ABAQUS Connectors with Field Variables (UFIELD)

[n090909]

I am trying to vary the stiffness of a connector based on the step number (e.g. For step one have a stiffness value of 0.001, then in step two a value of 1e+06).

I have reviewed this post (

https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=437574),

but when I tried it the suggested solution it did not work as intended.
This is how the connector is defined in the .inp file:

*Connector Behavior, name=ConnSect-1
*Connector Elasticity, component=1, dependencies=1
0.001, , , 0.
0.001, , , 1.
1e+6, , , 2.
*Connector Elasticity, component=2, dependencies=1
0.001, , , 0.
0.001, , , 1.
1e+6, , , 2.
*Connector Elasticity, component=3, dependencies=1
0.001, , , 0.
0.001, , , 1.
1e+6, , , 2.

I have been using the UFIELD subroutine as such:

SUBROUTINE UFIELD(FIELD,KFIELD,NSECPT,KSTEP,KINC,TIME,NODE,
1 COORDS,TEMP,DTEMP,NFIELD)
C
INCLUDE 'ABA_PARAM.INC'
C
DIMENSION FIELD(NSECPT,NFIELD), TIME(2), COORDS(3),
1 TEMP(NSECPT), DTEMP(NSECPT)
C


FIELD(1,1) = KSTEP

RETURN
END


Is this the correct way to be doing this? If so, I might have a problem somewhere else. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[FEA way]

Does your analysis involve thermal effects ? If not, you could utilize temperature dependence of connector elasticity and avoid having to code a subroutine.

 

[n090909]

No it doesn't involve thermal effects! Thank you so much. I just tried it and it fixed a major issue for me.