SIMULIA Resource Center

In this Technology Brief, Abaqus/Explicit is used to simulate the impact of a high-strength steel penetrator into a concrete target. The penetrator/target interaction is analyzed using the coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian methodology. Specifically, the penetrator is modeled in a traditional Lagrangian framework while the concrete target is modeled in an Eulerian framework. It will be shown that Abaqus/Explicit results are in good agreement with published experimental data.

Solution Briefs

For many important applications, the principal failure mode in structures built with layered composite members develops from repeated cyclic loading. Fatigue simulation adds yet another layer complexity to composite delamination response, something that has been proven very difficult to simulate with any kind of accuracy and reliability. This work introduces an approach to fatigue simulation that promises to yield results compatible with the energetics of the problem, and hence throws light onto the processes that initiate and propagate composite fatigue damage and failure.

Customer Papers

During the exploitation of a reservoir the displacements occurring in the near wellbore areas may induce mechanical actions on the well completions, including the steel casing and the cemented annulus, bringing to instability and failure of the well structure, with strong impacts on the economics of the field. The evaluation of the well completion integrity in the long-term is therefore a critical issue in the design phase.

Customer Papers

In this Technology Brief, a thermal fatigue analysis of a surface mount electronic assembly is conducted using the Abaqus/Standard low-cycle fatigue capability. With a cost efficient direct cyclic procedure, material models for the creep of regular and lead-free solder, and the ability to model the initiation and evolution of material damage, Abaqus/Standard can provide an accurate prediction of solder joint fatigue failure.

Solution Briefs

Experimental bird strike testing is part of the certification process for certain aircraft component designs. If a subset of the tests can be replaced with computational simulation, the cost of the prototype testing can be reduced. Further, bird strike resistance considerations can be included in the design process, thus increasing the probability that certification tests will be successful. In this Technology Brief we describe how Abaqus/Explicit has been used to assess the bird impact performance of a wing slat.

Solution Briefs

Coiled tubing is used in a variety of oil well operations including drilling, completions, and remedial activities. For each of these applications coiled tubing offers the benefits of reduced costs, speed, and reduced environmental impact. Coiled tubing possesses a limitation however, in that it may buckle in service. In this situation the tubing may be damaged, and operations may be delayed or disrupted. In this Technology Brief, we provide a methodology for evaluating the buckling behavior of coiled wellbore tube.

Solution Briefs

Metal welding processes are employed in various industries. Gas welding techniques use the heat from a flame to melt the parts to be joined and a filler material simultaneously. Extreme thermal loading is applied to the parts being joined, and complex material responses are initiated. The steep, localized thermal gradients result in stress concentrations in the welding zone. Consequently, modeling and simulation of welding processes are often complex and challenging. In this technology brief the use of Abaqus for this class of problems is discussed and an example analysis is presented.

Solution Briefs

Pullout resistance of driven foundation piles often increases with time in a process known as pile “setup.” The consolidation of the surrounding soil after the pile is driven plays a dominant role in the setup process. Finite element modeling of pile setup can help in obtaining reliable estimates of the increase in pile resistance, which would allow for reductions in pile lengths, pile sections, or sizes of the pile driving equipment. The coupled pore fluid and stress analysis capabilities of Abaqus/Standard can be used for modeling the pile setup phenomenon and can help in estimating the increase in pile pullout resistance with time.

Solution Briefs

In this Technology Brief, a new methodology for K&C simulation is demonstrated using Abaqus/Standard. This approach differentiates itself from that of traditional rigid body simulations by accounting for component flexibility as well as geometric and material nonlinearities. Results from a nonlinear analysis are shown to be considerably different from those of a rigid body analysis, indicating that component flexibility plays an important role in K&C testing.

Solution Briefs

Finite element modeling of prestressed concrete containment vessels (PCCVs) for nuclear power plants poses special challenges. PCCVs, which are heavily reinforced structures, are designed to deform beyond the cracking limits of the concrete. Abaqus has been used extensively for analyzing such structures in the nuclear utility industry and can be used to assess and improve the performance of these and other similar reinforced concrete structures.

Solution Briefs

Spot-welded, thin-walled curved beams, which constitute the main structural members in many automobile and other ground vehicle body structures, play a significant role in absorbing energy during a collision. Due to their extensive use, it is important to study the collapse characteristics of these curved members. Abaqus/Explicit can be used effectively to simulate the quasi-static collapse of spot-welded structural members accurately.

Solution Briefs

Critical flaw size was estimated using the Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) capabilities in the general purpose finite element program ABAQUS. Results suggest that the pressure loads were not high enough to initiate a crack or propagate cracks within the critical defect size limits of the breech for pressure loads currently used in test and evaluation. The results are consistent with the 150+ successful shots that have been completed and the 1000+ shots completed on a similar breech with similar pressure taps.

Customer Papers