OOFEM — The Complete Guide: Free, Open-Source Nonlinear Analysis of Concrete and Structures
OOFEM is an open-source finite-element solver developed at the Czech Technical University in Prague. Its strength is civil engineering: nonlinear models for concrete, soils and composites that are usually only available in commercial or closed research software.
OOFEM
Bořek Patzák, Czech Technical University in Prague
An open-source finite-element solver for structural analysis — concrete, soils, shells and beams — plus heat and coupled problems.
Get it from the vendorWhat you get
- Concrete models — cracking, damage, creep and shrinkage over time.
- Structural elements — beams, plates, shells and solids in 2D and 3D.
- Heat and moisture — heat conduction and moisture transport, also coupled with mechanics.
- Staged analysis — structures built in stages and materials that change over time.
- Python interface — running and building models from scripts.
What to know
OOFEM has no graphical interface: input is a text file or a Python script, and the mesh is built in an external tool. In most cases you install it from source. The LGPL licence explicitly allows commercial use. It suits researchers and engineers who analyse concrete members beyond routine design.
Related tools
For comprehensive structural analysis with an interface — Code_Aster together with SALOME. For building meshes — Gmsh. For viewing the results — ParaView.
Code_Aster
EDF
EDF industrial finite element solver — nonlinear, dynamic and thermo-mechanical, open source.
Get it from the vendor
SALOME
CEA / EDF / OPEN CASCADE
Geometry, meshing and post-processing platform for FEA, around external solvers.
Get it from the vendor
Gmsh
Gmsh Project
FEA mesh generator with built-in geometry and scripting — standard infrastructure for open numerical work.
Get it from the vendor
ParaView
Kitware / Sandia / Los Alamos
Large-scale simulation post-processing — slices, streamlines and animation.
Get it from the vendorThe bottom line
OOFEM is a serious, free tool for nonlinear analysis of concrete and structures, for anyone willing to work with input files.