Discrete particle element library

This section provides a reference to the particle elements available in Abaqus/Explicit.

Related Topics
Discrete particle elements
In Other Guides
Discrete element method
*DISCRETE SECTION

ProductsAbaqus/Explicit

Element types

Force/displacement element

PD3D

1-node discrete particle

Active degrees of freedom

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Nodal coordinates required

X, Y, Z

Element property definition

Input File Usage

DISCRETE SECTION

Element-based loading

Distributed loads

Gravity loads as described in Distributed loads are the most commonly applied distributed loads for discrete particle elements. You define gravity loading in a specified direction, and the magnitude is input as acceleration.

Element output

Discrete particle elements have no element output associated with them. Resultant of all contact normal force CNORMF and resultant of all frictional shear force CSHEARF acting on a discrete particle element are the only output variables of interest currently available for this element, see Abaqus/Explicit output variable identifiers for details.

Nodes associated with the element

1 node.