Composites FEA - Abaqus Composite Layup Versus Composite Section

[dean.rose]

The finite element analysis (FEA) software package Abaqus is a very useful and user-friendly program for executing a FEA of a composite part.  Part of what makes Abaqus so user-friendly is the multiple ways you can define a composite layup schedule.  Inside the Abaqus/CAE interface, the analyst has two methods of defining a layup schedule for a composite laminate that they want to assign to a set of elements in a composite part.  The two methods of doing this are to create aComposite Layup or to create a Composite Section. 

A Composite Layup can be created for a part in the Abaqus/CAE tree.

A Composite Section can be created by defining a new section in the Abaqus/CAE tree.

There are pros/cons for creating a composite layup using one of these two methods.  First I want to talk about creating aComposite Layup.

Abaqus recently introduced the Composite Layup tool as part of CAE interface (I believe it is part of version 6.9x and up).  The Composite Layup tool is an enhanced interface for defining composite layups inside of CAE.  It is an upgrade over defining a composite sections the traditional way for the following reasons:

The Composite Layup editor provides more tools for manipulating plies and creating ply patters (copying plies or groups of plies, making layups symmetric, moving plies around, etc.)

The Composite Layup editor provides the option of defining the layup orientation inside of the Composite Layup definition.  The traditional method of defining a composite section requires the additional step of defining an orientation separate from the layup definition.

The one downside of creating a Composite Layup is it can only be used on the part for which it was created for.  Therein lies the advantage of creating a Composite Section.  Because it is a section, just like any other section in Abaqus, it can be assigned to any part created inside of a model.  The downside of creating a Composite Section is that there are not the ply manipulation tools that are available inside the composite Layup editor.  Another downside is after the section is created and assigned, the additional step of creating an Orientation for that composite section is required.  Not a huge deal, but an additional step that can be accidentally overlooked nonetheless.

In summary, there isn't a method that is going to save you large amounts of time as both methods are convenient.  However, it does pay some dividends to take a moment to think about which method suites your project better.  If you are creating a model that has just one part and you may be doing a design study where you are making many changes to the same layup, then the Composite Layup option would be the proper choice.  On the other hand if you are creating a model that has many parts, all with the same layup, then creating a Composite Section would be the better choice.  Again, both ways are just fine, it just a matter of saving some time and frustration here and there.

[delpinoja]

Thank you for the clear and concise description of the two methods of simulating composites in Abaqus.