Controlling the form of complex results

If the current step is a steady-state dynamic analysis, the value of an output variable such as stress (S) or displacement (U) can be a complex number with both real and imaginary components. You can control the form of complex numbers when displaying plots of a model or recording probed values from a model in Abaqus/CAE.

See Also
Selecting complex results
Understanding complex results

Context: You can choose to view the magnitude, phase angle, real component, imaginary component, value at a selected angle, or complex envelope values of your analysis results. The selected form is applied to all complex results, except harmonic animations, in the current session of Abaqus/CAE until you make a new selection. Harmonic animations, by definition, always use the “value at angle” form regardless of the current numeric form.

  1. Locate the Numeric Form options.

    From the main menu bar, select ResultOptions; then click the Complex Form tab in the dialog box that appears. The Numeric Form options appear.

  2. Select the form to use for complex numbers:

    • Magnitude to display the combined magnitude of both the real and imaginary portions of the result value.

    • Phase angle to display the angle between the positive horizontal axis and the plotted point (real, imaginary) that represents the complex number in rectangular coordinates. This selection is valid only for scalars or for vector and tensor components.

    • Real to display only the real component of the complex result value. This option is the default setting.

    • Imaginary to display only the coefficient of the imaginary component of the complex result value.

    • Value at angle to display the combined value of the real and imaginary portion of the result at an angle that you specify. When the angle is 0°, the real part of the result is displayed; when the angle is −90°, the imaginary part of the result is displayed.

    • Envelope: Min to display the minimum of the combined value of the real and imaginary portion of the result by varying the angle from 0° to 360°.
    • Envelope: Max to display the maximum of the combined value of the real and imaginary portion of the result by varying the angle from 0° to 360°.
    • Envelope: Max absolute to display the maximum absolute of the combined value of the real and imaginary portion of the result by varying the angle from 0° to 360°.

  3. Abaqus updates the display in the current viewport according to your specifications. By default, your changes are saved for the duration of the session and will affect all subsequent display of results. If you want to retain your changes for subsequent sessions, save them to a file. For more information, see Saving customizations for use in subsequent sessions.