Minimum length scale in ABAQUS

[RakVastav]

Dear all,

This might be a simple question. What is the smallest length scale that can be simulated in ABAQUS. I am trying to run some continuum estimates for particles with dimensions in the nanometer range (10 to 50 nm). Is it possible to specify such length scales in ABAQUS?

Thanks for your insights.

 

[ESPcomposites]

There are no units in ABAQUS (and most FEM programs). Just make sure the units are consistent. The scale does not matter, just make sure that you don't have very large differences in values within the same model.

Brian

http://www.espcomposites.com

 

[DanStro]

That being said I think there is a limit to how small a single feature can be in relation to others.

For instance, if you are modelling something in meters you won't be able to add a feature whose size is a nanometer. I don't know the exact limit but I've run into this sort of issue before.

But if all of your parts/features are within a 2- of orders of magnitude you should be fine.

HTH,
Dan

Han primo incensus

 

[RakVastav]

Thanks for the valuable input. I was also thinking in the same lines of the comment by ESPcomposites. And my system has all parts that are comparable in length. I also observed that for a reasonable meshing i cannot go below 0.005 meters in ABAQUS.

Thanks.

 

[ESPcomposites]

Dan,

That is what I meant by "not having very large differences in values".

You can certainly go beyond more than 2 orders of magnitude. Anything greater than about 7 orders should be considered more carefully.


Brian

http://www.espcomposites.com