Radioss Modeling Best Practices

© Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Altair Radioss Intro, v2022.1
ALTAIR RADIOSS V2022.2 - BEST PRACTICES

SUMMARY & REMINDERS
1 GTT Advanced Structures

Best Practices
Modeling a Physical Problem
• Space • Formulation – Choice of time and space

discretization:
• The geometry is discretized by Finite Elements.
• Lagrangian
• Time
• Eulerian
• Discretized by Time Step
• Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE)
• Physical Laws
• Mass conservation
• Energy conservation
• Momentum conservation
2
Best Practices
Radioss Simulation Workflow

Listing Files
runname_0000.rad STARTER runname_0000.out

Starter Input Deck: Starter Listing File (ASCII)
An ASCII file that contains
the model definition
runname_0000.rst
Restart File (Binary)
runname_0001.out
runname_0001.rad ENGINE Engine Listing File (ASCII)
Engine Input File:

An ASCII file that describes runname_0001.rst
the run controls Restart File (Binary)
User Simulation Inputs

runname.h3d runnameT01
or/and or/and
runnameA001 runname.abf Simulation Results
runnameA002…
runnameAnnn Time History File (Binary)
3
Animation Files (Binary)
Best Practices
Basic Simulation Checking

• Review the output file runname_0000.out generated by the starter
• Correct all errors
• Correct interface intersections
• Review penetrations
• Fix real incompatible kinematic conditions
• Check time step (element and nodal)
• Check mass and center of gravity calculated by starter
4
Best Practices
Shell Elements
Suppress hole
Comments on Shell Modeling Practices
• Mesh on neutral fiber

Bad mesh
• Create homogeneous mesh size for each part
• Have minimum of 6 elements per buckle wavelength
• Use 3 elements on flanges Good mesh
• Suppress holes smaller than reference mesh size
Washer
Good mesh
Bad mesh 3 elements on the flange
5
Best Practices
Shell Elements
Shell Element Quality
Element Criteria Recommended value Diagram
Size 5mm (average for steel)
h
Warping < 10° h/L
L
lc
Time Step > 0.5 e-06 seconds t 
c
Angle of 4-node shell 35° < Angle < 135° Max. Angle
Angle of 3-node Shell 30° < Angle Min. Angle
Aspect Ratio 1 < Aspect < 1.2 L/ l l

L
Percent of Trias < 10%
6
Best Practices
Solid Elements
Comments on solid modeling practices
Degenerated
elements with
small time step
Element with bad

aspect ratio (inner
angle near to 180°)
Good mesh
7
Best Practices
Element Formulations - Best Practice

• /PROP/SHELL: • /PROP/SOLID for Elasto-plastic materials:
Parameter Comment /DEF_SOLID Parameter Comment /DEF_SOLID
Ishell = 24 QEPH 4-noded shells Isolid = 24 HEPH 8-noded hex
Ish3n = 2 C0 3-noded shell (default) Itetra10 = 2 Quadratic 10-noded tetra
Ismstr = 2 Full geometric nonlinearities Ismstr = 2 Full geometric nonlinearities
N=5 Integration points through thickness Iframe = 2 Co-rotational (default for Isolid=24)
Ithick = 1 Thicknesses change taken into account
Iplas = 1 Iterative plasticity
• /PROP/SOLID for Foam (Law 70): • /PROP/SOLID for Rubber (Law 42):
Parameter Comment /DEF_SOLID Parameter Comment /DEF_SOLID
Isolid = 1 Brick8 8-noded hex Isolid = 24 HEPH 8-noded hex
Itetra4 = 0 Linear 4-noded tetra Itetra4 = 0 Linear 4-noded tetra

Lagrange total strain-engr stress-
Ismstr = 11 Total small strain (engr stress-strain) Ismstr = 10
strain
I =1 Non co-rotational (default for Isolid=1) Iframe = 2 Co-rotational (default for Isolid=24)
8 frame
Best Practices
Materials - Best Practice
• /MAT/LAW1 or /MAT/ELAST: • /MAT/LAW42 or /MAT/OGDEN:

• Best for elements attached to rigid body • Poisson’s Ratio ≤ 0.495
• Not for large elastic deformation • α1 = 2 and α2 = -2 for Mooney-Rivlin
– use Law 2 with large yield stress instead • Corresponding solid property:
Isolid = 24
Ismstr =10
• /MAT/LAW2 or /MAT/PLAS_JOHNS IHKT = 2
• Simplest input with Iflag=1
a = Yield
UTS = Engineering Ultimate Stress • /MAT/LAW70 or /MAT/FOAM_TAB
EUTS = Engineering Strain at Ultimate • Loading functions are engineering stress vs. strain
• Use /FAIL/BIQUAD to get unique tension and compression • Unloading by Shape and Hys via trial and error or one
failure result unloading function from compression tests
• E0 = 10 times loading curve initial slope
• /MAT/LAW36 or /MAT/PLAS_TAB • Emax = Modulus of fully compressed foam
• Yield stress functions require True Stress versus Plastic True • Use default value of εmax = 1
Strain • Corresponding solid property:
Isolid = 1 (or 18 if hourglass issues)
• First point of yield stress should have plastic strain of zero Ismstr = 11
9
Best Practices
/MAT/LAW2 or /MAT/PLAS_JOHNS
Elastic Plastic
• Isotropic elasto-plastic material using the Johnson-Cook material model

• Expresses material stress as a function of strain, strain rate and temperature
• A built-in failure criterion based on the maximum plastic strain is available
 = (a + b np )(1 + c ln  )(1 − T *m )

0
Influence of temperature change

Influence of strain rate
Influence of plastic strain
 = Stress n = Hardening Exponent
 p = Plastic strain c = Strain rate coefficient
a = Yield stress  = Strain rate
10
b = Hardening modulus 0 = Reference strain rate
Best Practices
/MAT/PLAS_TAB or /MAT/LAW36
Elastic Plastic Tabulated
• Isotropic elasto-plastic material

dp3/dt
• User-defined function for the work-hardening portion
of the stress-strain curve  dp3/dt
• Available for brick and shell elements dp1/dt
• Elastic portion of material stress-strain curve defined

by Young modulus and Poisson’s ratio
• Material plasticity curves can be given for up an

arbitrary number of strain rates
• Linear interpolation of strain-stress curve p
• For a given strain rate
• For a given plastic strain

11
Best Practices
/MAT/LAW36 and /MAT/LAW70

Elastic Plastic or Foam Tabulated
• In order to avoid poor curve extrapolation during the

strain calculation, a dummy curve defined for a high strain
rate value can be added in the model – typically the highest
strain rate curve is repeated
• The curves have to be defined such as they don’t intersect

themselves in the strain range being used.
Otherwise, the calculation may fail
12
Best Practices
Interfaces - Best Practice
• Crash structure applications • Manufacturing contacts

TYPE7 : General node to surface TYPE8 : Draw beads model
TYPE11 : Edge to edge TYPE21 : Node to rigid surface
TYPE19 : TYPE7 + TYPE11
TYPE24 : General node and surface to surface
• Fluid / FSI applications
TYPE25 : General node and surface to surface
TYPE1 : Tied fluid to structure
• Tied Interface TYPE9 : ALE Lagrange with void opening and free
surface contact
TYPE10 : Tied node to surface after impact
TYPE12 : Fluid to fluid contact
TYPE2 : Tied node to surface
TYPE18 : Fluid structure contact
13
Best Practices
Most Used Interface Types for Impact Simulation
Interface Type Secondary Main Gap Stiffness Usage
General node to surface contact for

7 Node Surface Yes Non–linear
any application
Edge to edge contact for any

11 Line Line Yes Non-linear
application
General surface to surface contact +

19 Surface Surface Yes Non-linear
edge to edge contact
Node or No for solid, Electronics modeling with solid

24 Surface Linear
Surface Yes for shell elements and/or press fit applications
Node or No for solid, General node to surface contact for

25 Surface Linear
Surface Yes for shell any application
14
Best Practices
Contact - Best Practice
• /INTER/TYPE7, /INTER/TYPE11 and /INTER/TYPE19 • /INTER/TYPE7, /INTER/TYPE11 and /INTER/TYPE19

/DEFAULT/INT /DEFAULT/INT
Parameter Comment Parameter Comment
ER/TYPE7 ER/TYPE7
Igap = 2 Variable gap Fpenmax = Deactivate secondary nodes if
0.8 penetrated > 80% of gap
Gapmin ≥ Specify value that is half of
0.5 mm thinnest part† Stmin=1000
Minimum stiffness*
N/mm
Inacti = 6 Adjust initial gap
Istf = 4 Kn = Stfac * min(Km,Ks) * Values
Type 7 best for: Type 11 best for: typical
Irem_gap = Deactivate secondary nodes if • Shell to shell • Edge to edge for ground
2 element size < gap • Shell to solid transportation
vehicles
Remove secondary node if Resistive
Idel = 2
element deleted Force Gap
Stiffness friction penalty

Iform = 2
formulation Penetration, P
15
Best Practices
Contact - Best Practice
• /INTER/TYPE24: • /INTER/TYPE25:
/DEFAULT/INT /DEFAULT/INT
Parameter Comment Parameter Comment
ER/TYPE24 ER/TYPE25
Inacti = 5 Adjust initial gap Igap = 2 Variable gap
Istf = 2 Kn = (Km+Ks)/2** Inacti = 5 Adjust initial gap
Stmin=1000 Istf = 4 Kn = Stfac * min(Km,Ks)
Minimum stiffness**
N/mm
Remove secondary node if
Idel = 2
Stmax= Maximum stiffness** element deleted
10000 N/m
Stmin=1000
Minimum stiffness*
N/mm
Resistive **Values typical for
Force Gap drop test
Resistive
Type 24 best for: Force Gap * Values typical
K • Solid to solid for ground
• Press fits (Inacti = -1) transportation
Penetration, P K
vehicles
Penetration, P
16
Best Practices
Interface Stiffness Formulation

Advantages/Disadvantages
Resistive Resistive
Force Force
• Non-Linear Type7, 11, 19 (Stiffness

Contribution) • Linear Type24, 25 (Stiffness
Contribution)
K
Advantages K
Penetration Advantages Penetration
into the gap into the gap
• Physically correct representation • Tolerant of imprecise meshing (handles initial penetrations

and intersections)
• High accuracy for describing self-contact and buckling
• Formulation similar to other explicit solvers
• Best used with shells to shells or solids to shells
• Constant stiffness minimizes effect on time step
Disadvantages
Disadvantages
• Requires more stringent modeling practices
• Results may not be as robust
• Does not tolerate intersections (secondary node passing
main segment)
• Time step may reduce due to increasing interface stiffness
17
Best Practices
Kinematic Conditions
Overview
• Tied Contact /INTER/TYPE2 • Boundary Conditions /BCS
• Rigid Walls /RWALL • Imposed Displacement /IMPDISP and

Imposed Velocity /IMPVEL
• Rigid Bodies /RBODY
18
Best Practices
Tied Contact /INTER/TYPE2
Parameter Comment
Spotflag = 27 Use with models with mostly solid elements such as electronics
Spotflag = 28 Use with models with mostly shell elements such as automotive
Ignore = 1 Secondary nodes with no main segment found during the Starter are deleted from the interface
Idel2 = 1 The kinematic condition is suppressed on secondary node if the main element is deleted
19
Best Practices
Rigid Body /RBODY

Summary of ICoG Action
• The ICoG option chosen depends on application and desired behavior.
ICoG COG Main Node Location Rigid Body Mass
Computed using main and Mass Entered +

1 Moved to computed COG
secondary nodes Secondary Node Mass
Computed based on Mass Entered +

2 Moved to computed COG
secondary nodes only Secondary Node Mass
COG put at main node Mass Entered +

3 Not moved
coordinates Secondary Node Mass
COG put at main node

4 Not moved Mass Entered
coordinates
20
Best Practices
Load definitions
Overview
• Concentrated load /CLOAD • Pressure load /PLOAD
• Gravity /GRAV • Initial velocity /INIVEL and initial velocity about

an axis /INIVEL/AXIS
21
Best Practices
Reminder: Explicit Scheme Stability Condition

• The critical time step ∆𝑡𝑐 is the time required for a shock wave (governed by speed of sound) to
propagate across the smallest distance in an element
• The solution is unstable if information passes across more than one element per time step
• An explicit solution is stable if ∆𝑡 < ∆𝑡𝑐
lc
t 
c
22 Element has missed information

Best Practices
Explicit Scheme Stability Condition

• Most entities (elements, nodes, contacts,…) have stability conditions.
• In the case of elements, the stability depends on two factors:
1. Size of element (𝑙) → Numerical
2. Speed of sound (𝑐) → Physical
• The time step of the simulation is automatically calculated by Radioss as ∆𝒕𝒔 = ∆𝒕𝒔𝒄𝒂 × ∆𝒕𝒄 with:
• ∆𝑡𝑠𝑐𝑎 , the safety scale factor on critical time step, and ∆𝑡𝑠𝑐𝑎 < 1
• ∆𝑡𝑐 , the critical time step calculated as the minimum of all time steps of all entities
23
Best Practices
How to Speed Up Computation

Time Step Control
Type Nodal time step Elemental time step Interface time step
l l
te  c = c Δ𝑡𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑙 =
2𝑀𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑙
E  σ 𝐾interface + 𝐾𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
 
2m
Formulation
tn  Time step decrease when 1 𝐺𝑎𝑝 − 𝑝
k element is deformed Δ𝑡𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐 =
 2 𝑑𝑝
 [   [  te 
𝑑𝑡
/DT/Eltyp/CST /DT/INTER/CST1 or /DT/INTER/CST2

Defined in Engine
/DT/NODA/CST /DT/Eltyp/DEL /DT/INTER/DEL
File
/DT/Eltyp/STOP /DT/INTER/STOP
The elements will switch to small strain
formulation when their time step becomes
Mass will start to be added on the node smaller than target time step
Mass will start to be added on the node
Warning when :
when time step drops
Target Time Step Target Time Step
t t
Scale Factor Scale Factor
/DT/NODA/CST /DT/INTER/CST1 or CST2

Structural /DT/Eltyp/CST
0.9 0.5e-06 0.67 0.5e-06
recommendation 0.9 0.5e-06
24 Recommended solution Add if necessary with DT/NODA/CST
Best Practices

Mass Scaling
• The estimated nodal time step is displayed in 2 graphs to help to select the time step for the
computation.
Initial mass increase ratio

vs initial target time step
% of element per time step value
Initial time step value for different mass increase ratios

Time step value to get 5% of initial mass increase
25 initial_mass_ratio can also be set directly in the /DT/NODA/CST command!

Best Practices

Advanced Mass Scaling
• Typical speed-up from 3 to 5 times of natural time step solution time

• Additional terms on the mass matrix to increase the time step without changing the physical mass
and inertia
• The mass matrix can no longer be inverted; thus the equation of motion is solved using the
conjugated gradient
• Applications Roof crush computed
with AMS
• Quasi-static load-case, for e.g.
• Roof crash
• Seatbelt anchorage test (ECE-R14)
• Loading with imposed displacement

• Solid element model with small mesh size
• Method not recommended for dynamic load-cases (crash, high speed impact, …)
26
Best Practices

Advanced Mass Scaling
• Starter deck (runname_0000.rad) /TITLE

Parison
• Add /AMS to model along with a group of parts to which AMS will be /RUN/EXAMPLE4_66/1
applied 8.010000e-001
• If no part group is defined, AMS will be applied to the full model /DT/AMS
0.67 1.15e-4
/TFILE
1.000000e-003
• Engine file (runname_0001.rad) /RFILE
100000 0 0
• Add /DT/AMS with: /PRINT/-1000
/ANIM/DT
• Recommended scale factor: 0.67
0.000000e+000 1.000000e-001
/ANIM/ELEM/EPSP
• Target minimum time step value: 10 to 20 times the natural element time step
/ANIM/ELEM/VONM
/ANIM/VECT/VEL
/ANIM/SHELL/THIC
/ANIM/GZIP
27
Best Practices
Helpful Tools
Overview
• Functions /FUNCT • Surface definition /SURF
• Table of functions /TABLE • Sections /SECT
• Added Mass /ADMAS • Sensors /SENSOR
• Group of nodes/GRNOD • Monitored Volumes /MONVOL
• Group of elements /GRSHEL, /GRBRIC etc • Includes & Submodels
28
Best Practices
Post-Processing with Animations (H3D)

• Animation Output Requests defined in Engine
• Output is written to runname.h3d file at a frequency of Tfreq (minimum Tfreq = Final time / 20 to 100)
• Define Tfreq with /H3D/DT in Engine
• H3D/Keyword2/Keyword3/Keyword4/Keyword5
Keyword2 Keyword3 Keyword4 Keyword5 Description
DT Frequency of writing animation files
COMPRESS Compress the H3D file
SHELL or SOLID ENER Specific energy on elements
SHELL or SOLID HOURG Hourglass energy on elements
SHELL or SOLID TENS STRAIN NPT=ALL Tensor strain data
SHELL or SOLID TENS STRESS NPT=ALL Tensor stress data
SHELL or SOLID TENS EPSP NPT=ALL Plastic strain on elements
SHELL or SOLID VONM Von-Mises stress
SIGX, SIGY, SIGZ,
BEAM Stress in specified direction
SIGXY, SIGYZ, SIGZX
BEAM FORC All forces and moments in local coordinate system
SPRING FORC All forces and moments in local coordinate system
TRUSS FORC All forces and moments in local coordinate system
NODA DT Time step
NODA DMAS Mass variation due to mass scaling /DT/NODA/CST
NODA MASS Nodal masses
NODA DISP, VEL, ACC Vector plot data for Displacements, velocities or accelerations
NODA GPS Mean nodal stress calculated from the element shape functions
NODA GPSTRAIN Mean nodal strain calculated from the element shape functions
29NODA CONT/CONT2/PCONT Contact forces / Contact force TYPE2 / pressures on interfaces
NODA FREAC/MREAC Reaction forces/moments for imposed boundary conditions and constraints
Best Practices
Post-Processing with Time History Keyword Object Saved

• /TH/Keyword (Request defined in Starter) --- Global variables
SUBS Subsets
• Data is written to runname T01 file at frequency of ΔThis
PART Parts
• ΔThis defined with /TFILE in Engine (min ΔThis = final time/100
NODE Nodes
• Restarts will generate additional time history files
SHEL 4 node shells
• runname_0002.rad → runnameT02
SH3N 3 node shells
• runname_0003.rad → runnameT03
BRIC Solids
QUAD 2D quads
BEAM Beams
Keyword Object Saved TRUSS Trusses
NSTRAND Multi-Strand SPRING Springs
ACCEL Accelerometer Mode Flexible body local modes
SECTIO Section
CYL_JO Cylindrical joints
MONV Monitored volume Airbag • Example for a PART
RWALL Rigid Wall Keyword Variable Saved TH Variables
RBODY Rigid Body PART DEF IE, KE, XMOM, YMOM, ZMOM, MASS, HE
FXBODY Flexible body
GAUGE Gauges • Example for a RWALL
INTER Interface
FRAME Frame
Keyword Variable Saved TH Variables
RWALL DEF FNX, FNY, FNZ, FTX, FTY, FTZ
SPH_FLOW SPH inlet/outlet conditions
FN FNX, FNY, FNZ
FT FTX, FTY, FTZ
30
Best Practices
How to know if the simulation is valid

• Check at the end of the computation in the engine output file runname_0001.out:
• Time step
• Energy error
• Mass error
CYCLE TIME TIME-STEP ELEMENT ERROR I-ENERGY K-ENERGY T K-ENERGY R EXT-WORK MAS.ERR TOTAL MASS MASS ADDED
1100 0.1100E-02 0.1000E-05 NODE 4627 -0.6% 0.2531 0.4384 0.1301E-02 0.6970 0.2333E-01 0.4423E-04 0.1008E-05
1200 0.1200E-02 0.1000E-05 NODE 8819 -0.9% 0.4135 0.4267 0.1474E-02 0.8497 0.2333E-01 0.4423E-04 0.1008E-05
1300 0.1300E-02 0.1000E-05 NODE 19906 -0.8% 0.5869 0.4386 0.1311E-02 1.036 0.2333E-01 0.4423E-04 0.1008E-05
RESTART FILES: TubeCrush-Base3_0001_[0001-0001].rst WRITTEN

-------------
ELAPSED TIME = 2038.93 s

• “NORMAL TERMINATION” message
should be printed. NORMAL TERMINATION
TOTAL NUMBER OF CYCLES : 1312
31
Best Practices
Check Simulation’s Energy Balance

• In case of imposed motion or loading/gravity
• Energy is added during the computation
→ External work
• The external work is transformed to kinematic and internal energy.
• Total energy will follow the external works.
• Numerical energies should be as small as possible.
• Remark: Due to its formulation, the energy

error in the engine listing file can show ±99%
if there is no initial energy in the model.
Total energy, internal
energies and external
work are coincident
32
Best Practices
Check Simulation’s Energy Balance

• If the energy is initially set in the model:
• Total Translational Energy (TTE) should be constant or slightly
decreasing (loss of energy)
• TTE = IE + KE + RKE + CE + HE
• If energy absorption is the goal then most of the kinetic

energy should be transformed to internal energy All available energies
• Numerical energies should be as small as possible:

• Contact energy, CE (except for friction which is integrated into CE
and must be analyzed by the user).
Total mass of the model
• Hourglass energy, HE.
Note: Rotational kinematic energy, RKE can be

abnormally high (check for 2-nodes RBODY and 1D
elements with small inertia and stiffness along
element axis).
33
Best Practices
What if Contact Energy is High?

• Normal value for contact energy
• 0% to 5% of the total energy
• Contact internal = penetration value * contact force
• High contact energy in case

• Too soft contact stiffness
• Too stiff contact stiffness
• To avoid high contact energy

• Set physical material parameters (young modulus, thickness)
• Set recommended parameter for the contact definition (see Chapter 6)
• Set “physical” contact interface gap value
34
Best Practices
What about Hourglass Energy?

• Normal value for hourglass energy
• 10% to 15% of the total energy when using under integrated elements (Belytschko shells, solids with 1 integration
point)
• Hourglass Energy is not counted in Energy Error, so negative energy error can occur
• High hourglass energy in case

• Under integrated elements without optimized parameters.
• To avoid high hourglass energy

• Set recommended parameter for the property definition (see chapter 4)
• Fully integrated elements
or
Can result in slightly positive energy error, 1 to 2%
• HEPH for solid elements
• QEPH for shell elements
35
Best Practices
Typical Debugging Scenarios

• Energy Error and Mass Error • Negative Volume
• Check the last animation file (written before the • Usual issue
computation stops with option /STOP in the engine file) • The material is not correctly defined for large deformation (densification
• Usual issue phase)
• Imposed time step too high • Countermeasure

• Material badly defined (Energy Error) • Improve the material definition
• Material and property (spring) badly defined (Mass Error) • Add a self-impact interface in the solid block with a gap value
• Elastic material with large deformation corresponding to the maximum compression value of the solid
• Contact interface (stiffness, gap) not correctly defined element.

• Add failure in the material model
• Time Step is Negative
• Issue in the tied interface (/INTER/TYPE2). The
secondary node is not correctly projected to the main
surface.
• Improve the projection or the interface main and secondary
group definition
• Set the flag Spotflag=1 in the contact interface TYPE2
36
Questions & Answers
37

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Altair Radioss Intro, v2022.1

ALTAIR RADIOSS V2022.2 - BEST PRACTICES

1 GTT Advanced Structures

Modeling a Physical Problem

• Space • Formulation – Choice of time and space

Radioss Simulation Workflow

runname_0000.rad STARTER runname_0000.out

runname_0001.rad ENGINE Engine Listing File (ASCII)

Engine Input File:

User Simulation Inputs

Basic Simulation Checking

• Correct all errors

• Correct interface intersections

• Fix real incompatible kinematic conditions

• Check time step (element and nodal)

• Check mass and center of gravity calculated by starter

• Mesh on neutral fiber

• Create homogeneous mesh size for each part

• Have minimum of 6 elements per buckle wavelength

• Use 3 elements on flanges Good mesh

• Suppress holes smaller than reference mesh size

Element Criteria Recommended value Diagram

Size 5mm (average for steel)

Angle of 3-node Shell 30° < Angle Min. Angle

Aspect Ratio 1 < Aspect < 1.2 L/ l l

Percent of Trias < 10%

Element with bad

Element Formulations - Best Practice

Ish3n = 2 C0 3-noded shell (default) Itetra10 = 2 Quadratic 10-noded tetra

Ismstr = 2 Full geometric nonlinearities Ismstr = 2 Full geometric nonlinearities

Ithick = 1 Thicknesses change taken into account

Iplas = 1 Iterative plasticity

Isolid = 1 Brick8 8-noded hex Isolid = 24 HEPH 8-noded hex

Itetra4 = 0 Linear 4-noded tetra Itetra4 = 0 Linear 4-noded tetra

Materials - Best Practice

• /MAT/LAW1 or /MAT/ELAST: • /MAT/LAW42 or /MAT/OGDEN:

• Isotropic elasto-plastic material using the Johnson-Cook material model

 = (a + b np )(1 + c ln  )(1 − T *m )

Influence of temperature change

• Isotropic elasto-plastic material

• Available for brick and shell elements dp1/dt

• Elastic portion of material stress-strain curve defined

• Material plasticity curves can be given for up an

• Linear interpolation of strain-stress curve p

• For a given strain rate

• For a given plastic strain

/MAT/LAW36 and /MAT/LAW70

• In order to avoid poor curve extrapolation during the

• The curves have to be defined such as they don’t intersect

Interfaces - Best Practice

• Crash structure applications • Manufacturing contacts

Most Used Interface Types for Impact Simulation

Interface Type Secondary Main Gap Stiffness Usage

General node to surface contact for

Edge to edge contact for any

General surface to surface contact +

Node or No for solid, Electronics modeling with solid

Node or No for solid, General node to surface contact for

Contact - Best Practice

• /INTER/TYPE7, /INTER/TYPE11 and /INTER/TYPE19 • /INTER/TYPE7, /INTER/TYPE11 and /INTER/TYPE19

Stiffness friction penalty

Contact - Best Practice