- From the Composite Layup editor, click the Plies tab.
- If the plies in the composite layup are symmetric about a central core, toggle on Make calculated sections symmetric. Enter the plies in the ply table, starting with the bottom ply in the first row and ending with the central ply. During the analysis Abaqus appends plies to the layup definition by repeating the entered plies (including the central ply) in the reverse order to the top of the layup. Each generated ply is labeled in ply stack plots and the output database by adding Sym_ to the beginning of the repeated ply's original name.
This option cannot be used if the rotation angle for any of the plies in the layup is defined using a discrete field. - For each ply, enter the following data in the ply table:
- Ply Name
The name of the ply. Abaqus/CAE displays this name when you are viewing the composite layup in the Visualization module and in a ply stack plot.
- Region
Select the region to which the ply is assigned. You can choose cells from the viewport, or you can select a set that refers to a cell. If you are displaying a meshed dependent part, you can choose solid elements from the viewport or select an element set. To choose elements from the viewport, you must display the native mesh, and you must use the Selection toolbar to enable the selection of 3D Elements from the viewport. You can also select solid elements from a mesh part. For more information, see Displaying a native mesh, and Filtering your selection based on the type of object.
- Material
The name of the material for this ply. Click mouse button 3, select Edit Material from the menu that appears, and do either of the following:
- Element Relative Thickness
The relative ply thickness within each element.
For continuum shell elements Abaqus determines the overall section thickness from the element
geometry, which may vary from element to element where the
section is defined. Hence, the thickness values that you specify
for each ply are relative to the thickness of each element. The
actual thickness of a ply is the element thickness times the
fraction of the total thickness that is accounted for by each
ply. You do not have to use physical units to specify the
thickness ratios for the plies, and the sum of the ply relative
thicknesses does not have to add to one. For more information,
see Creating a composite layup.
- Coordinate system
To define the coordinate system that will be used as the basis for the reference orientation of the ply, do the following:
Click mouse button 3, and select Edit CSYS from the menu that appears. Note:
If you choose Edit Orientation from the menu, you can define both the coordinate system and the rotation angle.
Select the base orientation. You can select the base layup orientation, or you can select a coordinate system. If you select a coordinate system, you must select the axis that defines the normal direction.
- Rotation Angle
An additional rotation (counterclockwise about the normal direction) for the ply's reference orientation. Enter a uniform rotation directly in the table, or click mouse button 3 and select to do the following:
-
Select a predefined angle (0, 45, 90, or −45 degrees) to define a uniform rotation.
-
Select Uniform, and enter an Angle to define a uniform rotation.
-
Select a scalar discrete field to define a rotation that varies spatially across the ply. You can also create a new discrete field by clicking .
- Integration Points
The number of integration points, if you are specifying properties for a composite layup integrated during the analysis.
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