Element Selection in Abaqus

Choosing an element is one of the most fundamental questions that users must answer as they build a finite element model. Many issues should be considered when selecting an element, including: Is there contact in the model? Is the material behavior fully or nearly incompressible? Will the element bend during the analysis? Is the structure thick or thin? Will the mesh become severely distorted? What results are needed from the analysis? Is the analysis a static or dynamic simulation? This course provides an overview of the different element types available in Abaqus for stress analyses. Differences between the Abaqus/Standard and Abaqus/Explicit element libraries are considered. Application-specific recommendations for choosing an element type are provided. The pitfalls and symptoms of choosing incorrect element types are also discussed. Examples and workshops are used to illustrate element behavior and the consequences of choosing incorrect element types for a given problem.