Query on Abaqus element and node numbering in order to model geometric imperfection

[Tinni1]

Hi,

Could anyone please let me know if there is any way to do systematic node and element numbering in Abaqus?

The reason I am asking this is:

I want to model imperfections of cold-formed steel columns from measured data in Abaqus. (Kindly note, I do not have at present any measured data but in order to learn the modeling procedure I am considering some imperfection values based on available literature)

For this purpose, I have created a column geometry without imperfection.

From the input file, I have extracted the node numbers, nodal coordinates, element numbers, and corresponding node numbers .

Now I want to calculate the nodal coordinates based on measured imperfection data in excel.

The column geometry that I have created and meshed in Abaqus is providing me arbitrary node and element numbers that are not in sequential order.

It is very difficult to understand which node is corresponding to which element and hence I am not able to calculate the revised coordinates of the columns with imperfect geometry.

Is there any simpler way to do this?

Many thanks and looking forward!

 

[FEA way]

There’s no easy way to generate the mesh with specific node and element numbering. But in most cases it’s not needed. In Abaqus you can easily add imperfections in form of scaled linear buckling mode shapes. And if you want to define them manually, by moving particular nodes, then Python scripting should help.

 

[SWComposites]

Output node numbers and coords to Excel, sort by coord, recalc the node coords with offset values, import back into abaqus.

 

[Tinni1]

Geat! thanks!