A multi-system analysis is a set of linked LS-DYNA analyses. Each analysis runs the solver with a regular input file but with some additional initialization using data from an upstream (preceding) LS-DYNA analysis. The data available for initialization to a downstream LS-DYNA analysis includes the deformed geometry positions and stress state. The data used to initialize subsequent analyses is passed to the solver via the binary dynain.lsda file.

This process has similarities to the full restart described in section Restarting an LS-DYNA Analysis and also the sequential solution described in section Explicit-to-Implicit Sequential Solutions. There are two methods for connecting the sequential LS-DYNAj systems, one where the model is shared by both systems, and another where the solved model from the first system becomes the initial model for the second system.