4. User Documentation

We are in the process of transitioning legacy FAST v8 documentation, which can be found at https://www.nrel.gov/wind/nwtc.html.

Note

Much of the documentation here is legacy documentation from FAST v8. While most of it is still directly applicable to OpenFAST, portions may be out of date.

4.1. General

• 4.1.1. FAST v8 and the transition to OpenFAST
• 4.1.2. API changes between versions
• 4.1.3. Input file formats

Workshop material, legacy documentation, and other resources are listed below.

• Overview of OpenFAST at NAWEA WindTech 2022

• Practical Guide to OpenFAST at NAWEA WindTech 2022

• Overview of OpenFAST at NAWEA WindTech 2019

• Workshop Presentations

• Old FAST v6 User's Guide

• FAST v8 README

• Implementation of Substructure Flexibility and Member-Level Load Capabilities for Floating Offshore Wind Turbines in OpenFAST

• FAST modularization framework for wind turbine simulation: full-system linearization

• Full-System Linearization for Floating Offshore Wind Turbines in OpenFAST

• FAST with Labview

• OutListParameters.xlsx - Contains the full list of outputs for each module.

4.2. Module Documentation

This section contains documentation for the OpenFAST module-coupling environment and its underlying modules. Documentation covers usage of models, underlying theory, and in some cases module verification.

• 4.2.1. AeroDyn
• 4.2.2. OLAF
• 4.2.3. Aeroacoustics
• 4.2.4. BeamDyn
• 4.2.5. SubDyn
• 4.2.6. ExtPtfm
• 4.2.7. ElastoDyn
• 4.2.8. HydroDyn
• 4.2.9. InflowWind
• 4.2.10. MoorDyn
• 4.2.11. ServoDyn
• 4.2.12. Structural Control
• 4.2.13. TurbSim
• 4.2.14. C++ API
• 4.2.15. FAST.Farm

The following modules do not currently have formal documentation or are contributed to OpenFAST from organizations external to NREL and the core OpenFAST team. As documentation is added, these resources will be moved to their appropriate location. If newer versions of the external resources are available, please open a GitHub Issue with the information for the new documentation.

• MAP++

  • Official MAP++ documentation

  • Implementation of a Multi-Segmented, Quasi-Static Cable Model

• FEAMooring

  • Theory Manual

  • User's Guide

• MoorDyn

  • Official User’s Guide

• OrcaFlex Interface:

  • User's Guide

• IceFloe

  • Ice Load Project Final Technical Report

• IceDyn

  • Draft: FAST Ice Module Manual

• TurbSim

  • User's Guide

4.3. Modularization Framework

Information specific to the modularization framework of OpenFAST is provided here. These are a collection of publications, presentations, and past studies on the subject.

• The New Modularization Framework for the FAST Wind Turbine CAE Tool

• Example Module Implementation Plans

• Module and Mesh-Mapping Linearization Implementation Plan

• Interpolation of DCMs - A summary of the mathematics used in the interpolation of DCM (direction cosine matrices) using logarithmic mapping and matrix exponentials.

• Set-point Linearization Development Plan

4.4. Glue Code and Mesh Mapping

• FAST Modular Wind Turbine CAE Tool: Nonmatching Spatial and Temporal Meshes

• FAST Modular Framework for Wind Turbine Simulation: New Algorithms and Numerical Examples

• OpenFAST Algorithms - A summary of the solve method used in the glue code.

• Predictor-Corrector Approach

4.5. NWTC Subroutine Library

• NWTC Library - short overview of subroutines and functions