Defining elasticity

You can define spring-like elasticity behavior for the available components of relative motion. For more information, see Connector elastic behavior.

Related Topics
Connector section editors
Creating connector sections
In Other Guides
Connector elastic behavior

  1. Display the connector section editor using one of the following methods:

    • To create a new connector section, follow the procedure outlined in Creating connector sections.

    • To edit an existing connector section, select ConnectorSectionManager from the main menu bar, select the connector section from the list that appears, and click Edit.

  2. In the Edit Connector Section dialog box, do one of the following:

    • To define a new elasticity behavior, click Add and select Elasticity from the menu that appears.

    • To edit an existing elasticity behavior, select the behavior from the Behavior Options list to display the associated data fields for that option.

  3. Choose the Definition.

    • Choose Linear to define linear elastic stiffnesses.

    • Choose Nonlinear to define forces/moments as tabular functions of available components of relative motion.

    • Choose Rigid to define rigid-like elastic behavior.

  4. If you are defining linear elastic behavior,

    1. In the Force/Moment field, toggle on the forces or moments consistent with the available components of relative motion for which you are defining elastic behavior.
    2. In the Coupling field, choose one of the following:

      • Choose Uncoupled to specify the individual elastic stiffnesses for the available components of relative motion; for example, D11, D22, and D33, as determined by Force/Moment selections. You can use a single elasticity behavior to specify all of the stiffnesses, even if the values are different for each available component of relative motion.

      • Choose Coupled to specify elastic stiffnesses coupled with the available components of relative motion; for example, D11, D12, and D13, as determined by Force/Moment selections.

  5. If you are defining nonlinear, uncoupled behavior,

    1. In the Force/Moment field, toggle on the forces or moments that are consistent with the available components of relative motion for which you are defining elastic behavior. If the behavior is the same for multiple components, you can define a single elasticity behavior that will use this one function. If the behavior is different for multiple components, you must define separate elasticity behaviors.
    2. Choose Uncoupled in the Coupling field to specify forces/moments as a tabular function of their respective available components of relative motion.

  6. If you are defining nonlinear, coupled behavior,

    1. In the Force/Moment field, toggle on the forces or moments that are consistent with the available components of relative motion for which you are defining elastic behavior.
    2. Choose Coupled on position or Coupled on motion in the Coupling field to specify forces/moments as functions of one or more relative position or constitutive displacement/rotation components, respectively.
    3. In the Independent components field, toggle on the available components of relative position or constitutive motion for which you are defining coupled elastic behavior. You may need to use the unsymmetric equation solver in the step editor to improve convergence.

  7. If you are defining rigid elastic behavior, toggle on the available components of relative motion for which you are defining rigid elastic behavior.

  8. To define behavior data that depend on frequency, temperature, or field variables, do the following:

    1. If available, toggle on Use frequency-dependent data to define behavior data that vary with frequency. A column labeled Frequency appears in the data table.
    2. Toggle on Use temperature-dependent data to define behavior data that vary with temperature. A column labeled Temp appears in the data table.
    3. To define behavior data that depend on field variables, click the arrows to the right of the Number of field variables field to increase or decrease the number of field variables. Field variable columns appear in the data table.

  9. Enter data in the table. You can enter data into the table using the keyboard. Alternatively, you can click mouse button 3 anywhere in the table to view a list of options for specifying tabular data. For detailed information on each option, see Entering tabular data.

  10. To modify the behavior settings for the regularization (Abaqus/Explicit analyses only) or the extrapolation of the data, use the procedure described in Specifying behavior settings for tabular data.

  11. Select one of the following:

    • If you want to continue defining behaviors, click Add, select the desired behavior, and continue the connector section definition. For instructions on defining other behaviors, see Using the connector section editors.

    • If you want to view or edit an existing behavior, select the behavior from the Behavior Options list. For instructions on editing behaviors, see Using the connector section editors.

    • If you want to save your connector section definition and exit the editor, click OK.