Probing elements

You can use the Query toolset to obtain element data and either the values of attributes in the selected model or analysis results from the selected model plot. As you position the cursor over an element in the model or in the model plot in the current viewport, Abaqus/CAE highlights the element. You can choose to display the following information about the element in the data table:

  • the element's label,

  • the element's connectivity, and

  • the current field output variable (including component values, if the current field output variable is a tensor or vector quantity). If a model is selected in the current viewport, the current field output variable reflects the value of a model attribute such as a load at the selected element.

See Also
Controlling result averaging
Probes of models or model plots
Probing nodes
Querying active node or element labels

Context:

You can also obtain an element's data by entering its element label directly, and you can obtain data for all the elements included in a selected display group. These methods enable you to probe element data without positioning the cursor over its location in the model plot.

Only exterior elements can be queried. If necessary, you can create a display group or use a view cut to reveal otherwise unavailable interior elements. For more information, see Using display groups to display subsets of your model.”

When you add an element to the data table, you can toggle on the check box for that row to display a probe annotation in the viewport for that element, or you can toggle on the check box in the header row to display probe annotations for all selected elements. Probe annotations display the element's label and the results at the element for the current field output variable. You can customize the font and color of the annotation text.

To help locate elements in the viewport, you may want to produce a model plot with all element edges visible before using the Query toolset. For more information, see Controlling element and surface edge visibility.

  1. Locate the Probe Values dialog box.

    In the Visualization module toolbox, click . The Probe Values dialog box appears.

  2. Select the step, frame, and field output variable for which Abaqus/CAE will obtain values. If you are probing data from the current model database, frame selections are not available, and your selection of field output variable is an attribute from the model displayed in the current viewport.

    In the Probe Values dialog box, the Field Output field identifies the current step, frame, and field output variable.

    • To change the step or frame, click .

    • To change the field output variable, click .

    • To change the result options, select ResultOptions from the main menu bar.

  3. In the Probe Values portion of the dialog box, do the following:
    1. Click the Probe arrow, and select Elements.
    2. If the current primary output variable is a tensor or vector variable, click the Components arrow and do either of the following:

      • For tensor variables choose Selected to display only the selected component of the variable, All Direct to include all direct components of the tensor variable in the query, or All Principals to include all principal invariants of the tensor variable in the query.

      • For vector variables choose Selected to display only the selected component of the variable or All to include all components of the vector tensor variable in the query.

    3. To choose the output position at which a field output variable is displayed, click the Position arrow and select Integration Pt, Centroid, Element Nodal, or Element Face.

    Note:

    If you choose the All Direct or All Principals option for tensor variables and the Element Nodal output position, the results averaging option Compute scalars before averaging is not valid; the scalars or invariants are always computed after averaging.

    The types of element information available are displayed in the columns of the data table.

  4. Click mouse button 3 anywhere in the data table, select Edit Visible Columns from the list that appears, and toggle on the element information types that you want to display as columns in the data table.

    When a desired information type is toggled on, Abaqus/CAE displays that type of data as a column in the data table. However, all columns, visible or not, are included in the probe values output file.

    Note:

    Field output is available only if the current primary variable is an element-based variable, such as stress or strain.

  5. To select the elements that you want to probe, choose Select from viewport, Key-in label, or Select a display group, and use one of the following techniques:
    Select the elements directly from the viewport:
    1. Move the cursor to probe the model plot in the current viewport.

      As you position the cursor over an element, Abaqus/CAE displays the values of the items you have requested in the first row of the data table in the Probe Values dialog box.

    2. To select and accumulate values of interest, and to allow subsequent writing of these values to a file, click mouse button 1 while positioning the cursor over an element.

      Abaqus/CAE stores the data from the first row of the data table into the storage rows of the data table.

    Enter the element labels directly into the table:
    1. Click the Part instance arrow, and select the part instance from which you want to select element labels.
    2. Enter the element label or labels. You can specify multiple element labels at the same time by separating them with commas.
    Select the elements included in a display group:
    1. Click the Display group arrow, and select the display group containing the elements that you want to include in your query.

      Note:

      If you change your selection of display group, Abaqus/CAE replaces the contents of the data table with elements from the newly selected display group. If you want to append additional elements to your list, you must select them from the viewport or key them in by element label.

  6. Repeat the element selection steps until the data table in the Probe Values dialog box includes all the elements you want to query.
  7. To delete data from the data table or to clear or sort the table, click mouse button 3. For more information, see Entering tabular data.
  8. To create a display group using the elements in the data table, do the following:
    1. Click mouse button 3 in the data table, and select Create Display Group from the menu that appears.

      The Create Display Group dialog box appears.

    2. Enter a name for the new display group, and click OK.
  9. To display probe annotations for any of the elements in the data table, toggle on the check box for the rows corresponding to the elements you want to annotate or toggle on the check box in the header row to display probe annotations for all selected elements.

    Note:

    You can customize the color and font for probe annotations of elements in the Common Plot Options dialog box. For more information, see Using common plot options.

  10. To save the data you have selected, click Write to File. For more information, see Generating tabular data reports.”
  11. To exit probe mode, do one of the following:

    • Click the cancel button in the prompt area.

    • Click Cancel in the Probe Values dialog box.

    • Click mouse button 2.

    • Produce a plot in some other (e.g. undeformed, deformed) mode.