeling aspects and analysis types, the course objectives include: 

  • To recognize and discuss the dynamic specific modeling aspects (wave speeds, mass, damping, etc.)
  • To discuss the characteristics of dissipative materials for dynamic,  loadings and absorbing boundaries.
  • To give an overview on the various dynamic analysis types and their specific outputs

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Upon completion of this module, you will have an indepth understanding of the HFTD method, and the pro’s and con’s of this approach. 

Throughout this course, we will impart upon you the dedicated knowledge of Hybrid Frequency Time Domain (HFTD) analysis in DIANA, drawing particular focus to dam structures, included lessons: 

  • the background theory of the HFTD method 
  • application of HFTD analysis for seismic assessment of dam structures 
  • important modelling aspects (mass, damping, frequency dependent reservoir properties, earthquake accelerograms)
  • specific analysis settings (model reduction, time segments, excitation frequency filtering and convergence)
  • a comparison between standard nonlinear transient dynamic analysis and HFTD analysis

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After completing this module, you will gain an in-depth understanding of concrete crack modelling and the pros/cons of the different approaches.  Topics cover include: 

  • Discrete cracking (physical & empirical models) 
  • Smeared cracking
    • Multiple fixed crack model 
    • Total strain based crack model 
    • Rankine principal stress model
  • Modeling approach for fiber reinforced concrete 
  • Random fields 
  • Tips & Tricks for advanced concrete crack analysis

Next Course:  to be confirmed, contact us

Participants will gain an indepth understanding of the different solutions procedures available in DIANA FEA, and the pros/cons of the different approaches. 

Topics covered: 

  • Types of nonlinearities
    • Geometric nonlinearity 
    • Material nonlinearity
    • Transient
  • Solution procedures for nonlinear FEA
    • Regular Newton-Raphson method 
    • Modified Newton-Raphson method 
    • Linear Stiffness iterative method 
    • Quasi Newton-Raphson method 
  • Convergence criteria
  • Line-search method 
  • Arc-length method 
  • Guidelines for NLFEA 
  • Setting up NLFEA in DIANA 
  • Case studies 
  • Post-processing results

Next Course: to be confirmed, contact us

After completing this module, you will have gained a good understanding of how to model structures in fire, based on Eurocodes, how to set up a heat flow analysis; and how to design different types of heat flow boundaries.  Topics covered: 

  • Steady State Analysis 
  • Transient Analysis 
  • Heat Flow Material Parameters 
  • Heat Flow Boundary Conditions 
  • Model Code Input 

Next Course: to be confirmed, contact us

In addition to our standard courses, DIANA also offers tailor-made courses with content to suit your needs. Get in contact with our training team who can advise you on the fastest way to get the skills you need.