Accessing Results

The following sections discuss the methods for accessing the Abaqus output database file from Nonlinear Structural Analysis or Thermal Analysis:

Importing an ODB: Opens an output database file containing the results from an analysis.

Closing an ODB: Closes the current open output database file.

Importing an ODB

The Abaqus output database (ODB) file contains results data from an Abaqus analysis. You can import an output database file to attach the results for an orphan mesh or for an existing analysis to the current analysis document.

Nonlinear Structural Analysis or Thermal Analysis writes output database files in the format of the current release of Abaqus. If you import an output database file created using earlier releases of Abaqus, Nonlinear Structural Analysis or Thermal Analysis upgrades it to the current format. The upgraded output database is saved with the original file name, and the old version is saved as filename_old.odb.

Note:  Nonlinear Structural Analysis and Thermal Analysis support the use of Abaqus 2018, and all output databases will be upgraded to Abaqus 2018 when opened in the V5-6R2019 release. Upgrading to this later release takes advantage of enhancements in the newer output database.

For results associated with an existing analysis, successfully importing an output database file indicates only that the mesh in the database matches the model mesh in the current analysis document. The output database file is not checked against the current boundary conditions or loads; the results reflect the boundary conditions and loads that were active at the time the analysis was run. Likewise, the units used by Abaqus for length, mass, time, and temperature are not checked; if the Abaqus Solver Units have been changed since the analysis input file was created, the output database file will be imported using the wrong conversion factors. The Abaqus Solver Units are located with the Analysis & Simulation options (for more information, see Configuring an Abaqus Analysis). To ensure that you are viewing the desired results for an existing analysis, the method explained in Viewing the Results of Your Job is recommended.

Warning:  If you import an output database that contains orphan nodes, results at these nodes are not imported. To view results for orphan nodes you must attach the output database to the parent CATAnalysis document.

This task shows you how to import an output database file.

  1. Click the Import Results Database icon .

    The Import Document dialog box is displayed.

  2. Select Abaqus ODB File as the file type.

    All files with the file extension .odb in the selected directory are listed.

  3. Select the output database file to open, and click Open.

    The resulting action depends on the status of the current analysis case.

    • When you import an output database file for an orphan mesh, the output database is attached to the current analysis case. Nonlinear Structural Analysis or Thermal Analysis also creates a display group for each mesh part in the output database.

    • When you import an output database file for an analysis case that does not contain any results (i.e., the Analysis Case Solution objects set in the specification tree for the current analysis case is empty), Nonlinear Structural Analysis or Thermal Analysis checks that the analysis steps are consistent with the data in the output database file. If so, the output database is attached to the current analysis case. If not, a dialog box appears asking you whether to attach the output database to the current analysis case or to a new analysis case.

    • When you import an output database file for an analysis case that contains results but no images (i.e., the Analysis Case Solution objects set in the specification tree for the current analysis case contains empty objects sets for each analysis step), Nonlinear Structural Analysis or Thermal Analysis checks that the analysis steps are consistent with the data in the output database file. If so, the output database is attached to the current analysis case, the existing results objects sets are replaced with the results from the output database, and any display groups are updated. If not, a dialog box appears asking you whether to attach the output database to the current analysis case and overwrite the existing results objects sets or attach the output database to a new analysis case.

    • When you import an output database file for an analysis case that contains results and images (i.e., the Analysis Case Solution objects set in the specification tree for the current analysis case contains objects sets with results images for each analysis step), Nonlinear Structural Analysis or Thermal Analysis checks that the analysis steps and the results are consistent with the data in the output database file. If so, the output database is attached to the current analysis case, the existing results images are validated, and any display groups are updated. If the analysis steps are consistent but the results are not, the existing results objects sets are replaced with the results from the output database and any display groups are updated. If neither the analysis steps nor the results are consistent, a dialog box appears asking you whether to attach the output database to the current analysis case and overwrite the existing results objects sets or attach the output database to a new analysis case.

When an output database file is attached to an analysis case, a link to the output database file appears in the Links Manager and step objects for each step in the analysis appear in the specification tree under the Analysis Case Solution objects set for the analysis case. In addition, the status of the Analysis Case Solution entry is updated to show that the solution is now available and is consistent with the model and history specification; in other words, the symbol no longer appears.

Note:  If an output database file does not contain any results data (for example, if the analysis terminated before generating any results), you can still attach the file to an analysis case. A No_Results step object will appear in the specification tree under the Analysis Case Solution objects set for the analysis case. You can create display groups for this analysis case to view element and node sets created by Abaqus during preprocessing (see Creating a Display Group).

Closing an ODB

When an analysis is rerun in Nonlinear Structural Analysis or Thermal Analysis, the associated output database is automatically closed so that a new file can be written to the same name. However, you can close an output database file manually to prevent conflicts from occurring if an analysis is rerun from outside Nonlinear Structural Analysis or Thermal Analysis. Click the Close ODB icon to manually close the current open output database.