Symbol plots allow you to visualize the magnitude and direction of vector and tensor variables in the form of symbols (arrows) superimposed on the model. Each symbol starts at the location in the model where the value was obtained; symbols representing nodal quantities appear at nodes, and symbols representing integration point quantities appear at integration points. The length of the arrow indicates the magnitude of the vector or tensor, and the direction of the arrow indicates its direction.
For example, in this section you will create a symbol plot of displacement. The symbol plot displays arrows representing the magnitude and the direction of the displacement vector at each node.
Before creating the symbol plot, you use the Field Output dialog box to specify the variable you want to plot.
To create a symbol plot of nodal displacement:
From the main menu bar, select Result
Field Output.
ABAQUS displays the Field Output dialog box.
Click the Primary Variable tab if it is not already selected.
From the output variable Name list, select U (spatial displacement at nodes).
From the Invariant field, select Magnitude if it is not already selected. This selection indicates that you want to plot the magnitudes of the displacement vectors.
Click OK to select the field output variable and to close the Field Output dialog box.
The contour plot in the current viewport displays the magnitude of the displacement vector but retains your customized settings for the contour limits. You can click the Defaults button in the Contour Plot Options dialog box to restore the default options.
From the main menu bar, select PlotSymbols.
Tip:
You can also display a symbol plot using the 
tool in the Visualization module toolbox.
A symbol plot appears, as shown in Figure D–9.
The arrows represent the total displacement at each node. The length of the arrow represents the magnitude of the displacement, and the direction of the arrow represents the direction of the displacement.
If your symbol plot is different from Figure D–9, you may not have selected the correct output variable. On the Primary Variable page in the Field Output dialog box, select U and Magnitude and remember to click OK.
You will now customize your symbol plot by changing the visible edges and the arrow size and color.
To customize the symbol plot:
From the main menu bar, select OptionsSymbol.
The Symbol Plot Options dialog box appears.
In the Symbol Plot Options dialog box, click the Basic tab if it is not already selected, and choose Feature edges for the visible edges.
Click the Color & Style tab, and do the following:
Click the Vector tab.
Click the color sample 
.
ABAQUS/CAE displays the Select Color dialog box.
Click the RGB tab and set the red, green, and blue values to 0, 255 and 255, respectively.
Tip: You can also select cyan from the colors near the bottom of the dialog box or use any of the other available selection methods.
Click OK to accept your selection and to close the Select Color dialog box.
Drag the Size slider to select 12 as the maximum length of the vector.
Click OK to apply your changes and to close the Symbol Plot Options dialog box.
The customized symbol plot appears, as shown in Figure D–10.
