EasyPBC ABAQUS Plugin Tool for Periodic RVE Homogenisation
User Guide V.1.0
Sadik L. Omairey, Dr Peter D. Dunning, Dr Srinivas Sriramula School of Engineering University of Aberdeen
EasyPBC Ver. 1.0 (22/05/2018) EasyPBC is an ABAQUS CAE plugin developed to estimate the homogenised effective elastic properties of user created periodic (RVE). Copyright© 2018 Sadik Lafta Omairey This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program. If not, see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/ . Kindly do not re-distribute Please cite this tool in published work as: Omairey S., Dunning P., Sriramula S., Development of an ABAQUS Plugin Tool for Periodic RVE Homogenisation, Engineering with Computers, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-018-0616-4 Email
[email protected] to obtain the latest version of the software.
Introduction EasyPBC is an ABAQUS CAE plugin developed to estimate the homogenised effective elastic properties of user created periodic Representative Volume Element (RVE), all within ABAQUS without the need to use third-party software. The name stands for Easy Periodic Boundary Conditions. The plugin automatically applies the concepts of the periodic RVE homogenisation method in the software’s user interface by categorising, creating, and linking sets necessary for achieving deformable periodic boundary surfaces, which can distort and no longer remain plane. Additionally, it allows the user to benefit from finite element analysis data within ABAQUS CAE interface after calculating homogenised properties. Details on theory of EasyPBC can be found in the following research article: Omairey S, Dunning P, Sriramula S (2018) Development of an ABAQUS plugin tool for periodic RVE homogenisation. Engineering with Computers. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-018-0616-4
EasyPBC is developed as an open-source ABAQUS CAE plugin. However, it is preferred that developers distribute the plugin to ensure that users receive up-to-date versions of the plugin.
Details of the code development phase can be found in: https://www.researchgate.net/project/ABAQUS-Plugin-Tool-for-PeriodicRVE-Homogenisation-EasyPBC
Instillation of EasyPBC:
Step 1: Email
[email protected] to receive the updated pack of EasyPBC plugin.
Contains:
Step 2: Copy and paste both folders that you received (abaqus_plugins, and abaqus_icons) into your ABAQUS work directory, usually it is: C:\Temp
\
\
Step 3: Start ABAQUS CAE and you will find EasyPBC in the Plug-ins tab:
EasyPBC interface: EasyPBC command window provides the following options and selections:
EasyPBC Plugin window
ABAQUS CAE model tree
Model name: user’s specified model name, the default name is: Model-1 Saved homogenisation results text file will use the model name within the file name: Model-1_elastic_properties.txt Instance name: user’s specified instance name, the default instance name is: Part-1-1 Mapping accuracy: is the value used to match nodes on opposite sets. The default value is 1E-7. This value can be adjusted by the user based on required mapping accuracy. For further details please refer to: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-018-0616-4
Number of CPUs used to process EasyPBC analysis jobs. In this field the user selects which homogenised elastic properties are required. By default, all properties are ticked. Property orientations are based on ABAQUS default global axis.
Using EasyPBC: In order to use EasyPBC, the user needs to have: (a) Created a single part; (b) Assigned materials, properties, and sections; (c) Added a single instance to the assembly that contains all phases; (d) Mesh the part/instance with nearly identical opposite sides mapping. Once the above is done, the user can open EasyPBC, select required homogenised elastic properties, and click OK button. The code will start with a set creation phase, then submit jobs, and finally calculate and output the homogenised elastic properties (Detailed flowchart of the process can be found in: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-018-0616-4)
The duration of the process depends on the following factors: (a) Computer performance and number of CPUs used; (b) Number of elements and nodes in the model.
A step-by-step example of the use of EasyPBC for composite material RVE homogenisation can be seen in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyZXvl3C6fI
The input file for the above example is attached with EasyPBC installation pack.
Homogenised properties output: EasyPBC outputs the homogenised properties in three formats: (a) Printed in the message area, as can be seen below:
(b) Saved in a text file in ABAQUS work directory, as below:
(c) Saved in a text file in ABAQUS work directory in an easycopy format that allows easy copying to spreadsheets.
Also, EasyPBC maintains jobs ODB files for the user to observe the deformed geometry and further investigate.
Troubleshooting: EasyPBC could encounter errors during the homogenisation process, most of these errors will be printed in the ABAQUS message area with a short description of what might have caused the error, along with a reference number that can be used in the table below to troubleshoot: Error No. 01 02
Error type
Cause and possible solution
Start-up error Start-up error
03
Start-up error
04
Start-up error
Part is not created, create a part and try again. Model name input in EasyPBC window is not matching the available model name. This input is case sensitive. Instance name input in EasyPBC window is not matching the available instance name. This input is case sensitive. Instance is not detected/created. Make sure an instance is created. In some versions of ABAQUS make sure it is refreshed after any change:
05
Start-up error
06
Sets creation
07
Sets creation
08
Sets creation
Double click to remove the yellow tick This error could refer to an unmeshed part/instance as well. Specified number of CPUs is not valid, this value should be between 1 and the total number of available CPUs, if it is equal of smaller than zero this error will appear. However, if it is greater than the available number of CPUs, no error will appear but a warning message will be printed stating that all available CPUs will be used instead. Additionally, the code rounds the number of CPUs if the input value was not rounded. No errors or warnings will be printed. Number of nodes in referred sets are not equal. This check ensures correct creation of nodal constrains. To avoid incorrect analysis, these sets will not be created and will trigger termination error. This error is associated with poor mapping accuracy or a high mapping accuracy value specified in EasyPBC window. Possible solution is reducing mapping accuracy value and/or improving model mesh mapping of opposite sides. Actual number of nodes in the referred set(s) is not equal to the number of appended nodes, indicating misrepresenting some nodes. To avoid incorrect analysis, these sets will not be created and will trigger an error. Possible solution is increasing mapping accuracy value and/or improving mesh mapping of opposite sets. Refer to created Error set to identify the nodes creating the issue.
A node(s) will be paired with more than a single node of the associated set. This check ensures correct creation of constraint links. To avoid incorrect solution, these sets will not be created and will trigger an error. This error is associated with poor mapping accuracy or high mapping accuracy value. Possible solution is reducing mapping accuracy value and/or improving mesh mapping of opposite sets.
Disclaimer: The information contained and obtained by EasyPBC code/plugin (the "Service") is for general information purposes only. Developers assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents on the Service with proper acknowledgment to developers where applicable. Developers are in no event shall be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. Developers reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modification to the contents on the Service at any time without prior notice. The above are assumed accepted by the user upon the use of the Service. EasyPBC License is attached with software pack.
EasyPCB Developers, Last updated: May 14, 2018
