30.01.2025 | Press release

New software for medicine and industry

Research institutions publish software 4C for complex computer simulations

It is a milestone in computational engineering: the software 4C (Comprehensive Computational Community Code) is now available worldwide as an open-source software. Its potential: it can solve complex problems in biomedicine, engineering and the natural sciences. It has been developed for more than 20 years by researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, the Technical University of Munich and the University of the Bundeswehr Munich.

Better understanding of interactions

The software 4C is a so-called multiphysics simulation framework. It is a computer program that can be used to calculate coupled physical phenomena such as heat, fluid flows or the deformation of solids in order to better understand their interactions in a wide range of applications.

In biomedicine, for example, this enables computer simulations to analyze human organs such as the heart and lung or the musculoskeletal system. Doctors can evaluate ventilation strategies for artificially ventilated patients or to better understand changes in the heart in the case of high blood pressure. The geometry of the organs for the 4C simulations can be based on computer tomography (CT) scans allowing for patient-specific analysis.

A human heart simulated with the 4C software (clipped): on the left in a healthy state and on the right with a dilated heart chamber undergoing growth and remodeling processes due to high blood pressure with color-coded local mass growth after 600 days. Source: Amadeus M. Gebauer, LNM, TUM

In industry, engineers use 4C to simulate the interaction between solid mechanics and electrochemistry, as well as fluid flows. These findings help them to optimize the construction and performance of batteries. In additive manufacturing processes such as 3D printing, for example, 4C provides new insights with the analysis of the size and distribution of the particles in the produced components. This allows the component properties to be better adapted to their application. In summary, the software is a highly versatile tool for academic research and industrial applications.

One software for all

The 4C-Community is pleased to welcome new members. Source: Janina Datz (LNM, TUM).

4C is available under an LGPL license on the online service GitHub and can be used free of charge. The license enables developers in research centers, universities and companies to integrate 4C into their own software without having to disclose the source code. Scientists and engineers world-wide are invited to collaborate on the use of 4C, further develop the existing foundations and drive innovation. “4C offers unique capabilities for advanced multiphysics simulations,” says Prof Christian Cyron, one of the project coordinators from the Hereon Institute of Material Systems Modeling. “I am looking forward to seeing how it will serve now after its open-source release the academic community and industry alike.”