It seems that somebody is trying to write something similar

http://sites.google.com/site/teclait/home

the structural part is still not available... but it will probably include some finite elements program...

@qpik said:

Since I'm an architect I've been looking for an easy way to incorporate FEA into SU. This would add a completely new dimension to design in SU.

After browsing through some books I found the math a bit to hard so I decided to start off with a simple spring-mass model (to be exact it's not 100% real, instead of a=F/m, s~F/m)

[attachment=0:2f7ju4i2]<!-- ia0 -->simple_springs.rb<!-- ia0 -->[/attachment:2f7ju4i2]
Here is a video example:
[flash=425,344:2f7ju4i2]http://www.youtube.com/v/ojtHu1yZSUQ&hl=pl_PL&fs=1&rel=0[/flash:2f7ju4i2]

I hope someone with strong mathematical background would take this on or help me to go on.
What about SketchyPhysics? I tried it couple of times but I'm not sure it's suitable for this purpose.

Kuba

@oxer said:

I have found the error!
There is a conflict with SketchyPhisics 3.1, remember i work on Mac OSX.
Excuse me, it not was a problem in the plugin there were a conflict.
Thanks TIG¡¡

i use windows XP SP3, and i noticed also a conflict between Mirror and Sketchyphysics3

too bad, we'll have to choose between 2 excellent plugins...

Hello,

i wrote a finite element structural analysis software many years ago

using the displacements method, building a rigidity matrix, then solving a linear system of equations...

i wrote it basic, only for 2d structures, and it took me much more lines of code than what i see in your ruby file

either Ruby is really amazing, either you are missing something...

i can't tell you, because i don't understand ruby code

but i did try to model a half spherical structure using my FEA software, and the deformation is not at all the one you show in your AVI file

Your idea is great, but i am not sure Sketchup is the best environment to develop it

deformation of a half spherical structure using acord bat from Itech