EasyPBC

ABAQUS Plugin Tool for Periodic RVE Homogenisation

User Guide V.1.1

Sadik L. Omairey, Dr Peter D. Dunning, Dr Srinivas Sriramula

School of Engineering
University of Aberdeen
EasyPBC Ver. 1.1 (20/06/2018)
EasyPBC is an ABAQUS CAE plugin developed to estimate the homogenised effective
elastic properties of user created periodic (RVE).
Copyright© 2018 Sadik Lafta Omairey
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for
more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this
program. If not, see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/
Kindly do not re-distribute
Please cite this tool in published work as: Omairey S., Dunning P., Sriramula S.,
Development of an ABAQUS Plugin Tool for Periodic RVE Homogenisation,
Engineering with Computers, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-018-0616-4
Email sadik.omairey@gmail.com to obtain the latest version of the software.

Updates to previous versions:

(a) The ability to estimate the elastic properties of 2D models;
(b) An option to only create PBCs without submitting jobs;
(c) Other minor improvements.
 Introduction
EasyPBC is an ABAQUS CAE plugin developed to estimate the homogenised effective
elastic properties of user created periodic Representative Volume Element (RVE), all
within ABAQUS without the need to use third-party software.
The name stands for Easy Periodic Boundary Conditions. The plugin automatically
applies the concepts of the periodic RVE homogenisation method in the software’s user
interface by categorising, creating, and linking sets necessary for achieving deformable
periodic boundary surfaces, which can distort and no longer remain plane. Additionally,
it allows the user to benefit from finite element analysis data within ABAQUS CAE
interface after calculating homogenised properties.
Details on theory of EasyPBC can be found in the following research article:

Omairey S, Dunning P, Sriramula S (2018) Development of an ABAQUS

plugin tool for periodic RVE homogenisation. Engineering with Computers.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-018-0616-4

EasyPBC is developed as an open-source ABAQUS CAE plugin. However, it is

preferred that developers distribute the plugin to ensure that users receive up-to-date
versions of the plugin.
Details of the code development phase can be found in:
https://www.researchgate.net/project/ABAQUS-Plugin-Tool-for-Periodic-
RVE-Homogenisation-EasyPBC
 Instillation of EasyPBC:

Step 1:
Email sadik.omairey@gmail.com to receive the updated pack of EasyPBC plugin.

Contains:

Step 2:
Copy and paste both folders that you received (abaqus_plugins, and abaqus_icons)
into your ABAQUS work directory, usually it is:
C:\Temp

\ \

Step 3:
Start ABAQUS CAE and you will find EasyPBC in Plug-ins tab:
 EasyPBC interface:
EasyPBC command window provide the user with the following options and selections:

EasyPBC Plugin window ABAQUS CAE model tree

Model name: user’s specified model name, the default name is:
Model-1
Saved homogenisation results text file will use the same name within the file name:
Model-1_elastic_properties.txt

Instance name: user’s specified instance name, the default instance name is:
Part-1-1

Mapping accuracy: is the value used to match nodes on opposite sets. The default value is
1E-7. This value can be adjusted by the user based on mapping accuracy.

For further details please refer to: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-018-0616-4

Number of CPUs used to process EasyPBC analysis jobs.

In this field the user selects which homogenised elastic properties are required. By default,
all properties are ticked.
Properties orientations are based on ABAQUS default global axis.
Last box if ticked will not submit jobs, but only creates periodic boundary conditions.
 Using EasyPBC:
In order to use EasyPBC, the user need to have:
(a) Created a single part;
(b) Assigned materials, properties, and sections;
(c) Add a single instance to assembly that contain all phases;
(d) Mesh the part/instance with nearly identical opposite sides mapping.
Once the above is done, the user can open EasyPBC, select required homogenised
elastic properties, and click OK button.
The code will start with a set creation phase, then submit jobs, and finally calculate and
output the homogenised elastic properties (Detailed flowchart of the process can be
found in: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-018-0616-4)

The duration of the process depends on the following factors:

(a) Computer performance and number of CPUs used;
(b) Number of elements and nodes in the model.

A step-by-step example of the use of EasyPBC for composite material RVE

homogenisation can be seen in:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyZXvl3C6fI

The input file for the above example is attached with EasyPBC installation pack.
 Homogenised properties output:
EasyPBC outputs the homogenised properties in three formats:
(a) Printed in the message area as can be seen below:

(b) Saved in a text file in ABAQUS work directory as below:

(c) Saved in a text file in ABAQUS work directory in an easycopy format that
allows easy copying to spreadsheets.

Also, EasyPBC maintains jobs ODB files for the user to observe the deformed geometry
and further investigate.
 Troubleshooting:
EasyPBC could encounter errors during the homogenisation process, most of these
errors will be printed in the ABAQUS message area with a short description of what
might have caused the error, along with a reference number that can be used in the table
below to troubleshoot:
Error
Error type Cause and possible solution
No.
01 Start-up error Part is not created, create a part and try again.
02 Start-up error Model name input in EasyPBC window is not matching the available model
name.
This input is case sensitive.
03 Start-up error Instance name input in EasyPBC window is not matching the available instance
name.
This input is case sensitive.
04 Start-up error Instance is not detected/created.
Make sure an instance is created. In some versions of ABAQUS make sure it is
refreshed after any change:

Double click to remove the yellow tick

This error could refer to an unmeshed part/instance as well.
05 Start-up error Specified number of CPUs is not valid, this value should be between 1 and the
total number of available CPUs, if it is equal of smaller than zero this error will
appear.
However, if it is greater than the available number of CPUs, no error will appear
but a warning message will be printed stating that all available CPUs will be
used instead. Additionally, the code rounds the number of CPUs if the input
value was not rounded. No errors or warnings will be printed.
06 Sets creation Number of nodes in referred sets are not equal. This check ensures correct
creation of nodal constrains. To avoid incorrect analysis, these sets will not be
created and will trigger termination error.
This error is associated with poor mapping accuracy or a high mapping
accuracy value specified in EasyPBC window.
Possible solution is reducing mapping accuracy value and/or improving model
mesh mapping of opposite sides.
07 Sets creation Actual number of nodes in the referred set(s) is not equal to the number of
appended nodes, indicating misrepresenting some nodes. To avoid incorrect
analysis, these sets will not be created and will trigger an error.
Possible solution is increasing mapping accuracy value and/or improving mesh
mapping of opposite sets.
Refer to created Error set to identify the nodes creating the issue.

08 Sets creation A node(s) will be paired with more than a single node of the associated set. This
check ensures correct creation of constraint links. To avoid incorrect solution,
these sets will not be created and will trigger an error.
This error is associated with poor mapping accuracy or high mapping accuracy
value.
Possible solution is reducing mapping accuracy value and/or improving mesh
mapping of opposite sets.
 Disclaimer:
The information contained and obtained by EasyPBC code/plugin (the "Service") is for
general information purposes only.
Developers assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents on the
Service with proper acknowledgment to developers where applicable.
Developers are in no event shall be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential,
or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract,
negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or
the contents of the Service.
Developers reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modification to the
contents on the Service at any time without prior notice.
The above are assumed accepted by the user upon the use of the Service.
EasyPBC License is attached with software pack.

EasyPCB Developers,
Last updated: June 20, 2018