Displaying and customizing a deformed shape plot

You will now display the deformed model shape and use the plot options to change the deformation scale factor. You will also superimpose the undeformed model shape on the deformed model shape.

This task shows you how to:

Context:

From the main menu bar, select PlotDeformed Shape; or use the tool in the toolbox. Abaqus/CAE displays the deformed model shape, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Deformed model shape.

For small-displacement analyses (the default formulation in Abaqus/Standard) the displacements are scaled automatically to ensure that they are clearly visible. The scale factor is displayed in the state block. In this case the displacements have been scaled by a factor of 42.83.

Change the deformation scale factor

  1. From the main menu bar, select OptionsCommon; or use the tool in the toolbox.

  2. From the Common Plot Options dialog box, click the Basic tab if it is not already selected.

  3. From the Deformation Scale Factor area, toggle on Uniform and enter 10.0 in the Value field.

  4. Click Apply to redisplay the deformed shape.

    The state block displays the new scale factor.

  5. To return to automatic scaling of the displacements, repeat the above procedure and, in the Deformation Scale Factor field, toggle on Auto-compute.

  6. Click OK to close the Common Plot Options dialog box.

Superimpose the undeformed model shape on the deformed model shape

  1. Click the Allow Multiple Plot States tool in the toolbox to allow multiple plot states in the viewport; then click the tool or select PlotUndeformed Shape to add the undeformed shape plot to the existing deformed plot in the viewport.

    By default, Abaqus/CAE plots the deformed model shape in green and the (superimposed) undeformed model shape in a translucent white.

  2. The plot options for the superimposed image are controlled separately from those of the primary image. From the main menu bar, select OptionsSuperimpose; or use the tool in the toolbox to change the edge style of the superimposed (i.e., undeformed) image.

  3. From the Superimpose Plot Options dialog box, click the Color & Style tab.

  4. In the Color & Style tabbed page, select the dashed edge style.

  5. Click OK to close the Superimpose Plot Options dialog box and to apply the change.

    The plot is shown in Figure 2. The undeformed model shape appears with a dashed edge style.

    Figure 2. Undeformed and deformed model shapes.