ABAQUS steps

[kennyunsw]

Hi all,

I am doing a linear elastic buckling analysis of an steel I-section which is being heated from a T=20 degrees to an uniform T =65 degrees. As I understand, analysis in ABAQUS is carried out in steps being initial and the actual analysis steps. As an ABAQUS first time user, I am not sure, however, how to specify these steps and the material correctly. So here are my questions?

1) Do i need to specify the initial temperature at the initial step ?
2) Can I specify finite restraints in ABAQUS?

Below is the .inp file of the model I created in ABAQUS CAE. Have I specified the steps and material correctly?


** MATERIALS
**
*Material, name=steel20
*Elastic
200000., 0.3, 20.
199339., 0.3, 25.
199167., 0.3, 30.
198984., 0.3, 35.
198793., 0.3, 40.
198592., 0.3, 45.
198382., 0.3, 50.
198164., 0.3, 55.
197937., 0.3, 60.
197582., 0.3, 65.
*Expansion
0.0000125
**
** FIELDS
**
** Name: Field-2 Type: Temperature
*Initial Conditions, type=TEMPERATURE
_PickedSet30, 20.
** ----------------------------------------------------------------
**
** STEP: Step-1
**
*Step, name=Step-1, perturbation
*Buckle
6, , 12, 3000
**
** BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
**
** Name: BC-1 Type: Symmetry/Antisymmetry/Encastre
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=1
_PickedSet20, PINNED
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=2
_PickedSet20, PINNED
** Name: BC-2 Type: Symmetry/Antisymmetry/Encastre
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=1
_PickedSet21, PINNED
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=2
_PickedSet21, PINNED
** Name: BC-3 Type: Symmetry/Antisymmetry/Encastre
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=1
_PickedSet22, PINNED
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=2
_PickedSet22, PINNED
** Name: BC-4 Type: Symmetry/Antisymmetry/Encastre
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=1
_PickedSet23, ZSYMM
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=2
_PickedSet23, ZSYMM
** Name: BC-5 Type: Symmetry/Antisymmetry/Encastre
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=1
_PickedSet24, PINNED
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=2
_PickedSet24, PINNED
** Name: BC-6 Type: Symmetry/Antisymmetry/Encastre
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=1
_PickedSet25, PINNED
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=2
_PickedSet25, PINNED
** Name: BC-7 Type: Symmetry/Antisymmetry/Encastre
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=1
_PickedSet26, PINNED
*Boundary, op=NEW, load case=2
_PickedSet26, PINNED
**
** LOADS
**
** Name: Load-1 Type: Pressure
*Dsload
_PickedSurf28, P, 0.035
**
** FIELDS
**
** Name: Field-1 Type: Temperature
*Temperature
_PickedSet27, 65.


Many thanks,

Kenny