ABAQUS

PROGRAM
GET STARTED

Overview
What

is ABAQUS?
Why learn ABAQUS?
Components of the main Abaqus window .
How to build a simple model.
Examples in 1D and 2D problem's .
Online tutorials .
ABAQUS documentation and online
resources.

What is ABAQUS?
Abaqus

is a suite of powerful engineering simulation

programs, based on the finite element method, that can
solve problems ranging from relatively simple linear
analyses to the most challenging nonlinear simulations.
Abaqus contains an extensive library of elements that
can model virtually any geometry .
The ABAQUS suite consists of three core products:
ABAQUS/Standard, ABAQUS/Explicit and
ABAQUS/CAE. Each of these packages offers
additional optional modules that address specialized
capabilities some customers may need.
(From Abaqus-6-8-GET_STARTED)

ABAQUS/CAE

What is ABAQUS CAE?

ABAQUS

CAE provides a complete

modeling and visualization environment
for ABAQUS analysis products. With
direct access to CAD models, advanced
meshing and visualization, and with an
exclusive view towards ABAQUS analysis
products, ABAQUS/CAE is the modeling
environment of choice for many
ABAQUS users.

Why learn ABAQUS?

Whether you need to understand the

detailed behavior of a complex
assembly, refine concepts for a new
design, understand the behavior of
new materials, or simulate a discrete
manufacturing process, Abaqus FEA
provides the most complete and
flexible solution to get the job done.
The software suite delivers accurate,
robust, high-performance solutions for
challenging nonlinear problems, largescale linear dynamics applications, and
routine design simulations .

Component of the main Abaqus window

Title bar
The

title bar indicates the version of Abaqus

/CAE you are running and the name of the
current model database.

Menu bar
The

menu bar contains all the available

menus; the menus give access to all the
functionality in the product. Different
menus appear in the menu bar
depending on which module you
selected from the context bar.

Toolbars
The

toolbars provide quick access to

items that are also available in the
menus.

Context bar
Abaqus

/CAE is divided into a set of modules,

where each module allows you to work on one
aspect of your model; the Module list in the
context bar allows you to move between
these modules.

Toolbox area
When

you enter a module, the toolbox

area displays tools in the toolbox that
are appropriate for that module. The
toolbox allows quick access to many of
the module functions that are also
available from the menu bar.

Canvas and drawing area

The

canvas can be thought of as an

infinite screen or bulletin board on
which you post viewports. The drawing
area is the visible portion of the canvas.

Viewport
Viewports

are windows on the canvas in

which Abaqus /CAE displays your model.

Prompt area
The

prompt area displays instructions

for you to follow during a procedure; for
example, it asks you to select the
geometry as you create a set.

prompt area

Message area
Abaqus/CAE

prints status information

and warnings in the message area. To
resize the message area, drag the top
edge; to see information that has
scrolled out of the message area, use
the scroll bar on the right side.

Command line interface

You can use the command line interface to type Python commands and
evaluate mathematical expressions using the Python interpreter that is built
into Abaqus /CAE.

Results Tree
The

Results Tree provides you

with a graphical overview of your
output databases and other
session-specific data such as XY
plots.

Model Tree
The

Model Tree provides

you
with
a
graphical
overview of your model and
the objects that it contains,
such as parts, materials,
steps, loads, and output
requests. In addition, the
Model Tree provides a
convenient, centralized tool
for
moving
between
modules and for managing
objects.

WHAT IS A MODULE?

Abaqus/CAE is divided into functional units

called modules. Each module contains only
those tools that are relevant to a specific
portion of the modeling task .

What does an Abaqus/CAE model contain?

An Abaqus/CAE model contains the following kinds of objects:

PART

Create individual parts .

PROPERTY Create and assign material properties.
ASSEMBLY Create and place all parts instances.
STEP Define all analysis steps and the results you want.
INTERACTION Define any contact information.
LOAD- Define and place all loads and boundary conditions.
MESH Define your nodes and elements .
JOB Submit your job for analysis.
VISUALIZATION- View your results.

How to build a simple model

To

start Abaqus command go to Start menu then

ProgramsAbaqus 6.10 Student EditionAbaqus
Command, a command prompt will appear. You have to
go to the folder where you have the input files. The
default working directory in Abaqus is C:\Temp , unless
chosen other working directory.
You work on the model in Steps.
Any model have a .cae extension.
NOTE:
Abaqus has NO built-in system of units. Do NOT include unit names
or labels when entering data in Abaqus. All input data must be specified
in consistent units. The SI system of units is used throughout this guide.

To create the overhead hoist frame:

1. Select Create Model Database from the Start Session dialog box that
appears. ABAQUS/CAE enters the Part module.
2. In the Model Tree, double-click the Parts container to create a new part.
The Create Part dialog box appears. You use the Create Part dialog box
to :
1. name the part
2. choose its modeling space, type, and base feature
3. to set the approximate size.
Note : You can edit and rename a part after you create it; you can also change
its modeling space and type but not its base feature.

Why we choose 2D ?
Small

compared in one plane .

The force in the same plane
We need 3D if there is a details and
there is a part we cannot neglected .

NOTE

: Thickness just in 2D .

One Dimension Problem

1000 N

1m

500 N

1m

Steel beam, Youngs modulus 200x10 Pa , Poisson's ratio 0.29

I want to know stresses and strains along the x-direction and the forces
and moments in each section of the beam due to a concentrated load.
Note : dont forget Beam Section Orientation from property

assign.

Sketch out your FEA

model
y

1
1

3
2

Nodes
Elements

5
4

Beam example
y
9 kN

x
Steel beam, Youngs modulus 200x109 Pa , Poisson's ratio 0.29
Length 2.5 m , width = 2.5 cm, height = 5 cm

Beam example
I want to know stresses and strains along
the x-direction and the forces and
moments in each section of the beam due
to a static load.

Applying boundary conditions to the frame

In

structural analyses, boundary conditions are applied to

those regions of the model where the displacements and/or
rotations are known. Such regions may be constrained to
remain fixed (have zero displacement and/or rotation) during
the simulation or may have specified, nonzero displacements
and/or rotations.
In this model the bottom-left portion of the frame is
constrained completely and, thus, cannot move in any
direction. The bottom-right portion of the frame, however, is
fixed in the vertical direction but is free to move in the
horizontal direction. The directions in which motion is
possible are called degrees of freedom (dof).

In the dialog box:

5.1

Toggle on U1 , U2 and U3
since all translational degrees
of freedom need to be
constrained.

U1,U2,U3 are displacements in

global coordinates .
UR1,UR2,UR3 are rotational in
global coordinates .

Note : in 2D we didnt care

about U3 .

Beam with BCs and loading

Mesh Module
First

we need to decide on the Mesh

controls. In this case we will use
quadrilateral.
Next we choose element type. Under Family
you will see Plane stress highlighted. If we
choose linear with reduced integration we
will be using the following element.
CPS4R:

A 4-node bilinear plane stress

quadrilateral, reduced integration, hourglass
control.

Mesh Module (cont.)

We

need to define how course/fine the

mesh will be by the use of seeds.
The system will suggest a seed value.
To make the mesh finer enter a smaller
number. Larger numbers will make the
mesh more course.

Pick your elements

A truss problem
1000 N

500 N

20 cm.
x
20 cm.
9

Steel beam, Youngs modulus 200x10 Pa , Poisson's ratio 0.29

Thickness of each truss is 1 cm .

Beam example
I want to know stresses and strains in all
truss segments due to the static loads
shown in the figure.

Online tutorials
ABAQUS CAE has three very good tutorials
:
Simple

3D cantilever beam .
Two hinges/ rigid pin assembly .
Viewing and working with your output .

Looking at the results files

Starting with the .log file you should
review the results files.

ABAQUS CAE files

ABAQUS

CAE creates a binary file with a

.cae file extension.
When viewing your results it uses the .odb
and .fil files .
CAE created an input file to run the analysis.
You can import an input file to CAE to
manipulate the model.

The results

You will get many files after your job is complete.

.dat Contains results information you can read.
Very important for debugging.
.fil
Only for the computer
.com Only for the computer
.odb Only for the computer but will be used by CAE
.msg Contains information you can read about how
the job ran. Can be important for debugging.
.prt Only for the computer
.sta Contains information you can read about the
status of the job while running
.log Contains information you can read about how
the job ran. Can be important for debugging.

ABAQUS documentation and

online resources .
There

are many online resources to help you

find solutions.
ABAQUS Documentation
http://abaqus.civil.uwa.edu.au/docs/abaqus/v6.7/
Newsgroup ABAQUS GROUP
Engineering Computing Services
http://www.3ds.com