32.14.1 Eulerian elements
Products: Abaqus/Explicit Abaqus/CAE
References
Overview
Eulerian elements:
can be used only in explicit dynamic analyses;
must have eight unique nodes;
are filled with void material by default;
can be initialized with nonvoid material;
can contain multiple materials simultaneously; and
can be partially filled with material.
Typical applications
Eulerian elements are useful for simulations involving material that undergoes extreme deformation, up to and including fluid flow. The Eulerian formulation allows material to flow from one element to another, even as the Eulerian mesh remains fixed. Applications that utilize Eulerian elements are discussed in “Eulerian analysis of a collapsing water column,” Section 1.7.1 of the Abaqus Benchmarks Guide, and “Rivet forming,” Section 2.3.1 of the Abaqus Example Problems Guide.
For more information on Eulerian analyses, see “Eulerian analysis,” Section 14.1.1.
Choosing an appropriate element
The available Eulerian elements are the three-dimensional, 8-node element EC3D8R and the three-dimensional, 8-node thermally coupled element EC3D8RT. Two-dimensional simulations can be approximated using a one-element thick mesh or a wedge-shaped mesh with appropriate boundary conditions. The Eulerian mesh is typically a simple rectangular grid of elements that does not conform to the shape of the Eulerian materials. Complex material shapes can be represented inside this mesh using a combination of fully and partially filled elements surrounded by void regions.
Defining the Eulerian element's section properties
You must associate the Eulerian section definition with a set of Eulerian elements. This set of elements must not share nodes with other types of elements. The section definition provides a list of materials that may occupy the Eulerian elements.
| Input File Usage: | *EULERIAN SECTION, ELSET=element_set_name data lines giving list of materials |
| Abaqus/CAE Usage: | Property module: Create Section: select Solid as the section Category and Eulerian as the section Type |
