Overview#
𝜒ara (pronouced Kar-ah, like the Gaelic word for “friend”) is a free and open source tool for simulating the nonlinear response of structural and geotechnical systems. 𝜒ara is developed by PEER as an alternative front-end to the simulation framework proposed by McKenna (1997). The design of the interface was guided by the demands of the BRACE2 project, for which a suitably reliable and performant solution was not available.
Python
Build and analyze models securely in Python.
OpenSeesPy
Use the older OpenSeesPy functions to analyze a globally scoped model.
Tcl
Run old Tcl models or export from Python for faster runs.
All three approaches above require only a standard install of 𝜒ara.