Kratos Multiphysics — The Complete Guide: A Free Multiphysics Framework for Structures, Flow and Particles
Kratos Multiphysics is an open-source (BSD-licensed) finite element framework developed at CIMNE in Barcelona. It has a shared core with “applications” on top — modules for each physical field — that can be combined. The core is written in C++, and problems are set up and run from Python.
Kratos Multiphysics
CIMNE
A multi-physics finite-element framework with Python scripting.
Get it from the vendorWhat you get
- Structural mechanics — solids, shells and beams, including nonlinear analysis.
- Fluid dynamics — incompressible flow.
- Discrete element method (DEM) — particles, granular materials and rock.
- Fluid-structure interaction — coupling between applications.
- Contact — a dedicated application for structural contact problems.
Getting started
The quickest route is installing through pip, and a graphical interface is available through GiD (CIMNE’s pre- and post-processor, which is commercial software with a limited free version). You can also mesh in Gmsh or SALOME and view results in ParaView. You need Python and numerical-methods knowledge; this is a research and development framework, not point-and-click software.
Related tools
For a multiphysics framework from another source — MOOSE. For multiphysics with a graphical interface — Elmer. For flow only — OpenFOAM.
MOOSE Framework
Idaho National Laboratory
A multi-physics finite-element framework from Idaho National Laboratory.
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Elmer FEM
CSC — IT Center for Science, Finland
Multiphysics FEA — solids, flow, heat and electromagnetics — with its own graphical interface.
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OpenFOAM
OpenFOAM Foundation
Comprehensive CFD solvers — flow, turbulence, heat transfer and multiphase. Text-file driven, no GUI.
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Gmsh
Gmsh Project
FEA mesh generator with built-in geometry and scripting — standard infrastructure for open numerical work.
Get it from the vendorThe bottom line
Kratos is a broad, active framework for coupled problems, used in both research and industry — and free for any use.