<!-- source-page: 1 -->

# ABAQUS 2016

ANALYSIS USER’S GUIDE

VOLUME IV: ELEMENTS

![](images/page-001_77fc445189a492273c5f0e38a6cfdd84ca98a0a74dd324fd9d4d35a75230d846.jpg)

<details>
<summary>text_image</summary>

3D
i
V+R
</details>

3DEXPERIENCE

<!-- source-page: 2 -->

<!-- source-page: 3 -->

Abaqus Analysis

User's Guide

Volume IV

<!-- source-page: 4 -->

# Legal Notices

Abaqus, the 3DS logo, and SIMULIA are commercial trademarks or registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. Use of any Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries trademarks is subject to their express written approval.

Abaqus and this documentation may be used or reproduced only in accordance with the terms of the software license agreement signed by the customer, or, absent such an agreement, the then current software license agreement to which the documentation relates.

This documentation and the software described in this documentation are subject to change without prior notice.

Dassault Systèmes and its subsidiaries shall not be responsible for the consequences of any errors or omissions that may appear in this documentation.

© Dassault Systèmes, 2015

Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. For additional information concerning trademarks, copyrights, and licenses, see the Legal Notices in the Abaqus 2016 Installation and Licensing Guide.

<!-- source-page: 5 -->

# Preface

This section lists various resources that are available for help with using Abaqus Unified FEA software.

# Support

Both technical software support (for problems with creating a model or performing an analysis) and systems support (for installation, licensing, and hardware-related problems) for Abaqus are offered through a global network of support offices, as well as through our online support system. Contact information for our regional offices is accessible from SIMULIA→Locations at www.3ds.com/simulia. The online support system is accessible by selecting the SUBMIT A REQUEST link at Support - Dassault Systèmes (http://www.3ds.com/support).

# Online support

Dassault Systèmes provides a knowledge base of questions and answers, solutions to questions that we have answered, and guidelines on how to use Abaqus, Engineering Process Composer, Isight, Tosca, fe-safe, and other SIMULIA products. The knowledge base is available by using the Search our Knowledge option on www.3ds.com/support (http://www.3ds.com/support).

By using the online support system, you can also submit new requests for support. All support/service requests are tracked. If you contact us by means outside the system to discuss an existing support problem and you know the support request number, please mention it so that we can query the support system to see what the latest action has been.

# Training

All SIMULIA regional offices offer regularly scheduled public training classes. The courses are offered in a traditional classroom form and via the Web. We also provide training seminars at customer sites. All training classes and seminars include workshops to provide as much practical experience with Abaqus as possible. For a schedule and descriptions of available classes, see the Training link at www.3ds.com/productsservices/simulia (www.3ds.com/products-services/simulia) or call your support office.

# Feedback

We welcome any suggestions for improvements to Abaqus software, the support tool, or documentation. We will ensure that any enhancement requests you make are considered for future releases. If you wish to make a suggestion about the service or products, refer to www.3ds.com/simulia. Complaints should be made by contacting your support office or by visiting SIMULIA→Quality Assurance at www.3ds.com/simulia (www.3ds.com/simulia).

<!-- source-page: 6 -->

<!-- source-page: 7 -->

# Contents

# Volume I

# PART I INTRODUCTION, SPATIAL MODELING, AND EXECUTION

# 1. Introduction

# Introduction

Introduction: general 1.1.1

# Abaqus syntax and conventions

Input syntax rules 1.2.1

Conventions 1.2.2

# Abaqus model definition

Defining a model in Abaqus 1.3.1

# Parametric modeling

Parametric input 1.4.1

# 2. Spatial Modeling

# Node definition

Node definition 2.1.1

Parametric shape variation 2.1.2

Nodal thicknesses 2.1.3

Normal definitions at nodes 2.1.4

Transformed coordinate systems 2.1.5

Adjusting nodal coordinates 2.1.6

# Element definition

Element definition 2.2.1

Element foundations 2.2.2

Defining reinforcement 2.2.3

Defining rebar as an element property 2.2.4

Orientations 2.2.5

# Surface definition

Surfaces: overview 2.3.1

Element-based surface definition 2.3.2

Node-based surface definition 2.3.3

<!-- source-page: 8 -->

Analytical rigid surface definition 2.3.4

Eulerian surface definition 2.3.5

Operating on surfaces 2.3.6

# Rigid body definition

Rigid body definition 2.4.1

# Integrated output section definition

Integrated output section definition 2.5.1

# Mass adjustment

Adjust and/or redistribute mass of an element set 2.6.1

# Nonstructural mass definition

Nonstructural mass definition 2.7.1

# Distribution definition

Distribution definition 2.8.1

# Display body definition

Display body definition 2.9.1

# Assembly definition

Defining an assembly 2.10.1

# Matrix definition

Defining matrices 2.11.1

# Probability density function

Probability density function 2.12.1

# 3. Job Execution

# Execution procedures: overview

Execution procedure for Abaqus: overview 3.1.1

# Execution procedures

Obtaining information 3.2.1

Abaqus/Standard, Abaqus/Explicit, and Abaqus/CFD execution 3.2.2

SIMULIA Co-Simulation Engine director execution 3.2.3

Abaqus/Standard, Abaqus/Explicit, Abaqus/CFD, AND FMU co-simulation execution 3.2.4

Dymola model execution 3.2.5

SIMULIA Co-Simulation Engine FMU execution 3.2.6

Abaqus/CAE execution 3.2.7

Abaqus/Viewer execution 3.2.8

Topology optimization execution 3.2.9

<!-- source-page: 9 -->

Python execution 3.2.10

Parametric studies 3.2.11

Abaqus documentation 3.2.12

Licensing utilities 3.2.13

ASCII translation of results (.fil) files 3.2.14

Joining results (.fil) files 3.2.15

Querying the keyword/problem database 3.2.16

Fetching sample input files 3.2.17

Making user-defined executables and subroutines 3.2.18

Output database upgrade utility 3.2.19

SIM database utilities 3.2.20

Translating ODB output database files to SIM format 3.2.21

Generating output database reports 3.2.22

Joining output database (.odb) files from restarted analyses 3.2.23

Combining output from substructures 3.2.24

Combining data from multiple output databases 3.2.25

Network output database file connector 3.2.26

Mapping thermal and magnetic loads 3.2.27

Element matrix assembly utility 3.2.28

Fixed format conversion utility 3.2.29

Translating Nastran bulk data files to Abaqus input files 3.2.30

Translating Abaqus files to Nastran bulk data files 3.2.31

Translating ANSYS input files to partial Abaqus input files 3.2.32

Translating PAM-CRASH input files to partial Abaqus input files 3.2.33

Translating RADIOSS input files to partial Abaqus input files 3.2.34

Translating Abaqus output database files to Nastran Output2 results files 3.2.35

Translating LS-DYNA data files to Abaqus input files 3.2.36

Exchanging Abaqus data with ZAERO 3.2.37

Translating Abaqus data to MSC.ADAMS modal neutral files 3.2.38

Translating an Abaqus substructure to a SIMPACK flexible body 3.2.39

Translating an Abaqus substructure to an EXCITE flexible body 3.2.40

Translating Moldflow data to Abaqus input files 3.2.41

Encrypting and decrypting Abaqus input data 3.2.42

Job execution control 3.2.43

Hardware system verification process 3.2.44

# Environment file settings

Using the Abaqus environment settings 3.3.1

# Managing memory and disk resources

Managing memory and disk use in Abaqus 3.4.1

<!-- source-page: 10 -->

# Parallel execution

Parallel execution: overview 3.5.1

Parallel execution in Abaqus/Standard 3.5.2

Parallel execution in Abaqus/Explicit 3.5.3

Parallel execution in Abaqus/CFD 3.5.4

# File extension definitions

File extensions used by Abaqus 3.6.1

# Fortran unit numbers

Fortran unit numbers used by Abaqus 3.7.1

# PART II OUTPUT

# 4. Output

# Output

Output 4.1.1

Output to the data and results files 4.1.2

Output to the output database 4.1.3

Error indicator output 4.1.4

# Output variables

Abaqus/Standard output variable identifiers 4.2.1

Abaqus/Explicit output variable identifiers 4.2.2

Abaqus/CFD output variable identifiers 4.2.3

# The postprocessing calculator

The postprocessing calculator 4.3.1

# 5. File Output Format

# Accessing the results file

Accessing the results file: overview 5.1.1

Results file output format 5.1.2

Accessing the results file information 5.1.3

Utility routines for accessing the results file 5.1.4
