# Distribution definition

 A distribution: is a spatially varying field defined over elements, nodes, or element faces in an Abaqus model; can be used to define shell thicknesses for shell elements with displacement degrees of freedom; can be used to define shell stiffness; can be used to define local coordinate systems on solid continuum and shell elements that have displacement degrees of freedom; can be used to define orientation angles on the layers of composite shell elements that have displacement degrees of freedom; can be used to define orientation angles for connector elements; can be used to define thicknesses on the layers of conventional composite shell elements; can be used to specify initial contact clearances; can be used to specify the volume fraction, aspect ratio, and second-order orientation tensor of a constituent in a multiscale material; and in an Abaqus/Standard analysis can be used to define mass density, linear elastic material behavior, and thermal expansion for solid continuum elements; shell offsets; orientation angles on the layers of composite solid continuum elements; local coordinate systems on membrane elements; and membrane thickness on an element-by-element basis. The following topics are discussed:
 Related Topics Orientations In Other Guides About the material library Material data definition Combining material behaviors Density Linear elastic behavior Thermal expansion Solid (continuum) elements Membrane elements Using a shell section integrated during the analysis to define the section behavior Using a general shell section to define the section behavior About connectors Controlling initial contact status for general contact in Abaqus/Explicit Mean-field homogenization *DISTRIBUTION *DISTRIBUTION TABLE The Discrete Field toolset

ProductsAbaqus/StandardAbaqus/ExplicitAbaqus/CAE