NWTC Design Codes

The MSC.ADAMS-to-AeroDyn (ADAMS2AD) interface is a software package for use by designers of horizontal-axis wind turbines. It is written to interface the AeroDyn aerodynamics analysis routines to the commercially available multibody dynamics analysis software package MSC.ADAMS from MSC.Software Corporation of Santa Ana, California. Use of these routines requires the purchase of an MSC.ADAMS license.

MSC.ADAMS can be used to analyze extremely complex dynamics models, and also allows the user to create custom dynamic-link-libraries (DLLs) by linking the program to user-written subroutines. The ADAMS2AD interface takes advantage of these features for wind turbine analysts by providing a set of routines that interfaces the MSC.ADAMS software to the AeroDyn aerodynamics routines. Thus, complex wind turbine dynamics models can be analyzed in MSC.ADAMS while making full use of the aerodynamic analysis capabilities of AeroDyn.

Version 12.12 provides a major addition to the ADAMS2AD software package. In the release of this and later archives, source files with a "_FAST" -extension have been added. These source files are pertinent for creating an MSC.ADAMS user-created DLL needed to run MSC.ADAMS datasets that have been extracted from FAST using the FAST-to-ADAMS preprocessor functionality. Also included in the archive is a file named CompileLinkA2AD.bat. This is a DOS command script useful for compiling and linking the MSC.ADAMS DLL. See the FAST User's Guide for additional information.

This program and downloadable User's Guide assume the user is an experienced wind turbine aerodynamics and dynamics analyst. Questions related to the FAST-to-ADAMS preprocessor and the AeroDyn interface should be directed to Jason Jonkman, Ph.D of the National Wind Technology Center.

MSC.ADAMS with AeroDyn was evaluated by Germanischer Lloyd WindEnergie and found suitable for "the calculation of onshore wind turbine loads for design and certification." Electronic versions of the issued certificate and report are available for viewing.

You may download the following files from our server:

• ADAMS2AD Change Log (v13.01.00a-bjj, 41 KB, 18-February-2012)

  This is a list of changes made to the code.  Look at this text file to see if we've made worthwhile changes since you received your previous version of ADAMS2AD.

• ADAMS2AD User's Guide (v12.02, 300 KB, 23-January-2012)

  This is the ADAMS2AD User's Guide.  It explains what ADAMS2AD does and how you can use it.  When using the FAST-to-ADAMS preprocessor, it should be used in conjuction with the FAST User's Guide.  It is also included in the archive.

• FAST-to-ADAMS Statements (v13.01.00a-bjj, 104 KB, 16-February-2012)

  This is a spreadsheet that provides a complete listing of all of the MSC.ADAMS statements (PARTs, MARKERs, FIELDs, JOINTs, etc.) contained in MSC.ADAMS datasets that have been extracted from FAST.  Use this spreadsheet when examining FAST-extracted MSC.ADAMS datasets.  You need Microsoft® Excel in order to view it.

• ADAMS2AD Archive (EXE 1.1 MB) (v13.01.00a-bjj, 1.1 MB, 22-February-2012)

  This is a self-extracting archive of the ADAMS2AD source code, change log, the User's Guide, FAST-to-ADAMS statements spreadsheet, and sample data files. It includes DLLs created for MSC.ADAMS 2008R1. The code links with AeroDyn v13.00.01a-bjj and with NWTC Subroutine Library v1.04.01.

• Addendum to the A2AD User's Guide for v13.00.00

  As we have not had the time to update user's guides, we have temporarily left A2AD v13.01.00a-bjj as an "alpha" version.  We have created a document to guide you through the major changes in the updated code and to document the updated AeroDyn interface.  We encourage you to read it.

If you want to refer to the ADAMS2AD website in a report, here is a reference you can use:

NWTC Design Codes (ADAMS2AD by Jason Jonkman, Ph.D and Dr. David J. Laino).  http://wind.nrel.gov/designcodes/simulators/adams2ad/.  Last modified 22-February-2012; accessed 22-February-2012.

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