Creating Distributed Masses

Distributed masses are distributed over the selected geometry. The number and type of supports determine how the mass is applied to the model. For example, a distributed mass applied to several edges is divided into mass per unit length and applied evenly along the edges, whereas a distributed mass applied to surfaces is divided into mass per unit area. Distributed masses can also be used as supports for gravity loads.

Distributed masses can be applied to points, vertices, curves, edges, surfaces, or faces or to point, line, or surface groups. However, all supports for a single distributed mass must be of the same type.

Since distributed masses can be applied to a point, vertex, or point group, they are also used to create point masses. Point masses apply a mass to a single point or distribute it over the points in a group. You create point masses in the same way as you create other distributed masses.

This task shows you how to create a distributed mass on geometry.

  1. Click the Distributed Mass icon .

    The Distributed Mass dialog box appears, and a Distributed Mass object appears in the specification tree under the Masses objects set for the current analysis case.

  2. You can change the identifier of the mass by editing the Name field.

  3. Select the geometry support (points, edges, or faces). Any selectable geometry is highlighted when you pass the cursor over it. You can also select a point group. You can select several supports to distribute the mass over all supports simultaneously, but all supports for a single distributed mass must be of the same type—for example, you cannot select vertices and edges as supports for the same distributed mass.

    Note:  Edge supports should be used only for beam geometry, and face supports should be used only for shell geometry.

    The Supports field is updated to reflect your selection.

  4. Enter the mass in the Mass field.

    Abaqus for CATIA V5 uses the entered mass value directly for point supports or converts it to mass per unit length or mass per unit area for edge supports and face supports, respectively.

  5. Click OK in the Distributed Mass dialog box.

    Symbols representing the applied mass are displayed on the geometry.