Including substructures in your analysis

Substructure usage should be performed in a different model than substructure generation. You can include substructures in your analysis in Abaqus/CAE by following these general steps:

  1. Import each substructure that you want to use in your model database from the corresponding .sim file. For more information, see Importing a substructure into Abaqus/CAE.
  2. In the Assembly module, instance each substructure part that you want to add to the assembly, and position the substructure part instances in the desired locations in the assembly. Using substructure part instances in an assembly, explains the capabilities and limitations of substructure part instances.
  3. In the Load module, activate substructure load cases by creating a Substructure load definition. For more information, see Activating load cases during substructure usage.
  4. In the Step module, create a field output request with Substructure as the Domain, then select the substructure sets for which you want to recover field data. For more information, see Recovering field output for substructures.
  5. In the Interaction module, apply constraints to attach the substructure part instance to the rest of the assembly.