Section points

When you define the beam cross-section using a built-in profile from the Abaqus cross-section library and request that section engineering properties be calculated during the analysis, Abaqus calculates the beam element's response at an array of section points throughout the beam cross-section. The number of section points, as well as the section point locations, are shown in Beam Cross-Section Library. Element output variables, such as stress and strain, are available at any of the section points; however, by default output is provided at only a select number of section points, as described in Beam Cross-Section Library. All the section points for a rectangular cross-section are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Integration and default section points in a B32 rectangular beam element.

For this cross-section output is provided at points 1, 5, 21, and 25 by default. The beam element shown in Figure 1 uses a total of 50 section points, 25 at each of the two integration points, to calculate its stiffness.

When you request that the beam section properties be precomputed, Abaqus does not calculate the beam's response at the section points. Instead, it uses the section engineering properties to determine the section response. Therefore, Abaqus uses section points only as locations for output, and you need to specify the section points at which you desire output.