Submodeling analysis

Submodeling is the technique of studying a local part of a model with a refined mesh, based on interpolation of the solution from an initial, global model onto appropriate parts of the boundary of the submodel. The method is most useful when it is necessary to obtain an accurate, detailed solution in the local region and the detailed modeling of that local region has negligible effect on the overall solution. The response at the boundary of the local region is defined by the solution for the global model and it, together with any loads applied to the local region, determines the solution in the submodel. The technique relies on the global model defining this submodel boundary response with sufficient accuracy.

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About Submodeling
Node-Based Submodeling
Surface-Based Submodeling

ProductsAbaqus/StandardAbaqus/Explicit

Submodeling can be applied quite generally in Abaqus. With a few restrictions different element types can be used in the submodel compared to those used to model the corresponding region in the global model. Both the global model and the submodel can use solid elements, or they can both use shell elements. A special option is available to use a submodel consisting of solid elements with a global model consisting of shell elements. The material response defined for the submodel may also be different from that defined for the global model. Both the global model and the submodel can have nonlinear response and can be analyzed for any sequence of analysis procedures. The procedures do not have to be the same for both models.

The submodel is run as a separate analysis. The only link between the submodel and the global model is the transfer of the time-dependent values of variables to the relevant driven variables of the submodel. The only information in the global model available to the submodel analysis is the file output data written during the global model analysis. These data contain, by default, the undeformed coordinates of all global model nodes and element information for all elements in the global model (see Results File). The user must have requested appropriate responses in the area where the submodel boundary is located.

Two forms of the submodeling technique are implemented in Abaqus. The more general node-based submodeling technique transfers node-located solution variables, most commonly displacements, from global model nodes to submodel nodes. A surface-based submodeling technique, which transfers material point stress results from the global model to surface load integration points in the submodel, is also available.