ETK ABAQUS

This Extraction Tool Kit (ETK) interface is based on ABAQUS ODB-APIs.

Extraction of ABAQUS API Libraries

ABAQUS provides a script to extract the ABAQUS API libraries.

To obtain the ABAQUS API libraries, navigate to the ABAQUS installation path (typically C:/SIMULIA/Commands). Here you can find the batch scripts for installed ABAQUS versions. Run the following command (this example is for version 2021):

abq2021.bat extractOdbApi

The ABAQUS API libraries can be found inside the lib directory situated inside the version specific folder created next to the batch script.

Configuration of ODB-APIs for ETK Node

To use the ETK-ABAQUS node, the ABAQUS API directory path must be specified at one of the following locations:

  • Directories specified by the Abaqus Libraries Directories configuration setting.

  • Directories specified by the OSL_ODB_API_SEARCH_DIRS environment variable , separated by the native environment separator (; on Windows platforms or : on Linux platforms).

The API libraries found at any one of the locations are used by the ETK node to extract variables (the environment variable have the higher priority).

If you are using the ODB file of a version lower than 2017, the ODB file must be upgraded to one of the ETK supported version.

Field Output Data

Field-type output data is result data written to the database exclusively using the output parameter FIELD.

  • Step and Frame: Sets a step and a frame. All available steps and the frame data are listed in the associated drop-down lists. By default, the last frame of the currently selected step is pre-selected. All available options are read out of the selected ODB file and listed in the corresponding fields.

  • Field output: Lists all values that were stored in the ODB file at the selected step. The abbreviations of the physical values (for example, stress, displacement, force) and custom variables are listed.

  • Position: Sets the positions of the variables (for example, nodal and integration point).

  • Element type; Sets the element types.

  • Component: Sets the components of the result value (for example U1 and S11) based on previous selections.

  • Section Point: Sets the available section points (for example Top and Bottom) depending on the chosen field output data.

  • Set: Lists the eligible node, surface, or element sets that you can choose to extract categorically. The listed set type corresponds to the field output position. You can select multiple options from the list by clicking the left mouse button while pressing the Ctrl key.

  • Filter: Specifies wildcard filters that control the number of available sets displayed. Use the + and - to add a new entry or remove an existing selected entry.

History Output Data

History-type output files are result files written to the database by using the output parameter HISTORY. The storage of the history output data is similar to the field outputs.

  • Step: Sets the step that contains the history output variables.

  • Output: Sets the output variable.

  • Region: Specifies the history region containing the history data for single positions within the model along with set information, if available. If so, the name of the node or element set is specified inside square brackets. If the given set contains only a single position, the entry is marked red.

  • Filter: Specifies wildcard filters that control the number of available history regions displayed. Use the + and - to add a new entry or remove an existing selected entry.

Troubleshooting

If any errors occur on the Linux platform, prepend the path to the ABAQUS libraries and the path to the abq version directories inside the oop directory (for example, abq2017 or abq2018) from the optiSLang installer to the environment variable LD_LIBRARY_PATH.

LD_LIBRARY_PATH = (path to abq version directories in oop directory of optiSLang): 
(path of directories specified in OSL_ODB_API_SEARCH_DIRS): ${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}