Electrical Conductivity

A material's electrical conductivity:

  • must be defined for Coupled Thermal-Electrical Analysis if electrical resistivity is not defined;

  • must be defined for Fully Coupled Thermal-Electrical-Structural Analysis if electrical resistivity is not defined;

  • must be used to define the electromagnetic response of a conductor for Eddy Current Analysis;

  • can be linear or nonlinear (by defining it as a function of temperature);

  • can be isotropic, orthotropic, or fully anisotropic;

  • can be specified as a function of temperature and/or field variables;

  • can be specified as a function of frequency for Eddy Current Analysis;

  • cannot be used as part of a material definition that also includes electrical resistivity; and

  • cannot be used as part of a material definition that also includes piezoresistivity.

This page discusses:

See Also
About the Material Library
In Other Guides
*ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY
Defining electrical conductivity

Products Abaqus/Standard Abaqus/CAE

Directional Dependence of Electrical Conductivity

Isotropic, orthotropic, or fully anisotropic electrical conductivity can be defined. For non-isotropic conductivity a local orientation for the material directions must be specified (Orientations).

Isotropic Electrical Conductivity

For isotropic electrical conductivity only one value of electrical conductivity is needed at each temperature and field variable value. Isotropic electrical conductivity is the default.

Input File Usage

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY, TYPE=ISOTROPIC

Abaqus/CAE Usage

Property module: material editor: Electrical/MagneticElectrical Conductivity: Type: Isotropic

Orthotropic Electrical Conductivity

For orthotropic electrical conductivity three values of electrical conductivity ( σ 11 E , σ 22 E , σ 33 E ) are needed at each temperature and field variable value.

Input File Usage

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY, TYPE=ORTHOTROPIC

Abaqus/CAE Usage

Property module: material editor: Electrical/MagneticElectrical Conductivity: Type: Orthotropic

Anisotropic Electrical Conductivity

For fully anisotropic electrical conductivity six values ( σ 11 E , σ 12 E , σ 22 E , σ 13 E , σ 23 E , σ 33 E ) are needed at each temperature and field variable value.

Input File Usage

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY, TYPE=ANISOTROPIC

Abaqus/CAE Usage

Property module: material editor: Electrical/MagneticElectrical Conductivity: Type: Anisotropic

Frequency-Dependent Electrical Conductivity

Electrical conductivity can be defined as a function of frequency in an eddy current analysis.

Input File Usage

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY, FREQUENCY

Abaqus/CAE Usage

Property module: material editor: Electrical/MagneticElectrical Conductivity: Toggle on Use frequency-dependent data

Elements

Electrical conductivity is active only in coupled thermal-electrical elements, coupled thermal-electrical-structural elements, electromagnetic elements, coupled thermal-electrochemical elements, coupled thermal-electrochemical-structural elements, and coupled thermal-electrochemical-structural-pore pressure elements (see Choosing the Appropriate Element for an Analysis Type).