Modifying Local Element Assignments

When you are working in a Nonlinear Structural Analysis case or an Explicit Dynamics case, you can modify the element type assignments for a selected mesh part by selecting additional element formulation options. You can also modify the element type assignments for a selected region within a mesh part, such as a selected face of a shell part. Solid, continuum shell, gasket, shell, membrane, and beam element behaviors are available in Abaqus for CATIA V5. You can use modified, hybrid, reduced-integration, incompatible mode, and thickness behavior element controls to further change the selected element behaviors. See Default Element Assignments and Additional Element Formulations for more information.

This task shows you how to modify the local element assignment for a selected mesh part or region.

  1. Click the Local Element Assignment icon .

    The Local Element Assignment dialog box appears, and a Local Element Assignment object appears in the specification tree under the Global Element Assignment feature.

  2. From the window or the specification tree, select the mesh part or a region within a mesh part.

    The Support field is updated to reflect your selection, and the Element Type field displays the element type assigned to the selected part.

  3. Optionally, select the element controls to apply: Modified Formulation, Hybrid Formulation, Reduced Integration, Incompatible Modes, Thickness behavior only (for gasket elements, used to ignore shear and membrane gasket material properties), or Section Controls (for an Explicit Dynamics case). Only the element controls applicable to the current element type are available.

    If necessary, the element name in the Element Type column changes to reflect your selection.

  4. If linear hexahedral or wedge elements are assigned to the part, you can choose between Solid, Continuum Shell, and Gasket elements. See Assigning Continuum Shell Properties to Solids and Assigning Gasket Properties to Solids for more information.

  5. If parabolic hexahedral or wedge elements are assigned to the part, you can choose between Solid and Gasket elements. See Assigning Gasket Properties to Solids for more information.

  6. If linear triangle, linear quadrilateral, or parabolic quadrilateral elements are assigned to the part, you can choose between Shell and Membrane elements. See Assigning Membrane Properties to Surfaces for more information.

  7. If you selected Section Controls, click to open the Section Controls dialog box. You can edit one or more of the following controls, depending on the current element type:

    1. If more than one topology type is available—hexahedral and wedg, for example—select the tab for the topology that you want to modify.

    2. Toggle on Yes for Second-order accuracy if the analysis includes components undergoing more than five revolutions.

    3. Toggle on Yes for Distortion control, and change the Length ratio to change the distortion control behavior for solid elements.

      Toggle on No to turn off distortion control.

      By default, distortion control is activated only for elements with hyperelastic or hyperfoam materials.

    4. Toggle on Enhanced, Relax stiffness, Stiffness, Viscous, or Combined to change the Hourglass control. If the selected method calls for it, you may change the Stiffness-viscous scaling factor and/or the Displacement hourglass scaling factor.

    See Section Controls for more information.

  8. Click OK in the Local Element Assignment dialog box.