ReplicaXLite: A Finite Element Toolkit for Creating, Analyzing and Monitoring 3D Structural Models

The need for reliable software for data acquisition, processing and communication with laboratory instruments, as well as for extending laboratory findings to real-scale structures, is imperative. In this context, ReplicaXLite is presented: an open-source software framework designed to facilitate and organize structural experimental testing on seismic tables. The software enables the creation of digital twin models and real-time sensor data recording. Furthermore, it allows for the processing, storage and visualization of results within a graphical interface. It features two primary modes of operation: (a) via terminal with specific Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and (b) via a Graphical User Interface (GUI), adapting to the user’s expertise level. The software lies on top of open-source libraries like OpenSeesPy and opstool. It supports many material types, such as concrete, steel, fibers and composites, among others. Models produced by ReplicaXLite demonstrate strong agreement with experimental data across varying structural configurations. For both acceleration and displacement, the framework yielded satisfactory accuracy at the top slab with mean envelope correlations ranging from 0.91 to 0.97 and mean Pearson correlations generally between 0.83 and 0.95 for varying seismic intensities (0.1 g to 1.4 g). The numerical framework successfully captured global stiffness degradation, with Normalized Root Mean Square Errors (NRMSE) well-constrained between 2.3% and 7.9% across both acceleration and displacement response metrics. The architecture allows for the one-click execution of custom user codes, providing full access to the source code and the ability to perform live toolkit modifications via the “app.” terminal variable. Finally, it provides mid-simulation modification of the mass and elements of the model.