23.6.7 Three-dimensional conventional shell element library

Products: ABAQUS/Standard  ABAQUS/Explicit  ABAQUS/CAE  

References

Element types

Stress/displacement elements

STRI3(S)    3-node triangular facet thin shell
S33-node triangular general-purpose shell, finite membrane strains (identical to element S3R)
S3R3-node triangular general-purpose shell, finite membrane strains (identical to element S3)
S3RS(E)    3-node triangular shell, small membrane strains
STRI65(S)    6-node triangular thin shell, using five degrees of freedom per node
S4(S)    4-node doubly curved general-purpose shell, finite membrane strains
S4R4-node doubly curved general-purpose shell, reduced integration with hourglass control, finite membrane strains
S4RS(E)    4-node, reduced integration, doubly curved shell with hourglass control, small membrane strains
S4RSW(E)    4-node, reduced integration, doubly curved shell with hourglass control, small membrane strains, warping considered in small-strain formulation
S4R5(S)    4-node doubly curved thin shell, reduced integration with hourglass control, using five degrees of freedom per node
S8R(S)    8-node doubly curved thick shell, reduced integration
S8R5(S)    8-node doubly curved thin shell, reduced integration, using five degrees of freedom per node
S9R5(S)    9-node doubly curved thin shell, reduced integration, using five degrees of freedom per node

Active degrees of freedom

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 for STRI3, S3R, S3RS, S4, S4R, S4RS, S4RSW, S8R

1, 2, 3 and two in-surface rotations for STRI65, S4R5, S8R5, S9R5 at most nodes

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 for STRI65, S4R5, S8R5, S9R5 at any node that

  • has a boundary condition on a rotational degree of freedom;

  • is involved in a multi-point constraint that uses rotational degrees of freedom;

  • is attached to a beam or to a shell element that uses six degrees of freedom at all nodes (such as S4R, S8R, STRI3, etc.);

  • is a point where different elements have different surface normals (user-specified normal definitions or normal definitions created by ABAQUS because the surface is folded); or

  • is loaded with moments.

Additional solution variables

Element type S8R5 has three displacement and two rotation variables at an internally generated midbody node.

Heat transfer elements

DS3(S)    3-node triangular shell
DS4(S)    4-node quadrilateral shell
DS6(S)    6-node triangular shell
DS8(S)    8-node quadrilateral shell

Active degrees of freedom

11, 12, etc. (temperatures through the thickness as described in Choosing a shell element, Section 23.6.2)

Additional solution variables

None.

Coupled temperature-displacement element

S8RT(S)    8-node thick shell, biquadratic displacement, bilinear temperature in the shell surface

Active degrees of freedom

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 at all eight nodes

11, 12, 13, etc. (temperatures through the thickness as described in Choosing a shell element, Section 23.6.2) at the corner nodes only

Additional solution variables

None.

Nodal coordinates required

and, optionally for shells with displacement degrees of freedom in ABAQUS/Standard, , the direction cosines of the shell normal at the node.

Element property definition

Shell thicknesses, offsets, material orientations, and section stiffnesses can be defined on an element-by-element basis. See Assigning element properties on an element-by-element basis, Section 21.1.5.

Input File Usage:           Use either of the following options for stress/displacement elements:
*SHELL SECTION
*SHELL GENERAL SECTION

Use the following option for heat transfer or coupled temperature-displacement elements:

*SHELL SECTION

In addition, use the following option for variable thickness shells:

*NODAL THICKNESS

ABAQUS/CAE Usage: 

Property module: Create Section: select Shell as the section Category and Homogeneous or Composite as the section Type


You cannot define variable thickness shells in ABAQUS/CAE.

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.

Body forces, centrifugal loads, and Coriolis forces must be given as force per unit area if the equivalent section properties are specified directly as part of the general shell section definition.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  BX

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body force

Units:  FL–3

Description:  Body force (give magnitude as force per unit volume) in the global X-direction.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  BY

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body force

Units:  FL–3

Description:  Body force (give magnitude as force per unit volume) in the global Y-direction.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  BZ

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body force

Units:  FL–3

Description:  Body force (give magnitude as force per unit volume) in the global Z-direction.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  BXNU

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body force

Units:  FL–3

Description:  Nonuniform body force (give magnitude as force per unit volume) in the 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 (give magnitude as force per unit volume) in the 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 (give magnitude as force per unit volume) in the 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 defined as , where is the mass density and is the angular speed).


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 speed).


Load ID (*DLOAD):  CORIO(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–4T (ML–3T–1)

Description:  Coriolis force (magnitude input , where is the mass density and is the angular speed). The load stiffness due to Coriolis loading is not accounted for in direct steady-state dynamics analysis.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  EDLDn

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–1

Description:  General traction on edge n.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  EDLDnNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–1

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


Load ID (*DLOAD):  EDMOMn

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  F

Description:  Moment on edge n.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  EDMOMnNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  F

Description:  Nonuniform moment on edge n with magnitude supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  EDNORn

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Normal traction on edge n.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  EDNORnNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Nonuniform normal traction on edge n with magnitude supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  EDSHRn

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Shear traction on edge n.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  EDSHRnNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Nonuniform shear traction on edge n with magnitude supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  EDTRAn

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Transverse traction on edge n.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  EDTRAnNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Nonuniform transverse traction on edge n with magnitude supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


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):  HP(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Hydrostatic pressure applied to the element reference surface and linear in global Z. The pressure is positive in the direction of the positive element normal.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  P

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Pressure applied to the element reference surface. The pressure is positive in the direction of the positive element normal.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  PNU

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Nonuniform pressure applied to the element reference surface with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DLOAD in ABAQUS/Standard and VDLOAD in ABAQUS/Explicit. The pressure is positive in the direction of the positive element normal.


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–5T

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


Load ID (*DLOAD):  SP(E)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–4T2

Description:  Stagnation pressure applied to the element reference surface.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  TRSHR

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Shear traction on the element reference surface.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  TRSHRNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

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


Load ID (*DLOAD):  TRVEC

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  General traction on the element reference surface.


Load ID (*DLOAD):  TRVECNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Nonuniform general traction on the element reference surface 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):  VP(E)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–3T

Description:  Viscous surface pressure. The viscous pressure is proportional to the velocity normal to the element 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):  F(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Elastic foundation

Units:  FL–3

Description:  Elastic foundation in the direction of the shell normal.

Distributed heat fluxes

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


Load ID (*DFLUX):  BF(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body heat flux

Units:  JL–3 T–1

Description:  Body heat flux per unit volume.


Load ID (*DFLUX):  BFNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Body heat flux

Units:  JL–3 T–1

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


Load ID (*DFLUX):  SNEG(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  JL–2 T–1

Description:  Surface heat flux per unit area into the bottom face of the element.


Load ID (*DFLUX):  SPOS(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  JL–2 T–1

Description:  Surface heat flux per unit area into the top face of the element.


Load ID (*DFLUX):  SNEGNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  JL–2 T–1

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


Load ID (*DFLUX):  SPOSNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  JL–2 T–1

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

Film conditions

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


Load ID (*FILM):  FNEG(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface film condition

Units:  JL–2 T–1–1

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


Load ID (*FILM):  FPOS(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface film condition

Units:  JL–2 T–1–1

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


Load ID (*FILM):  FNEGNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  JL–2 T–1–1

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


Load ID (*FILM):  FPOSNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  JL–2 T–1–1

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

Radiation types

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


Load ID (*RADIATE):  RNEG(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  Dimensionless

Description:  Emissivity and sink temperature (units of ) provided for the bottom face of the shell.


Load ID (*RADIATE):  RPOS(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  Dimensionless

Description:  Emissivity and sink temperature (units of ) provided for the top face of the shell.

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):  EDLD

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Shell edge load

Units:  FL–1

Description:  General traction on edge-based surface.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  EDLDNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Nonuniform general traction on edge-based surface with magnitude and direction supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  EDMOM

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Shell edge load

Units:  F

Description:  Moment on edge-based surface.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  EDMOMNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  F

Description:  Nonuniform moment on edge-based surface with magnitude supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  EDNOR

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Shell edge load

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Normal traction on edge-based surface.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  EDNORNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Nonuniform normal traction on edge-based surface with magnitude supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  EDSHR

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Shell edge load

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Shear traction on edge-based surface.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  EDSHRNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Nonuniform shear traction on edge-based surface with magnitude supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  EDTRA

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Shell edge load

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Transverse traction on edge-based surface.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  EDTRANU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–1

Description:  Nonuniform transverse traction on edge-based surface with magnitude supplied via user subroutine UTRACLOAD.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  HP(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Hydrostatic pressure on the element reference surface and linear in global Z. The pressure is positive in the direction opposite to the surface normal.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  P

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Pressure on the element reference surface. The pressure is positive in the direction opposite to the surface normal.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  PNU

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Nonuniform pressure on the element reference surface with magnitude supplied via user subroutine DLOAD in ABAQUS/Standard and VDLOAD in ABAQUS/Explicit. The pressure is positive in the direction opposite to the surface normal.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  SP(E)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Pressure

Units:  FL–4T2

Description:  Stagnation pressure applied to the element reference surface.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  TRSHR

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface traction

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Shear traction on the element reference surface.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  TRSHRNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Nonuniform shear traction on the element reference 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 reference surface.


Load ID (*DSLOAD):  TRVECNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Not supported

Units:  FL–2

Description:  Nonuniform general traction on the element reference 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 surface pressure. The viscous pressure is proportional to the velocity normal to the element face and opposing the motion.

Distributed heat fluxes

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


Load ID (*DSFLUX):  S(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface heat flux

Units:  JL–2 T–1

Description:  Surface heat flux per unit area into the element surface.


Load ID (*DSFLUX):  SNU(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface heat flux

Units:  JL–2 T–1

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

Film conditions

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


Load ID (*SFILM):  F(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface film condition

Units:  JL–2 T–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–2 T–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 elements with temperature degrees of freedom. They are specified as described in Thermal loads, Section 27.4.4.


Load ID (*SRADIATE):  R(S)

ABAQUS/CAE Load/Interaction:  Surface radiation to ambient

Units:  Dimensionless

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

Incident wave loading

Surface-based incident wave loads are available. They are specified as described in Acoustic, shock, and coupled acoustic-structural analysis, Section 6.9.1. If the incident wave field includes a reflection off a plane outside the boundaries of the mesh, this effect can be included.

Element output

If a local coordinate system is not assigned to the element, the stress/strain components, as well as the section forces/strains, are in the default directions on the surface defined by the convention given in Conventions, Section 1.2.2. If 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), the stress/strain components and the section forces/strains are in the surface directions defined by the local coordinate system.

In large-displacement problems with elements that allow finite membrane strains in ABAQUS/Standard and in all problems in ABAQUS/Explicit, the local directions defined in the reference configuration are rotated into the current configuration by the average material rotation.

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

Local direct stress.

S22

Local direct stress.

S12

Local shear stress.


Section forces, moments, and transverse shear forces

Available for elements with displacement degrees of freedom.

SF1

Direct membrane force per unit width in local 1-direction.

SF2

Direct membrane force per unit width in local 2-direction.

SF3

Shear membrane force per unit width in local 1–2 plane.

SF4

Transverse shear force per unit width in local 1-direction (available only for S3/S3R, S3RS, S4, S4R, S4RS, S4RSW, S8R, and S8RT).

SF5

Transverse shear force per unit width in local 2-direction (available only for S3/S3R, S3RS, S4, S4R, S4RS, S4RSW, S8R, and S8RT).

SM1

Bending moment force per unit width about local 2-axis.

SM2

Bending moment force per unit width about local 1-axis.

SM3

Twisting moment force per unit width in local 1–2 plane.


The section force and moment resultants per unit length in the normal basis directions in a given shell section of thickness h can be defined on this basis as

where is the offset of the reference surface from the midsurface.

The section force SF6, which is the integral of through the shell thickness, is reported only for finite-strain shell elements and is zero because of the plane stress constitutive assumption. The total number of attributes written to the results file for finite-strain shell elements is 9; SF6 is the sixth attribute.

Average section stresses

Available for elements with displacement degrees of freedom.

SSAVG1

Average membrane stress in local 1-direction.

SSAVG2

Average membrane stress in local 2-direction.

SSAVG3

Average membrane stress in local 1–2 plane.

SSAVG4

Average transverse shear stress in local 1-direction.

SSAVG5

Average transverse shear stress in local 2-direction.


The average section stresses are defined as

where h is the current section thickness.

Section strains, curvatures, and transverse shear strains

Available for elements with displacement degrees of freedom.

SE1

Direct membrane strain in local 1-direction.

SE2

Direct membrane strain in local 2-direction.

SE3

Shear membrane strain in local 1–2 plane.

SE4

Transverse shear strain in the local 1-direction (available only for S3/S3R, S3RS, S4, S4R, S4RS, S4RSW, S8R, and S8RT).

SE5

Transverse shear strain in the local 2-direction (available only for S3/S3R, S3RS, S4, S4R, S4RS, S4RSW, S8R, and S8RT).

SE6

Strain in the thickness direction (available only for S3/S3R, S3RS, S4, S4R, S4RS, and S4RSW).

SK1

Curvature change about local 1-axis.

SK2

Curvature change about local 2-axis.

SK3

Surface twist in local 1–2 plane.


The local directions are defined in Shell elements: overview, Section 23.6.1.

Shell thickness

STH

Shell thickness, which is the current section thickness for S3/S3R, S3RS, S4, S4R, S4RS, and S4RSW elements.


Transverse shear stress estimates

Available for S3/S3R, S3RS, S4, S4R, S4RS, S4RSW, S8R, and S8RT elements.

TSHR13

13-component of transverse shear stress.

TSHR23

23-component of transverse shear stress.


Estimates of the transverse shear stresses are available at section integration points as output variables TSHR13 or TSHR23 for both Simpson's rule and Gauss quadrature. For Simpson's rule output of variables TSHR13 or TSHR23 should be requested at nondefault section points, since the default output is at section point 1 of the shell section where the transverse shear stresses vanish. For the small-strain elements in ABAQUS/Explicit, transverse shear stress distributions are assumed constant for non-composite sections and piecewise constant for composite sections; therefore, transverse shear stresses at integration points should be interpreted accordingly.

For element type S4 the transverse shear calculation is performed at the center of the element and assumed constant over the element. Hence, transverse shear strain, force, and stress will not vary over the area of the element.

For numerically integrated shell sections (with the exception of small-strain shells in ABAQUS/Explicit), estimates of the interlaminar shear stresses in composite sections—i.e., the transverse shear stresses at the interface between two composite layers—can be obtained only by using Simpson's rule. With Gauss quadrature no section integration point exists at the interface between composite layers.

Unlike the S11, S22, and S12 in-plane stress components, transverse shear stress components TSHR13 and TSHR23 are not calculated from the constitutive behavior at points through the shell section. They are estimated by matching the elastic strain energy associated with shear deformation of the shell section with that based on piecewise quadratic variation of the transverse shear stress across the section, under conditions of bending about one axis (see Transverse shear stiffness in composite shells and offsets from the midsurface, Section 3.6.8 of the ABAQUS Theory Manual). Therefore, interlaminar shear stress calculation is supported only when the elastic material model is used for each layer of the shell section. If you specify the transverse shear stiffness values, interlaminar shear stress output is not available.

Heat flux components

Available for elements with temperature degrees of freedom.

HFL1

Heat flux in local 1-direction.

HFL2

Heat flux in local 2-direction.

HFL3

Heat flux in local 3-direction.


Node ordering on elements

Numbering of integration points for output

Stress/displacement analysis

Heat transfer analysis