32.1.2 Spring element library

Products: Abaqus/Standard  Abaqus/Explicit  Abaqus/CAE  

References

Overview

This section provides a reference to the spring elements available in Abaqus/Standard and Abaqus/Explicit.

Element types

SPRINGAAxial spring between two nodes, whose line of action is the line joining the two nodes. This line of action may rotate in large-displacement analysis.
SPRING1(S)    Spring between a node and ground, acting in a fixed direction
SPRING2(S)    Spring between two nodes, acting in a fixed direction

Active degrees of freedom

SPRINGA: 1, 2, 3. The translational degree of freedom in the 3-direction is not activated in an Abaqus/Standard analysis if both nodes of the element are connected to two-dimensional entities such as two-dimensional analytical rigid surfaces, two-dimensional beam elements, etc.

SPRING1 or SPRING2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. If you specify a local orientation for the spring, these are local degrees of freedom. Otherwise, these are global degrees of freedom.

Additional solution variables

None.

Nodal coordinates required

SPRINGA: X, Y, Z. These coordinates are used in the calculation of the action of the element.

SPRING1 or SPRING2: None. The element nodes do not need to have coordinates defined since the action associated with these elements is defined by specifying the degrees of freedom involved.

Element property definition

Input File Usage:          
*SPRING

Abaqus/CAE Usage:   

Property or Interaction module: SpecialSprings/DashpotsCreate


Element-based loading

None.

Element output

S11

Force in the spring.

E11

Relative displacement across the spring.


Node ordering on elements