About analytical mapped fields

In Abaqus/CAE a mapped field is used to provide the values of selected loads, interactions, properties, etc., at different points in space. For example, you can define a spatially varying shell thickness or pressure load by providing the thickness or pressure values at different coordinates. Parameter values can be read in from a point cloud data file generated by a third-party CAE application or from an Abaqus output database (.odb) file.

Mapped fields allow you to import discrete and discontinuous parameter data and apply them to your Abaqus/CAE model. Abaqus/CAE applies the values to the current model, mapping the input X-, Y-, and Z-coordinates to locations in the model. Abaqus/CAE maps the source data onto the target model, and Abaqus computes the distributed parameter values to be used during the analysis. The parameter values are also called field values, or field data; for example, pressure values at different points on a surface.

When you create a mapped field from point cloud data, you can assign a local coordinate system to the source data region to simplify the three-dimensional definition of points in space. The local coordinate system can be rectangular, cylindrical, or spherical. For example, with a rectangular coordinate system, the X-, Y-, and Z-coordinates are interpreted in that local coordinate system.

Only scalar data values can be used in mapped fields. Each field data value is mapped from the source to the target region as a scalar value. The Abaqus/CAE mapping algorithm is purely geometric, with no physical considerations such as conservative mapping.

Mapped fields can be used to define the properties and attributes shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Attributes and properties that support mapped fields.
Category Attribute/Property
Loads Body concentration flux
Body heat flux
Pressure
Surface concentration flux
Surface heat flux
Surface pore fluid flow
Boundary conditions Acoustic pressure
Electrical potential
Mass concentration
Mass flow
Pore pressure
Temperature
Predefined fields Nodal temperature
Pore pressure
Saturation
Void ratio
Interactions Concentrated film condition
Surface film condition
Surface radiation
Other Density (material density distributions)
Shell thicknesses (element distribution or nodal distribution in shell sections)

The magnitude you specify in the property, load, predefined field, or interaction is used as a multiplier for the mapped field data values. You can also scale the source data coordinates; for example, to account for a mismatch of units (i.e., meters to millimeters).

When you apply a load, interaction, or predefined field using a mapped field, you can display symbols in the viewport to visualize the locations and magnitudes of the field values. However, you must mesh the model first to be able to see these symbols.

Abaqus/CAE provides a set of mapping tolerance controls that allow you to adjust how far source data points may lie from the target points. Depending on how far away each source point is from the nearest node on the meshed model target, Abaqus/CAE must decide whether to use or discard each source point.

Output request frequency time points are not supported in mapped fields.

Note: When a mapped field is used to apply a pressure load, you must request output for the field output variable P to be able to visualize the mapped pressure values in the Visualization module. The output variable name P is automatically changed to PDLOAD during the analysis; see Abaqus/Standard output variable identifiers, or Abaqus/Explicit output variable identifiers.