Why Abaqus is the Gold Standard in Nonlinear FEA?

Engineering innovation today relies heavily on accurate simulation and analysis of complex systems. Whether you're designing an airplane fuselage, a prosthetic limb, or the suspension of an automobile, getting the physics right before fabrication is crucial. This is where Abaqus—a powerful finite element analysis (FEA) software—comes into play.

Developed by Dassault Systèmes under the SIMULIA brand, Abaqus offers a suite of simulation software used for both linear and nonlinear stress, heat transfer, and dynamic impact simulations. It’s widely recognized for its powerful modeling capabilities, robust solver technology, and wide support for material behaviors and advanced contact definitions.

In this blog by Multisoft Virtual Academy, we’ll explore what Abaqus online training is, why it matters, its key features, and how engineers across industries use it to drive innovation.

What is Abaqus?

Abaqus is a high-end engineering simulation software used primarily for finite element analysis and computer-aided engineering (CAE). The software supports both static and dynamic analysis of mechanical components and systems.

The Abaqus suite includes the following core products:

• Abaqus/Standard – Implicit FEA solver for static, low-speed dynamic, and steady-state problems.
• Abaqus/Explicit – Explicit solver used for high-speed events like crash simulations and impacts.
• Abaqus/CAE – A complete GUI for pre-processing (geometry, meshing) and post-processing (visualization of results).
• Abaqus/Viewer – A visualization tool for results from simulation data.

Abaqus is particularly known for its ability to handle nonlinear behavior, such as plasticity, large deformations, and complex contact interactions.

History and Evolution

• Abaqus was originally developed in the late 1970s by Hibbitt, Karlsson & Sorensen (HKS).
• In 2005, Dassault Systèmes acquired HKS and integrated Abaqus into its SIMULIA brand.
• Over the years, Abaqus has evolved to support multi-physics simulations, scripting, and tight integration with CAD tools and other engineering platforms.

Core Capabilities of Abaqus

1. Nonlinear FEA

Abaqus is particularly strong in nonlinear analysis, handling large deformation, plasticity, contact interactions, and material damage models with ease.

2. Multiphysics Simulation

Abaqus can couple mechanical, thermal, electrical, and fluid fields. Examples include thermo-mechanical fatigue, piezoelectric materials, and fluid-structure interactions.

3. Contact and Constraints

One of Abaqus' key advantages is its advanced contact algorithms. It can simulate multiple interacting bodies with friction, impact, and pressure distributions.

4. Material Modeling

Abaqus supports a wide variety of materials:

• Elastic and plastic
• Hyperelastic (rubbers, foams)
• Viscoelastic and creep materials
• Composites
• User-defined materials via UMAT and VUMAT subroutines

5. Dynamic and Static Analysis

Both low-speed (implicit) and high-speed (explicit) events are supported:

• Drop tests
• Crash simulations
• Quasi-static forming
• Earthquake analysis

Abaqus Architecture and Workflow

Abaqus operates through a structured and modular architecture that seamlessly integrates pre-processing, solving, and post-processing, allowing engineers to perform end-to-end finite element simulations efficiently. The core of the architecture lies in its separation of concerns: geometry creation and mesh generation are handled in Abaqus/CAE (Complete Abaqus Environment), computational solving is conducted via Abaqus/Standard or Abaqus/Explicit, and results are reviewed using Abaqus/Viewer or the visualization tools embedded in CAE.

The workflow typically begins with pre-processing in Abaqus/CAE, where users define the geometry of the model or import it from CAD software. This is followed by specifying material properties, applying boundary conditions and loads, creating an assembly of parts, and defining analysis steps such as static, dynamic, thermal, or coupled field procedures. Once the geometry and physics are defined, the model is discretized using finite element meshing, a crucial step that influences the accuracy and performance of the simulation. After the model setup is complete, the simulation job is submitted to the appropriate solver. Abaqus/Standard is used for implicit analyses like static or low-speed dynamic simulations, while Abaqus/Explicit is optimized for high-speed, transient dynamic events like impacts or crash scenarios. The solver performs numerical computations based on the defined input and produces results files that contain nodal and elemental data, including stress, strain, displacement, and thermal gradients.

In the final post-processing stage, users analyze the output data using Abaqus/Viewer or Abaqus/CAE’s visualization module. Engineers can generate contour plots, animations, XY plots, and custom visualizations to interpret how the model behaved under simulated conditions. Additionally, users can automate the workflow using Python scripts, and integrate custom material models via Fortran-based subroutines. This structured and flexible architecture enables Abaqus training course to accommodate a wide range of engineering problems across various industries with high precision and control.

User Scripting and Customization

Abaqus supports scripting in Python, enabling users to automate repetitive tasks, perform batch jobs, or create custom workflows.

Also, users can write custom material models using Fortran subroutines, such as:

• UMAT – User-defined material for implicit analysis
• VUMAT – For explicit dynamics
• UEL – User-defined elements
• DLOAD, DISP, USDFLD – For custom loads and fields

This level of flexibility makes Abaqus a preferred choice for advanced R&D applications.

Integration with Other Tools

Abaqus can be integrated with:

• CATIA, SolidWorks, AutoCAD – for geometry import/export
• MATLAB, Python, Excel – for data analysis and automation
• Isight – for design optimization and probabilistic studies
• ANSYS, Hypermesh, Nastran – for co-simulation and data exchange

Industries Using Abaqus

Abaqus is widely adopted across multiple industries due to its versatility in simulating complex physical behaviors, advanced materials, and realistic operating conditions. In the automotive industry, Abaqus plays a critical role in crash simulations, NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) analysis, airbag deployment studies, and durability assessments of components like suspensions and chassis. It helps manufacturers optimize designs for safety, performance, and cost-efficiency without relying heavily on physical prototypes. In the aerospace sector, engineers use Abaqus to analyze composite structures, predict fatigue life, simulate bird strikes, and study thermal stresses in engine components, ensuring compliance with stringent safety regulations.

The biomedical field leverages Abaqus for simulating human tissues, orthopedic implants, and prosthetic devices. Its ability to model hyperelastic and viscoelastic materials makes it ideal for analyzing biological structures under various loading conditions. In civil engineering, Abaqus is used for earthquake simulations, structural integrity assessments, and soil-structure interaction studies in buildings, dams, and tunnels. The energy and power industries utilize Abaqus for pipe stress analysis, fracture mechanics, and the evaluation of offshore structures under environmental loads. Additionally, the consumer electronics and manufacturing sectors employ Abaqus training for drop tests, thermal management, and material optimization. This wide applicability showcases Abaqus as a powerful simulation tool for modern engineering challenges.

Advantages of Abaqus

• One of the most reliable solvers for complex nonlinear problems.
• From static loads to crash simulations to thermal fatigue—Abaqus handles it all.
• 3D plots, animations, and reports help in understanding simulation results effectively.
• Allows user-defined materials, boundary conditions, and automation through scripting.
• Supports fluid-structure, thermal-structural, and other multiphysics simulations.

Limitations of Abaqus

Despite its strengths, Abaqus has a few limitations:

• Steep Learning Curve: Due to its depth and complexity, beginners may find it challenging.
• License Cost: Abaqus is expensive, especially for small businesses and freelancers.
• Computation Time: Complex simulations may require significant computational resources.
• UI: While Abaqus/CAE is improving, it can feel less modern compared to newer platforms.

Tips for Beginners

If you are starting out with Abaqus, here are a few tips:

• Start with linear static problems before moving to nonlinear or dynamic cases.
• Familiarize yourself with meshing techniques and element types.
• Learn to interpret solver messages and warnings.
• Use Abaqus documentation and forums – the official user manuals are goldmines.
• Try small-scale Python scripting to automate tasks.

Future of Abaqus

As product design becomes more complex and virtual testing gains dominance, Abaqus is poised to play a crucial role in digital twins, generative design, and AI-enhanced simulations. Dassault Systèmes is continuously enhancing Abaqus certification to support cloud-based simulations, model-based systems engineering (MBSE), and co-simulation with machine learning tools.

Conclusion

Abaqus is not just another FEA tool—it is a comprehensive engineering simulation platform capable of handling the toughest design challenges. Its support for advanced materials, dynamic simulations, and customization options make it indispensable across industries.

Whether you're an engineer, researcher, or student, mastering Abaqus can elevate your simulation skills to a new level, enabling you to predict product performance, improve safety, and reduce development costs.

In a world where virtual testing is becoming the norm, Abaqus is the bridge between engineering imagination and physical reality.

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About the Author

Shivali Sharma

Shivali is a Senior Content Creator at Multisoft Virtual Academy, where she writes about various technologies, such as ERP, Cyber Security, Splunk, Tensorflow, Selenium, and CEH. With her extensive knowledge and experience in different fields, she is able to provide valuable insights and information to her readers. Shivali is passionate about researching technology and startups, and she is always eager to learn and share her findings with others. You can connect with Shivali through LinkedIn and Twitter to stay updated with her latest articles and to engage in professional discussions.