It appears that there are certain changes in CII neutral file formats between CAESAR v5.2 and v5.3. Most of the changes can be identified by comparing the "CAESAR Neutral File Interface" sections between v5.2 and v5.3 from documentation.

It is clear that in #$ CONTROL Section a new 13th item is added for "number of nozzle equipment data blocks". However it appears that the location of this 13 item is above and not below the other 12 auxilary count varilables.

Can some one confirm? - I have pasted a #$ CONTROL section from a CAESAR v5.3 generated neutral file. Looks like second row, first variable is the 13th one i.e. number of equipment data blocks in the file?


Data generated by CAESAR II / Neutral file interface Ver 5.30, 9/10
#$ CONTROL
663 0 0 0 0 0
0
88 140 0 53 0 0
0 0 0 52 72 0

Following is the reference information in documentation:

#$ CONTROL. This is the section division header. The #$ and space are required, as well as the word CONTROL
Use the FORTRAN format (2X, 6I13) to write the values of the following variables on the next line of the neutral file: capitalized.
 NUMELT is the number of piping elements (spreadsheets) in the input file.
 NUMNOZ is the number of nozzles in the input file.
 NOHGRS is the number of spring hangers in the input file.
 NONAM is the number of Node Name data blocks in the input file.
 NORED is the number of reducers in the input file.
 NUMFLG is the number of flanges in the input file.
Next, write 13 items that contain the number of auxiliary data types used in the input file, followed by the vertical axis indicator. Use the FORTRAN format (2X, 6I13).
These 13 values are:
1 The number of bend auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
2 The number of rigid-element auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
3 The number of expansion-joint auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
4 The number of restraint auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
5 The number of displacement auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
6 The number of force/moment auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
7 The number of uniform-load auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
8 The number of wind-load auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
9 The number of element-offset auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
10 The number of allowable-stress auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
11 The number of intersection auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
12 IZUP flag. Equal to 0 for the global -Y axis vertical, equal to 1 for the global -Z axis vertical.
13 The number of (nozzle) equipment limits data blocks in the input file.

You are correct, that single value on the 2nd line (of the CONTROL data) is the count for the "number of nozzle equipment data blocks". The documentation should really be:

13 The number of (nozzle) equipment limits data blocks in the input file.
1 The number of bend auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
2 The number of rigid-element auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
3 The number of expansion-joint auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
4 The number of restraint auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
5 The number of displacement auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
6 The number of force/moment auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
7 The number of uniform-load auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
8 The number of wind-load auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
9 The number of element-offset auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
10 The number of allowable-stress auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
11 The number of intersection auxiliary data blocks in the input file.
12 IZUP flag. Equal to 0 for the global -Y axis vertical, equal to 1 for the global -Z axis vertical.

I'm looking at upgrading our *.CII output from PDMS to conform to the 5.30 release and have a question. Why is the node name option limited to only 10 characters? Most of our Valves, Instruments, and Pipe Supports have names that are > 10 characters in length. It would be nice to have the restraint report actually use the support name (i.e., node name) rather then the CII node number.

Because the name needs to appear in various output reports, and there just simply isn't enough space.

Thanks Richard. I appreciate your help

There is one more update in #$ UNIFORM section that is a little confusing. It appears that a new flag for notation of input values is added per vector i.e. whether the values are in G's or force-per-length notation.


The documentation suggests that the UNI array has been increased from 9 to 12 variables to accomodate for the 3 G Flags for load vector1, 2 and 3. The documentation also suggests that each flag variable follows immediately after the input values of the relevant vector are completed. A configuration like following:

UX1 UY1 UZ1 G-flag1 UX2 UY2
UZ2 G-flag2 UX3 UY3 UZ3 G-flag3


I however suspect that the flags are actually added in the end after all 3 vector inputs are specified i.e. like following configuration. Can somebody confirm?


UX1 UY1 UZ1 UX2 UY2 UZ2
UX3 UY3 UZ3 G-flag1 G-flag2 G-flag3

Please send your CAESAR II model in to TechSupport so we can look at it with your data. Also, please send the "cii" file you have generated.

No, the documentation is correct for the Uniform Load data. It is:

UX1 UY1 UZ1 G-flag1 UX2 UY2
UZ2 G-flag2 UX3 UY3 UZ3 G-flag3