Create a User Material with the Create Composite Material Plug-in.

The Create Composite Material plug-in within Abaqus/CAE lets you choose a variety of material and analysis options.

The material and analysis options include:

• Selection of a composite material to use in the analysis (Simulation Composite Analysis-compatible material characterizations must be created outside of Abaqus/CAE using Composite Material Manager)
• The choice of four unit systems
• Selection of the principle material direction
• Calculation method for failed plain weave properties
• Inclusion of hydrostatic pressure induced material strength enhancement
• Stiffness degradation method (instantaneous, energy based or none)
• Inclusion of pre-failure nonlinearity
• Setting the matrix and fiber constituent stiffness post-failure degradation ratios (traditional degradation) or degradation energies (energy based degradation)
• Creating additional output variables that provide fiber and matrix constituent stresses and strains

Using these options, you can tailor a specific analysis to the requirements of the problem. For a detailed discussion of the options available, refer to the Simulation Composite Analysis User's Guide.

Note: There are two Simulation Composite Analysis plug-ins. The Create Composite Material plug-in is used for ply based materials and the Create Cohesive Material plug-in is used to define cohesive materials.

Create the Material

In the following steps, a user-material is created for the plate, and progressive failure analysis is requested using the Create Composite Material plug-in.

1. Select Plug-ins > Autodesk > Create Composite Material from the main toolbar. The Create Composite Material plug-in appears.
2. From the Material Library list, select the material you created in the previous section, Tutorial_1.
   Note: The unit system dependent Engineering Constants specific to this material are listed in the dialog box for you to review.
3. Select lb/in/R from the Select Model Units list.
   • There are 4 unit systems to choose from. The default unit system is N/m/K.
4. Select 1 as the fiber direction.
   • 2 can also be used as the fiber direction, but it would require a different composite layup orientation than the 1 direction. As a general rule, it is recommended that 1 be used as the fiber direction to maintain consistency from model to model. On occasion, however, it will not be possible to create an orientation in Abaqus that allows for the 1 direction to be the fiber direction due to the combination of complex model geometry and section orientation limitations. In such cases, it may be necessary to use the 2 direction as the fiber direction.
5. Accept the remaining default settings for the Analysis Criteria and Output options.
6. The dialog box should appear as shown below.
7. Click OK.

After completing these steps, a user material is created. This material is used to define the composite layup for the plate.