22.1.4 Three-dimensional solid element library

Products: ABAQUS/Standard  ABAQUS/Explicit  ABAQUS/CAE  

References

Element types

Stress/displacement elements

C3D44-node linear tetrahedron
C3D4H(S)    4-node linear tetrahedron, hybrid with constant pressure
C3D66-node linear triangular prism
C3D6H(S)    6-node linear triangular prism, hybrid with constant pressure
C3D8(S)    8-node linear brick
C3D8H(S)    8-node linear brick, hybrid with constant pressure
C3D8I(S)    8-node linear brick, incompatible modes
C3D8IH(S)    8-node linear brick, incompatible modes, hybrid with linear pressure
C3D8R8-node linear brick, reduced integration with hourglass control
C3D8RH(S)    8-node linear brick, reduced integration with hourglass control, hybrid with constant pressure
C3D10(S)    10-node quadratic tetrahedron
C3D10H(S)    10-node quadratic tetrahedron, hybrid with linear pressure
C3D10M10-node modified tetrahedron, with hourglass control
C3D10MH(S)    10-node modified tetrahedron, with hourglass control, hybrid with linear pressure
C3D15(S)    15-node quadratic triangular prism
C3D15H(S)    15-node quadratic triangular prism, hybrid with linear pressure
C3D20(S)    20-node quadratic brick
C3D20H(S)    20-node quadratic brick, hybrid with linear pressure
C3D20R(S)    20-node quadratic brick, reduced integration
C3D20RH(S)    20-node quadratic brick, reduced integration, hybrid with linear pressure

Active degrees of freedom

1, 2, 3

Additional solution variables

The constant pressure hybrid elements have one additional variable relating to pressure, and the linear pressure hybrid elements have four additional variables relating to pressure.

Element types C3D8I and C3D8IH have thirteen additional variables relating to the incompatible modes.

Element types C3D10M and C3D10MH have three additional displacement variables.

Stress/displacement variable node elements

C3D15V(S)    15 to 18-node triangular prism
C3D15VH(S)    15 to 18-node triangular prism, hybrid with linear pressure
C3D27(S)    21 to 27-node brick
C3D27H(S)    21 to 27-node brick, hybrid with linear pressure
C3D27R(S)    21 to 27-node brick, reduced integration
C3D27RH(S)    21 to 27-node brick, reduced integration, hybrid with linear pressure

Active degrees of freedom

1, 2, 3

Additional solution variables

The hybrid elements have four additional variables relating to pressure.

Coupled temperature-displacement elements

C3D4T(E)    4-node linear displacement and temperature
C3D6T(E)    6-node linear displacement and temperature
C3D8T(S)    8-node trilinear displacement and temperature
C3D8HT(S)    8-node trilinear displacement and temperature, hybrid with constant pressure
C3D8RT8-node trilinear displacement and temperature, reduced integration with hourglass control
C3D8RHT(S)    8-node trilinear displacement and temperature, reduced integration with hourglass control, hybrid with constant pressure
C3D10MT10-node modified displacement and temperature tetrahedron, with hourglass control
C3D10MHT(S)    10-node modified displacement and temperature tetrahedron, with hourglass control, hybrid with linear pressure
C3D20T(S)    20-node triquadratic displacement, trilinear temperature
C3D20HT(S)    20-node triquadratic displacement, trilinear temperature, hybrid with linear pressure
C3D20RT(S)    20-node triquadratic displacement, trilinear temperature, reduced integration
C3D20RHT(S)    20-node triquadratic displacement, trilinear temperature, reduced integration, hybrid with linear pressure

Active degrees of freedom

1, 2, 3, 11 at corner nodes

1, 2, 3 at midside nodes of second-order elements in ABAQUS/Standard

1, 2, 3, 11 at midside nodes of modified displacement and temperature elements in ABAQUS/Standard

Additional solution variables

The constant pressure hybrid element has one additional variable relating to pressure, and the linear pressure hybrid elements have four additional variables relating to pressure.

Element types C3D10MT and C3D10MHT have three additional displacement variables and one additional temperature variable.

Diffusive heat transfer or mass diffusion elements

DC3D4(S)    4-node linear tetrahedron
DC3D6(S)    6-node linear triangular prism
DC3D8(S)    8-node linear brick
DC3D10(S)    10-node quadratic tetrahedron
DC3D15(S)    15-node quadratic triangular prism
DC3D20(S)    20-node quadratic brick

Active degree of freedom

11

Additional solution variables

None.

Forced convection/diffusion elements

DCC3D8(S)    8-node
DCC3D8D(S)    8-node with dispersion control

Active degree of freedom

11

Additional solution variables

None.

Coupled thermal-electrical elements

DC3D4E(S)    4-node linear tetrahedron
DC3D6E(S)    6-node linear triangular prism
DC3D8E(S)    8-node linear brick
DC3D10E(S)    10-node quadratic tetrahedron
DC3D15E(S)    15-node quadratic triangular prism
DC3D20E(S)    20-node quadratic brick

Active degrees of freedom

9, 11

Additional solution variables

None.

Pore pressure elements

C3D8P(S)    8-node trilinear displacement and pore pressure
C3D8PH(S)    8-node trilinear displacement and pore pressure, hybrid with constant pressure
C3D8RP(S)    8-node trilinear displacement and pore pressure, reduced integration
C3D8RPH(S)    8-node trilinear displacement and pore pressure, reduced integration, hybrid with constant pressure
C3D10MP(S)    10-node modified displacement and pore pressure tetrahedron, with hourglass control
C3D10MPH(S)    10-node modified displacement and pore pressure tetrahedron, with hourglass control, hybrid with linear pressure
C3D20P(S)    20-node triquadratic displacement, trilinear pore pressure
C3D20PH(S)    20-node triquadratic displacement, trilinear pore pressure, hybrid with linear pressure
C3D20RP(S)    20-node triquadratic displacement, trilinear pore pressure, reduced integration
C3D20RPH(S)    20-node triquadratic displacement, trilinear pore pressure, reduced integration, hybrid with linear pressure

Active degrees of freedom

1, 2, 3 at midside nodes for all elements except C3D10MP and C3D10MPH, which also have degree of freedom 8 active at midside nodes

1, 2, 3, 8 at corner nodes

Additional solution variables

The constant pressure hybrid elements have one additional variable relating to the effective pressure stress, and the linear pressure hybrid elements have four additional variables relating to the effective pressure stress to permit fully incompressible material modeling.

Element types C3D10MP and C3D10MPH have three additional displacement variables and one additional pore pressure variable.

Acoustic elements

AC3D44-node linear tetrahedron
AC3D66-node linear triangular prism
AC3D8(S)    8-node linear brick
AC3D8R(E)    8-node linear brick, reduced integration with hourglass control
AC3D10(S)    10-node quadratic tetrahedron
AC3D15(S)    15-node quadratic triangular prism
AC3D20(S)    20-node quadratic brick

Active degree of freedom

8

Additional solution variables

None.

Piezoelectric elements

C3D4E(S)    4-node linear tetrahedron
C3D6E(S)    6-node linear triangular prism
C3D8E(S)    8-node linear brick
C3D10E(S)    10-node quadratic tetrahedron
C3D15E(S)    15-node quadratic triangular prism
C3D20E(S)    20-node quadratic brick
C3D20RE(S)    20-node quadratic brick, reduced integration

Active degrees of freedom

1, 2, 3, 9

Additional solution variables

None.

Nodal coordinates required

X, Y, Z

Element property definition

Input File Usage:           
*SOLID SECTION

ABAQUS/CAE Usage: 

Property module: Create Section: select Solid as the section Category and Homogeneous as the section Type


Element-based loading

Distributed loads

Distributed loads are available for all elements with displacement degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Distributed loads, Section 27.4.3.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  BX

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body force

Units:  FL–3

Description:  Body force in global X-direction.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  BY

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body force

Units:  FL–3

Description:  Body force in global Y-direction.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  BZ

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body force

Units:  FL–3

Description:  Body force in global Z-direction.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  BXNU

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body force

Units:  FL–3

Description:  Nonuniform body force in global X-direction with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DLOAD in ABAQUS/Standard and VDLOAD in ABAQUS/Explicit.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  BYNU

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body force

Units:  FL–3

Description:  Nonuniform body force in global Y-direction with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DLOAD in ABAQUS/Standard  and VDLOAD in ABAQUS/Explicit.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  BZNU

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body force

Units:  FL–3

Description:  Nonuniform body force in global Z-direction with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DLOAD in ABAQUS/Standard  and VDLOAD in ABAQUS/Explicit.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  CENT(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–4(ML–3T–2)

Description:  Centrifugal load (magnitude is input as , where is the mass density per unit volume, is the angular velocity). Not available for pore pressure elements.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  CENTRIF(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Rotational body force

Units:  T–2

Description:  Centrifugal load (magnitude is input as , where is the angular velocity).


Load ID (*DLOAD):  CORIO(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–4T (ML–3T–1)

Description:  Coriolis force (magnitude is input as , where is the mass density per unit volume, is the angular velocity). Not available for pore pressure elements.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  GRAV

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Gravity

Units:  LT–2

Description:  Gravity loading in a specified direction (magnitude is input as acceleration).


Load ID (*DLOAD):  HPn(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Hydrostatic pressure on face n, linear in global Z.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  Pn

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Pressure on face n.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  PnNU

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Nonuniform pressure on face n with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DLOAD in ABAQUS/Standard and VDLOAD in ABAQUS/Explicit.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  ROTA(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Rotational body force

Units:  T–2

Description:  Rotary acceleration load (magnitude is input as , where is the rotary acceleration).


Load ID (*DLOAD):  SBF(E)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–5T2

Description:  Stagnation body force in global X-, Y-, and Z-directions.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  SPn(E)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–4T2

Description:  Stagnation pressure on face n.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  TRSHRn

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Shear traction on face n.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  TRSHRnNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Nonuniform shear traction on face n with magnitude and direction supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  TRVECn

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  General traction on face n.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  TRVECnNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Nonuniform general traction on face n with magnitude and direction supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  VBF(E)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–4T

Description:  Viscous body force in global X-, Y-, and Z-directions.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  VPn(E)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–3T

Description:  Viscous pressure on face n, applying a pressure proportional to the velocity normal to the face and opposing the motion.

Foundations

Foundations are available for ABAQUS/Standard elements with displacement degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Element foundations, Section 2.2.2.


Load ID (*FOUNDATION):  Fn(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Elastic foundation

Units:  FL–3

Description:  Elastic foundation on face n.

Distributed heat fluxes

Distributed heat fluxes are available for all elements with temperature degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Thermal loads, Section 27.4.4.


Load ID (*DFLUX):  BF

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body heat flux

Units:  JL–3T–1

Description:  Heat body flux per unit volume.


Load ID (*DFLUX):  BFNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body heat flux

Units:  JL–3T–1

Description:  Nonuniform heat body flux per unit volume with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DFLUX.


Load ID (*DFLUX):  Sn

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  JL–2T–1

Description:  Heat surface flux per unit area into face n.


Load ID (*DFLUX):  SnNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  JL–2T–1

Description:  Nonuniform heat surface flux per unit area into face n with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DFLUX.

Film conditions

Film conditions are available for all elements with temperature degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Thermal loads, Section 27.4.4.


Load ID (*FILM):  Fn

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface film condition

Units:  JL–2T–1–1

Description:  Film coefficient and sink temperature (units of ) provided on face n.


Load ID (*FILM):  FnNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  JL–2T–1–1

Description:  Nonuniform film coefficient and sink temperature (units of ) provided on face n with magnitude supplied via user subroutine FILM.

Radiation types

Radiation conditions are available for all elements with temperature degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Thermal loads, Section 27.4.4.


Load ID (*RADIATE):  Rn

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  Dimensionless

Description:  Emissivity and sink temperature (units of ) provided on face n.

Distributed flows

Distributed flows are available for all elements with pore pressure degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Pore fluid flow, Section 27.4.6.


Load ID (*FLOW/ *DFLOW):  Qn(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  F–1L3T–1

Description:  Seepage (outward normal flow) proportional to the difference between surface pore pressure and a reference sink pore pressure on face n (units of FL–2).


Load ID (*FLOW/ *DFLOW):  QnD(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  F–1L3T–1

Description:  Drainage-only seepage (outward normal flow) proportional to the surface pore pressure on face n only when that pressure is positive.


Load ID (*FLOW/ *DFLOW):  QnNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  F–1L3T–1

Description:  Nonuniform seepage (outward normal flow) proportional to the difference between surface pore pressure and a reference sink pore pressure on face n (units of FL–2) with magnitude supplied via user subroutine FLOW.


Load ID (*FLOW/ *DFLOW):  Sn(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  LT–1

Description:  Prescribed pore fluid effective velocity (outward from the face) on face n.


Load ID (*FLOW/ *DFLOW):  SnNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  LT–1

Description:  Nonuniform prescribed pore fluid effective velocity (outward from the face) on face n with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DFLOW.

Distributed impedances

Distributed impedances are available for all elements with acoustic pressure degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Acoustic loads, Section 27.4.5.


Load ID (*IMPEDANCE):  In

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  None

Description:  Name of the impedance property that defines the impedance on face n.

Electric fluxes

Electric fluxes are available for piezoelectric elements. They are specified as described in Piezoelectric analysis, Section 6.6.3.


Load ID (*DECHARGE):  EBF(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body charge

Units:  CL–3

Description:  Body flux per unit volume.


Load ID (*DECHARGE):  ESn(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  CL–2

Description:  Prescribed surface charge on face n.

Distributed electric current densities

Distributed electric current densities are available for coupled thermal-electrical elements. They are specified as described in Coupled thermal-electrical analysis, Section 6.6.2.


Load ID (*DECURRENT):  CBF(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body current

Units:  CL–3T–1

Description:  Volumetric current source density.


Load ID (*DECURRENT):  CSn(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  CL–2T–1

Description:  Current density on face n.

Distributed concentration fluxes

Distributed concentration fluxes are available for mass diffusion elements. They are specified as described in Mass diffusion analysis, Section 6.8.1.


Load ID (*DFLUX):  BF(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body concentration flux

Units:  PT–1

Description:  Concentration body flux per unit volume.


Load ID (*DFLUX):  BFNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body concentration flux

Units:  PT–1

Description:  Nonuniform concentration body flux per unit volume with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DFLUX.


Load ID (*DFLUX):  Sn(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface concentration flux

Units:  PLT–1

Description:  Concentration surface flux per unit area into face n.


Load ID (*DFLUX):  SnNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface concentration flux

Units:  PLT–1

Description:  Nonuniform concentration surface flux per unit area into face n with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DFLUX.

Surface-based loading

Distributed loads

Surface-based distributed loads are available for all elements with displacement degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Distributed loads, Section 27.4.3.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  HP(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Hydrostatic pressure on the element surface, linear in global Z.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  P

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Pressure on the element surface.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  PNU

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Nonuniform pressure on the element surface with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DLOAD in ABAQUS/Standard and VDLOAD in ABAQUS/Explicit.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  SP(E)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–4T2

Description:  Stagnation pressure on the element surface.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  TRSHR

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface traction

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Shear traction on the element surface.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  TRSHRNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Nonuniform shear traction on the element surface with magnitude and direction supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  TRVEC

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface traction

Units:  FL–2

Description:  General traction on the element surface.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  TRVECNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Nonuniform general traction on the element surface with magnitude and direction supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  VP(E)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–3T

Description:  Viscous pressure applied on the element surface. The viscous pressure is proportional to the velocity normal to the element face and opposing the motion.

Distributed heat fluxes

Surface-based heat fluxes are available for all elements with temperature degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Thermal loads, Section 27.4.4.


Load ID (*DSFLUX):  S

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface heat flux

Units:  JL–2T–1

Description:  Heat surface flux per unit area into the element surface.


Load ID (*DSFLUX):  SNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface heat flux

Units:  JL–2T–1

Description:  Nonuniform heat surface flux per unit area into the element surface with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DFLUX.

Film conditions

Surface-based film conditions are available for all elements with temperature degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Thermal loads, Section 27.4.4.


Load ID (*SFILM):  F

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface film condition

Units:  JL–2T–1–1

Description:  Film coefficient and sink temperature (units of ) provided on the element surface.


Load ID (*SFILM):  FNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface film condition

Units:  JL–2T–1–1

Description:  Nonuniform film coefficient and sink temperature (units of ) provided on the element surface with magnitude supplied via user subroutine FILM.

Radiation types

Surface-based radiation conditions are available for all elements with temperature degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Thermal loads, Section 27.4.4.


Load ID (*SRADIATE):  R

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface radiation to ambient

Units:  Dimensionless

Description:  Emissivity and sink temperature (units of ) provided on the element surface.

Distributed flows

Surface-based flows are available for all elements with pore pressure degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Pore fluid flow, Section 27.4.6.


Load ID (*SFLOW/ *DSFLOW):  Q(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  F–1L3T–1

Description:  Seepage (outward normal flow) proportional to the difference between surface pore pressure and a reference sink pore pressure on the element surface (units of FL–2).


Load ID (*SFLOW/ *DSFLOW):  QD(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  F–1L3T–1

Description:  Drainage-only seepage (outward normal flow) proportional to the surface pore pressure on the element surface only when that pressure is positive.


Load ID (*SFLOW/ *DSFLOW):  QNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  F–1L3T–1

Description:  Nonuniform seepage (outward normal flow) proportional to the difference between surface pore pressure and a reference sink pore pressure on the element surface (units of FL–2) with magnitude upplied via user subroutine FLOW.


Load ID (*SFLOW/ *DSFLOW):  S(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface pore fluid

Units:  LT–1

Description:  Prescribed pore fluid effective velocity outward from the element surface.


Load ID (*SFLOW/ *DSFLOW):  SNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface pore fluid

Units:  LT–1

Description:  Nonuniform prescribed pore fluid effective velocity outward from the element surface with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DFLOW.

Distributed impedances

Surface-based impedances are available for all elements with acoustic pressure degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Acoustic loads, Section 27.4.5.

Incident wave loading

Surface-based incident wave loads are available for all elements with displacement degrees of freedom or acoustic pressure degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Acoustic loads, Section 27.4.5. If the incident wave field includes a reflection off a plane outside the boundaries of the mesh, this effect can be included.

Electric fluxes

Surface-based electric fluxes are available for piezoelectric elements. They are specified as described in Piezoelectric analysis, Section 6.6.3.


Load ID (*DSECHARGE):  ES(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface charge

Units:  CL–2

Description:  Prescribed surface charge on the element surface.

Distributed electric current densities

Surface-based electric current densities are available for coupled thermal-electrical elements. They are specified as described in Coupled thermal-electrical analysis, Section 6.6.2.


Load ID (*DSECURRENT):  CS(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface current

Units:  CL–2T–1

Description:  Current density on the element surface.

Element output

Output is in global directions unless a local coordinate system is assigned to the element through either the section definition (Orientations, Section 2.2.5) or an element property assignment (Assigning element properties on an element-by-element basis, Section 21.1.5), in which case output is in the local coordinate system (which rotates with the motion in large-displacement analysis). See State storage, Section 1.5.4 of the ABAQUS Theory Manual, for details.

Stress, strain, and other tensor components

Stress and other tensors (including strain tensors) are available for elements with displacement degrees of freedom. All tensors have the same components. For example, the stress components are as follows:

S11

, direct stress.

S22

, direct stress.

S33

, direct stress.

S12

, shear stress.

S13

, shear stress.

S23

, shear stress.


Note: the order shown above is not the same as that used in user subroutine VUMAT.

Heat flux components

Available for elements with temperature degrees of freedom.

HFL1

Heat flux in the X-direction.

HFL2

Heat flux in the Y-direction.

HFL3

Heat flux in the Z-direction.


Pore fluid velocity components

Available for elements with pore pressure degrees of freedom.

FLVEL1

Pore fluid effective velocity in the X-direction.

FLVEL2

Pore fluid effective velocity in the Y-direction.

FLVEL3

Pore fluid effective velocity in the Z-direction.


Mass concentration flux components

Available for elements with normalized concentration degrees of freedom.

MFL1

Concentration flux in the X-direction.

MFL2

Concentration flux in the Y-direction.

MFL3

Concentration flux in the Z-direction.


Electrical potential gradient

Available for elements with electrical potential degrees of freedom.

EPG1

Electrical potential gradient in the X-direction.

EPG2

Electrical potential gradient in the Y-direction.

EPG3

Electrical potential gradient in the Z-direction.


Electrical flux components

Available for piezoelectric elements.

EFLX1

Electrical flux in the X-direction.

EFLX2

Electrical flux in the Y-direction.

EFLX3

Electrical flux in the Z-direction.


Electrical current density components

Available for coupled thermal-electrical elements.

ECD1

Electrical current density in the X-direction.

ECD2

Electrical current density in the -direction.

ECD3

Electrical current density in the Z-direction.


Node ordering and face numbering on elements

All elements except variable node elements

Tetrahedral element faces

Face 11 – 2 – 3 face
Face 21 – 4 – 2 face
Face 32 – 4 – 3 face
Face 43 – 4 – 1 face

Wedge (triangular prism) element faces

Face 11 – 2 – 3 face
Face 24 – 6 – 5 face
Face 31 – 4 – 5 – 2 face
Face 42 – 5 – 6 – 3 face
Face 53 – 6 – 4 – 1 face

Hexahedron (brick) element faces

Face 11 – 2 – 3 – 4 face
Face 25 – 8 – 7 – 6 face
Face 31 – 5 – 6 – 2 face
Face 42 – 6 – 7 – 3 face
Face 53 – 7 – 8 – 4 face
Face 64 – 8 – 5 – 1 face

Variable node elements

16–18 are midface nodes on the three rectangular faces (see below for faces 1 to 5). These nodes can be omitted from an element by entering a zero or blank in the corresponding position when giving the nodes on the element. Only nodes 16–18 can be omitted.

Face location of nodes 16 to 18

Face node numberCorner nodes on face
161 – 4 – 5 – 2
172 – 5 – 6 – 3
183 – 6 – 4 – 1

Node 21 is located at the centroid of the element.

(nodes 22–27) are midface nodes on the six faces (see below for faces 1 to 6). These nodes can be deleted from an element by entering a zero or blank in the corresponding position when giving the nodes on the element. Only nodes 22–27 can be omitted.

Face location of nodes 22 to 27

Face node numberCorner nodes on face
221 – 2 – 3 – 4
235 – 8 – 7 – 6
241 – 5 – 6 – 2
252 – 6 – 7 – 3
263 – 7 – 8 – 4
274 – 8 – 5 – 1

Numbering of integration points for output

All elements except variable node elements

This shows the scheme in the layer closest to the 1–2–3 and 1–2–3–4 faces. The integration points in the second and third layers are numbered consecutively. Multiple layers are used for composite solid elements.

For heat transfer applications a different integration scheme is used for tetrahedral and wedge elements, as described in Triangular, tetrahedral, and wedge elements, Section 3.2.6 of the ABAQUS Theory Manual.

For acoustic tetrahedra and wedges in ABAQUS/Standard full integration is used, so an AC3D4 element has four integration points, an AC3D6 element has six integration points, an AC3D10 element has ten integration points, and an AC3D15 element has eighteen integration points.

Variable node elements

This shows the scheme in the layer closest to the 1–2–3 and 1–2–3–4 faces. The integration points in the second and third layers are numbered consecutively. Multiple layers are used for composite solid elements. The face nodes do not appear.

Node 21 is located at the centroid of the element.