This option is relevant for first-order, reduced-integration elements and second-order, reduced-integration element types M3D9R, S8R5, and S9R5. It can also be used to define an hourglass scaling factor for the stiffness associated with the drill degree of freedom (rotation about the surface normal) in shell elements.
The *HOURGLASS STIFFNESS option can be used only in conjunction with the *MEMBRANE SECTION option, the *SOLID SECTION option, the *SHELL SECTION option, and the *SHELL GENERAL SECTION option. The hourglass control defined with this option affects only those elements whose section properties are defined by the immediately preceding section option.
Product: ABAQUS/Standard
Type: Model data
Level: Part Part Instance
First (and only) line:
Hourglass control stiffness parameter 
for use with membrane and solid elements and for membrane hourglass mode control in shells. Units are stress (FL–2). If this value is left blank or entered as zero, ABAQUS/Standard will use the default value.
This field is currently not used.
Hourglass control stiffness parameter (
) for bending hourglass mode control in shells. Units are stress (FL–2). If this value is left blank or entered as zero, ABAQUS/Standard will use the default value.
Factor by which the default stiffness for rotation about the shell surface normal is to be scaled (for shell nodes where six degrees of freedom are active). If this value is not entered or is entered as zero, ABAQUS/Standard will use the default value.