# Combining material behaviors

 Abaqus provides a broad range of possible material behaviors. A material is defined by choosing the appropriate behaviors for the purpose of an analysis. This section describes the general rules for combining material behaviors. Specific information for each material behavior is also summarized at the end of each material behavior description section in this chapter. Some of the material behaviors in Abaqus are completely unrestricted: they can be used alone or together with other behaviors. For example, thermal properties such as conductivity can be used in any material definition. They will be used in an analysis if the material is associated with elements that can solve heat transfer problems and if the analysis procedure allows for the thermal equilibrium equation to be solved. Some material behaviors in Abaqus require the presence of other material behaviors, and some exclude the use of other material behaviors. For example, metal plasticity requires the definition of elastic material behavior or an equation of state and excludes all other rate-independent plasticity behaviors. The following topics are discussed:
 Related Topics About the material library Material data definition In Other Guides Creating materials

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