The BECASWrapper package provides a Python interface between the cross-sectional structure tool BECAS and FUSED-Wind which is built using OpenMDAO as the underlying framework.

BECAS, the BEam Cross section Analysis Software, determines cross section stiffness properties using a finite element based approach. BECAS handles arbitrary cross section geometries, any number of arbitrarily oriented anisotropic materials, and correctly accounts for all geometrical and material induced couplings (e.g. bend-twist coupling).

BECAS is a licenced software, available free of charge for academic use, and available for commercial use for a small annual fee. For more information, see http://www.becas.dtu.dk.

This Python module facilitates using BECAS for evaluating blade structure beam properties based on a geometric definition of a blade given in the format defined in FUSED-Wind, and furthermore using the tool in an aero-structural blade optimization context when interfaced with with an aeroelastic code, e.g. HAWC2 or FAST.

In addition to BECAS itself the BECAS wrapper has the following requirements:

• Python 2.7.x
• numpy, scipy, sphinx
• Oct2Py (if you choose to use the Octave bridge)
• OpenMDAO 1.x
• FUSED-Wind > 0.3

You can either get hold of the module by downloading it as a zip archive or clone the repository:

git clone http://github.com/DTUWindEnergy/BECASWrapper.git

The module is installable as a standard Python package:

$ cd BECASWrapper
$ python setup.py develop

or using pip:

$ cd BECASWrapper
$ pip install -e .

The documentation is written in Sphinx and can be built this way:

$ cd docs
$ make html

To view it open _build/html/index.html in a browser.

To ensure that you have BECAS and the BECASWrapper properly installed, run the tests in becas_wrapper/test. You can find the examples accompanying the documentation in the becas_wrapper/examples directory.