steps - Number of iterations

The number of calculation steps helps controlling the run time and the accuracy of the calculation.

For linear-elastic calculations, use 2 steps.

For non-linear calculations, use 10-20 steps for moderate accuracy and up to 100 steps and more for extreme accuracy. If an excellent convergence is achieved, the program may execute less than the specified number of steps.

Always check the results of non linear calculations by looking at the messages issued during the calculations (Menu Listing – Messages). Ideally, the error indicated should be zero for the last calculation step. Values tending toward zero from one step to the next indicate a fair convergence, while larger values and especially increasing and unstable values indicate that no convergence has been reached and that the results are incorrect. This may be caused by excessive loads, insufficient reinforcement or inappropriate positioning of the reinforcement.

A common cause for non converging calculations is some local mode of failure that is not prevented. This why, in the iMesh tutorial, steel plates are used to introduce the load into the structure, to avoid a local failure, should the load be introduced at one node only.