Beam Cross-Sectional Axis System
The orientation of a beam cross-section is defined in Abaqus in terms of a local, right-handed (t, n1, n2) axis system, where t is the tangent to the axis of the element, positive in the direction from the first to the second node of the element, and n1 and n2 are basis vectors that define the local 1- and 2-directions of the cross-section. n1 is referred to as the first beam section axis, and n2 is referred to as the normal to the beam. This beam cross-sectional axis system is illustrated in Figure 1.
