Abaqus Load Skill

Abaqus Load Skill

Apply mechanical and thermal loads to FEA models - forces, pressures, gravity, and heat flux.

When to Use This Skill

Route here when user mentions:

• "Apply a force", "add pressure", "put a load on"
• "Gravity", "self-weight", "body force"
• "Point load", "distributed load", "traction"
• "Heat flux", "thermal load"
• "Force in the X/​Y/​Z direction"

Route elsewhere:

• Fixed supports, displacements, symmetry → /​abaqus-bc
• Contact forces between parts → /​abaqus-interaction
• Initial temperature fields, pre-stress → /​abaqus-field
• Time-varying load profiles → /​abaqus-amplitude

Key Decisions

1. Which Load Type?

2. When to Convert Force to Traction

If user gives total force but it must be distributed:

Traction (MPa) = Total Force (N) / Surface Area (mm²)

Example: 1000 N on a 50×20mm face = 1000 / 1000 = 1.0 MPa

Sign Conventions

What to Ask User

If not specified, clarify:

Direction Specification

Common Scenarios

Standard Gravity Setup

• Acceleration: comp2 = -9810 mm/​s² (for -Y direction)
• Requires material density defined - without it, gravity has no effect

Pressure vs Traction

• Pressure: Always normal to surface, simpler to define
• Traction: Arbitrary direction, use when force isn't perpendicular

Thermal Loads

• Heat flux: Direct heat input (mW/​mm²)
• Film condition: Convection with ambient temperature

Time-Varying Loads

For loads that change over time:

1. First define amplitude using /​abaqus-amplitude
2. Reference amplitude name when creating load

Modifying Loads Across Steps

Troubleshooting

Validation Checklist

Before running analysis:

• Load applied to correct region (surface, vertex, edge)
• Direction matches physical scenario
• Magnitude in correct units (N, MPa, mW/​mm²)
• Load assigned to correct step (not Initial)
• Density defined if using gravity
• Reactions should balance applied loads

Code Patterns

For API syntax and implementation examples, see:

• API Quick Reference
• Common Patterns
• Troubleshooting Guide