Abaqus Example Problems Guide

The Abaqus Example Problems Guide contains many solved examples from which users can learn how to run simulations involving nontrivial physics. Some of the problems are quite difficult and require combinations of the capabilities in the code. These examples are intended to provide guidance to users who must work on a class of problems with which they are relatively unfamiliar. In each worked example the discussion in the guide states why the example is included and leads the reader through the standard approach to an analysis: element and mesh selection, material model, and a discussion of the results. Many of these problems are worked with different element types, mesh densities, and other variations.

This guide is a part of the Abaqus® documentation collection, which describes all the capabilities of the Abaqus finite element analysis technology used in SIMULIA® applications.

Input data files for all of the analyses are included with the Abaqus release in compressed archive files. The abaqus fetch utility is used to extract these input files for use. For example, to fetch input file boltpipeflange_3d_cyclsym.inp, type 

abaqus fetch job=boltpipeflange_3d_cyclsym.inp

Parametric study script (.psf) and user subroutine (.f) files can be fetched in the same manner. All files for a particular problem can be obtained by leaving off the file extension. The abaqus fetch utility is explained in detail in Fetching sample input files.

It is sometimes useful to search the input files. The findkeyword utility is used to locate input files that contain user-specified input. This utility is defined in Querying the keyword/problem database.

To reproduce the graphical representation of the solution reported in some of the examples, the output frequency used in the input files may need to be increased. For example, in Linear analysis of the Indian Point reactor feedwater line the figures that appear in the guide can be obtained only if the solution is written to the results file every increment; that is, if the input files are changed to read 

*NODE FILE, ..., FREQUENCY=1

instead of FREQUENCY=100 as appears now.

In addition to this guide, there are two other guides that contain worked problems. The Abaqus Benchmarks Guide contains benchmark problems that provide evidence that the software can produce a result from a benchmark defined by an external body or institution such as NAFEMS. The tests in this guide are sufficient to show accuracy and convergence compared to benchmark data. The Abaqus Verification Guide contains a large number of tests that are intended to provide evidence that the implementation of the numerical model produces the expected results for one or several well-defined options in the code.

The qualification process for new Abaqus releases includes running and verifying results for all problems in this guide, the Abaqus Benchmarks Guide, and the Abaqus Verification Guide.