Eigenvalue buckling prediction

Eigenvalue buckling analysis: Related Topics

is generally used to estimate the critical (bifurcation) load of

“stiff” structures; Defining an analysis
is a linear perturbation procedure; General and perturbation procedures
can be the first step in an analysis of an unloaded structure, or it
can be performed after the structure has been preloaded— About static stress analysis procedures
if the structure has
been preloaded, the buckling load from the preloaded state is calculated;
can be used in the investigation of the imperfection sensitivity of a
structure;
works only with symmetric matrices (hence, unsymmetric stiffness
contributions such as the load stiffness associated with In Other Guides
follower loads are
symmetrized); and *BUCKLE
cannot be used in a model containing substructures.
Configuring a buckling procedure
The following topics are discussed: Creating and modifying prescribed conditions
General eigenvalue buckling
The eigenvalue problem
Understanding negative eigenvalues
Including large geometry changes in a buckling analysis
Initial conditions
Boundary conditions
Loads
Predefined fields
Material options
Elements
Output
Input file template

Products:  Abaqus/Standard  Abaqus/CAE

General eigenvalue buckling

In an eigenvalue buckling problem we look for the loads for which the model
stiffness matrix becomes singular, so that the problem
MN M
K v = 0

has nontrivial solutions. K M N

is the tangent stiffness matrix when the loads are applied, and the
vM
are nontrivial displacement solutions. The applied loads can consist of
pressures,
concentrated forces, nonzero prescribed displacements, and/or
thermal loading.
Eigenvalue buckling is generally used to estimate the critical buckling
loads of stiff structures (classical eigenvalue buckling). Stiff structures
carry their design loads primarily by axial or
membrane action, rather than by
bending action. Their response usually involves very little deformation prior
to buckling. A simple example of a stiff structure is the Euler column, which
responds very stiffly to a compressive axial load until a critical load is
reached, when it bends suddenly and exhibits a much lower stiffness. However,
even when the response of a
structure is nonlinear before collapse, a general
eigenvalue buckling analysis can provide useful estimates of collapse mode
shapes.

The base state

The buckling loads are calculated relative to the base state of the
structure. If the eigenvalue buckling procedure is the first step in an
analysis, the initial conditions form the base state;
otherwise, the base state
is the current state of the model at the end of the last general analysis step
(see General and perturbation procedures).
Thus, the base state can include
N
preloads (“dead” loads),
P .
The preloads are often zero in classical eigenvalue buckling problems.
If geometric nonlinearity was included in the general analysis steps prior
to the eigenvalue buckling analysis (see General and perturbation procedures),
the base state geometry is the
deformed geometry at the end of the last general
analysis step. If geometric nonlinearity was omitted, the base state geometry
is the original configuration of the body.

The eigenvalue problem

An incremental loading pattern, Q
N
,
is defined in the eigenvalue buckling prediction step. The magnitude of this
loading is not important; it will be scaled by the load multipliers,
λi ,
found in the eigenvalue problem:
NM NM M
(K + λi K )v = 0,
0 Δ i

where
NM
K
0

is the stiffness matrix corresponding to the base state, which includes the
effects of the preloads, P
N

(if any);
NM
K
Δ

N
is the differential initial stress and load stiffness matrix due to the
incremental loading pattern, Q ;
λi

are the eigenvalues;

M
v
i

are the buckling mode shapes (eigenvectors);

M and N
refer to degrees of freedom M and
N of the whole model; and
i
refers to the ith buckling mode.

The critical buckling loads are then P

N
+ λi Q
N
.
Normally, the lowest value of λi
is of interest. The preload pattern, P
N
,
and perturbation load pattern, Q
N
,
may be different. For
example, P
N

might be thermal loading caused by temperature changes, while
Q
is caused by application of pressure.
N

The buckling mode shapes, v

M
i
,
are normalized vectors and do not represent actual magnitudes of deformation at
critical load. They are normalized so that the maximum displacement
component
is 1.0. If all displacement components are zero, the maximum rotation component
is normalized to 1.0. These buckling mode shapes are often the most useful
outcome of the
eigenvalue analysis, since they predict the likely failure mode
of the structure.
NM
Abaqus/Standard
can extract eigenvalues and eigenvectors for symmetric matrices only;
therefore, K
NM
0

and K
Δ

are symmetrized. If the matrices have significant unsymmetric
parts, the
eigenproblem may not be exactly what you expected to solve.

Selecting the eigenvalue extraction method

Abaqus/Standard
offers the Lanczos and the subspace iteration eigenvalue extraction methods.
The Lanczos method is generally faster when a large number of eigenmodes is
required for
a system with many degrees of freedom. The subspace iteration
method may be faster when only a few (less than 20) eigenmodes are needed.
By default, the subspace iteration eigensolver is employed. Subspace
iteration and the Lanczos solver can be used for different steps in the same
analysis; there is no requirement that
the same eigensolver be used for all
appropriate steps.
For both eigensolvers you specify the desired number of eigenvalues; Abaqus/Standard
will choose a suitable number of vectors for the subspace iteration procedure
or a suitable block
size for the Lanczos method (although you can override this
choice, if needed). Significant overestimation of the actual number of
eigenvalues can create very large files. If the actual
number of eigenvalues is
underestimated, Abaqus/Standard
will issue a corresponding warning message.
In general, the block size for the Lanczos method should be as large as the
largest expected multiplicity of eigenvalues (that is, the largest number of
modes with the same eigenvalue). A
block size larger than 10 is not
recommended. If the number of eigenvalues requested is
n, the default block size is the minimum of (7,
n). The number of block Lanczos steps is usually
determined by Abaqus/Standard,
but you can change it when you define the eigenvalue buckling prediction step.
In general, if a particular type of eigenproblem converges slowly,
providing
more block Lanczos steps will reduce the analysis cost. On the other hand, if
you know that a particular type of problem converges quickly, providing fewer
block Lanczos steps
will reduce the amount of in-core memory used. If the
number of eigenvalues requested is n, the default is

Block size n ≤ 10 n >

10
1 40 70
2 40 60
 3 30 60
≥4 30 30

If the subspace iteration technique is requested, you can also specify the
maximum eigenvalue of interest; Abaqus/Standard
will extract eigenvalues until either the requested number of
eigenvalues has
been extracted or the last eigenvalue extracted exceeds the maximum eigenvalue
of interest.
If the Lanczos eigensolver is requested, you can also specify the minimum
and/or maximum eigenvalues of interest; Abaqus/Standard
will extract eigenvalues until either the requested
number of eigenvalues has
been extracted in the given range or all the eigenvalues in the given range
have been extracted.
Input File Usage:
Use the following option to perform an eigenvalue buckling
analysis using the subspace iteration method:
*BUCKLE, EIGENSOLVER=SUBSPACE (default)
Use the following option to perform an eigenvalue buckling
analysis using the Lanczos method:
*BUCKLE, EIGENSOLVER=LANCZOS
Abaqus/CAE Usage:
Step module: Create Step: Linear perturbation: Buckle: Eigensolver: Lanczos or Subspace
Limitations associated with applying the Lanczos eigensolver to a
buckling analysis
The Lanczos eigensolver cannot be used for buckling analyses in which the
stiffness matrix is indefinite, as in the following cases:
A model containing hybrid elements or connector elements.
A model containing distributing coupling constraints, defined either
directly (Coupling constraints,
Shell-to-solid coupling,
or Mesh-independent fasteners)
or by the distributing
coupling elements (DCOUP2D and DCOUP3D).
A model containing contact pairs or contact elements.
A model that has been preloaded above the bifurcation (buckling) load.
A model that has rigid body modes.

In such cases Abaqus/Standard

will issue an error message and terminate the analysis.

Order of calculation and formation of the stiffness matrices

In an eigenvalue buckling prediction step Abaqus/Standard
first does a static perturbation analysis to determine the incremental
stresses, Δσ,
due to Q
N
.
If the base state did not
include geometric nonlinearity, the stiffness matrix
used in this static perturbation analysis is the tangent elastic stiffness. If
the base state did include geometric nonlinearity, initial stress
and load
stiffness terms (due to the preload, P N )
are included. The stiffness matrix K N M
corresponding to Δσ
and QN
is then formed.
Δ

NM
In the eigenvalue extraction portion of the buckling step, the stiffness
matrix K
0

corresponding to the base state geometry is formed. Initial stress and the load
stiffness terms due to
the preload, P
N
,
are always included regardless of whether or not geometric nonlinearity is
included and are calculated based on the geometry of the base state.
NM NM
When forming the stiffness matrices K
0

and K
Δ
,
all contact conditions are fixed in the base state.

Buckling modes with closely spaced eigenvalues

Some structures have many buckling modes with closely spaced eigenvalues,
which can cause numerical problems. In these cases it often helps to apply
enough preload, P
N
,
to load the
structure to just below the buckling load before performing the
eigenvalue extraction.
N N NM NM
If P = μQ —where
μ
is a scalar constant and the structure is “stiff” and elastic—and if the
problem is linear, the structural stiffness changes to
K0 + μK
Δ

and the buckling
N
loads are given by (μ + λi ) Q .
The process is equivalent to a dynamic eigenfrequency extraction with shift
μ.
The structure should not be preloaded above the buckling load. In that
case the
subspace iteration process may fail to converge or produce incorrect results;
the Lanczos eigensolver cannot be used (as discussed earlier).
In many cases a series of closely spaced eigenvalues indicates that the
structure is imperfection sensitive. An eigenvalue buckling analysis will not
give accurate predictions of the buckling
load for imperfection-sensitive
structures; the static Riks procedure should be used instead (see Unstable collapse and postbuckling analysis).

Understanding negative eigenvalues

Sometimes, negative eigenvalues are reported in an eigenvalue buckling
analysis. In most cases such negative eigenvalues indicate that the structure
would buckle if the load were
applied in the opposite direction. A classical
example is a plate under shear loading; the plate will buckle at the same value
for positive and negative applied shear load. Buckling under
reverse loading
can also occur in situations where it may not be expected. For example, a
pressure vessel under external pressure may exhibit a negative eigenvalue
(buckling under
internal pressure) due to local buckling of a stiffener. Such
“physical” negative buckling modes are usually readily understood once they are
displayed and can usually be avoided by
applying a preload before the buckling
analysis.
Negative eigenvalues sometimes correspond to buckling modes that cannot be
understood readily in terms of physical behavior, particularly if a preload is
applied that causes significant
geometric nonlinearity. In this case a
geometrically nonlinear load-displacement analysis should be performed (Unstable collapse and postbuckling analysis).

Including large geometry changes in a buckling analysis

Because buckling analysis is usually done for “stiff” structures, it is not
usually necessary to include the effects of geometry change in establishing
equilibrium for the base state. However,
if significant geometry change is
involved in the base state and this effect is considered to be important, it
can be included by specifying that geometric nonlinearity should be considered
for the base state step (see General and perturbation procedures).
In such cases it is probably more realistic to perform a geometrically
nonlinear load-displacement analysis (Riks
analysis) to determine the collapse
loads, especially for imperfection-sensitive structures.

While large deformation can be included in the preload, the eigenvalue

buckling theory relies on there being little geometric change due to the “live”
buckling load, λi Q
N
.
If the live load
N N
produces significant geometric change, a nonlinear collapse
(Riks) analysis must be used. The total buckling load predicted by the
eigenvalue analysis, P + λi Q ,
may be a good
estimate for the limit load in the nonlinear buckling analysis.
The Riks method is described in Unstable collapse and postbuckling analysis.

Initial conditions
The initial values of quantities such as stress, temperature, field
variables, and solution-dependent variables can be specified for an eigenvalue
buckling analysis. If the buckling step is the
first step in the analysis,
these initial conditions form the base state of the structure. Initial conditions in Abaqus/Standard and Abaqus/Explicit
describes all of the available initial
conditions.

Boundary conditions
Boundary conditions can be applied to any of the displacement or rotation
degrees of freedom (1–6) or to warping degree of freedom 7 in open-section beam
elements (Boundary
conditions in Abaqus/Standard and Abaqus/Explicit).
A nonzero prescribed boundary condition in a general analysis step preceding
the eigenvalue buckling analysis can be used to preload
the structure. Nonzero
boundary conditions prescribed in an eigenvalue buckling step will contribute
to the incremental stress Δσ
and, thus, will contribute to the differential initial stress
stiffness. When
prescribing nonzero boundary conditions, you must interpret the resulting
eigenproblem carefully. Nonzero prescribed boundary conditions will be treated
as constraints
(i.e., as if they were fixed) during the eigenvalue extraction.
Therefore, unless the prescribed boundary conditions are removed for the
eigenvalue extraction by specifying buckling mode
boundary conditions (see the
discussion below), the mode shapes may be altered by these boundary conditions.
Amplitude definitions (Amplitude Curves)
cannot be used to vary the magnitudes of prescribed boundary conditions during
an eigenvalue buckling analysis.
You can define perturbation load and buckling mode boundary conditions in an
eigenvalue buckling prediction step.
Input File Usage:
Use either of the following two options to define perturbation
load boundary conditions:
*BOUNDARY

*BOUNDARY, LOAD CASE=1

Use the following option to define buckling mode boundary
conditions:
*BOUNDARY, LOAD CASE=2, OP=NEW
The OP=NEW parameter is required when you define buckling mode boundary
conditions in an eigenvalue buckling prediction step; however, the perturbation
load boundary
conditions in the step can use either OP=NEW or OP=MOD.
 Abaqus/CAE Usage:
Load module:
Create Boundary Condition: choose
Mechanical for the Category and
Symmetry/Antisymmetry/Encastre for the Types for
Selected Step: select
region: toggle on Stress
perturbation only to define a perturbation load boundary condition;
toggle on Buckling mode calculation only to define a
buckling mode
boundary condition; toggle on Stress perturbation and
buckling mode calculation to define both types of boundary
conditions

Combining boundary conditions

The buckling mode shapes depend on the stresses in the base state as well as
the incremental stresses due to the perturbation loading in the buckling step.
These stresses are influenced
by the boundary conditions used in each step. In
a general eigenvalue buckling analysis the following types of boundary
conditions can influence the stresses:

1. The boundary conditions in the base state.

2. The boundary conditions used to calculate the linear perturbation
stresses, Δσ.
These boundary conditions will be:
a. the perturbation load boundary conditions specified in the
eigenvalue buckling step; or
b. the base-state boundary conditions if no perturbation load boundary
conditions are specified in the eigenvalue buckling step; or
c. the buckling mode boundary conditions if neither perturbation load
boundary conditions nor base-state boundary conditions exist.
3. The boundary conditions used for the eigenvalue extraction. These
boundary conditions will be:
a. the buckling mode boundary conditions; or
b. the perturbation load boundary conditions if buckling mode boundary
conditions are not specified in the eigenvalue buckling step; or
c. the base-state boundary conditions if no boundary condition
definition is used in the eigenvalue buckling step.
Table 1
summarizes the use of boundary conditions during an eigenvalue buckling step.
When buckling mode boundary conditions are specified,
all boundary conditions to be imposed
during
eigenvalue extraction must be specified.

Buckling of symmetric structures

The buckling mode shapes of symmetric structures subjected to symmetric
loadings are either symmetric or antisymmetric. In such cases it is often more
efficient to model only part of
the structure and then perform the buckling
analysis twice for each symmetry plane: once with symmetric boundary conditions
and once with antisymmetric boundary conditions.
The live load pattern is usually symmetric, so symmetric boundary conditions
are required for the calculation of the perturbation stresses used in the
formation of the initial stress
stiffness matrix. The boundary conditions must
be switched to antisymmetric for the eigenvalue extraction to obtain the
antisymmetric modes. Buckling of a cylindrical shell under uniform
axial pressure
illustrates such a case.
If the model includes more than one symmetry plane, it may be necessary to
study all permutations of symmetric and antisymmetric boundary conditions for
each symmetry plane.
Table 1. Boundary conditions in effect during the different portions of an
eigenvalue
buckling analysis.

User-defined boundary conditions Boundary

conditions used by Abaqus

Base state Eigenvalue buckling prediction step Linear perturbation Eigenvalue extraction

B 0  B B
0  1 1 1
0  2 2 2
B 1 1 1
B 2 B 2
0  1, 2 1 2
B 1, 2 1 2
B =
base-state boundary conditions; 0 = no boundary conditions specified
1 =
perturbation load boundary conditions
2 =
buckling mode boundary conditions

Asymmetric buckling of axisymmetric structures

Axisymmetric structures subjected to compressive loading often collapse in
nonaxisymmetric modes. These modes cannot be found with purely axisymmetric
modeling such as that
provided by shell elements SAX1 and SAX2 (Axisymmetric shell element library)
or continuum elements CAX4 or CAX8 (Axisymmetric solid element library).
Such analyses must be done
with three-dimensional shell or continuum elements.

Loads
The following types of loading can be prescribed in an eigenvalue buckling
analysis:
Concentrated nodal forces can be applied to the displacement degrees of
freedom (1–6); see Concentrated loads.
Distributed pressure forces or body forces can be applied; see Distributed loads.
The distributed load types available with particular elements are described in Abaqus Elements
Guide.

The load stiffness can have a significant effect on the critical buckling
load; therefore, Abaqus/Standard
will take the load stiffness due to preloads into account when solving the
eigenvalue buckling problem. It is important that the structure not be
preloaded above the critical buckling load.

Any load applied during the eigenvalue buckling analysis is called a “live”
load. This incremental load, Q
N
,
describes the load pattern for which buckling sensitivity is being
investigated;
its magnitude is not important. This incremental loading
definition represents linear perturbation loads, as described in About loads.
Follower forces (such as concentrated loads assumed to rotate with the nodal
rotation or pressure loads) lead to an unsymmetric load stiffness. Since
eigenvalue extraction in
Abaqus/Standard
can be performed only on symmetric matrices, eigenvalue analysis with follower
loads may not yield correct results.
Amplitude definitions cannot be used during an eigenvalue buckling analysis.
About loads
describes all of the available loads.
Prescribed boundary conditions can also be used to load the structure in an
eigenvalue buckling analysis, as discussed earlier.

Predefined fields
In an eigenvalue buckling prediction step, nodal temperatures can be
specified (see Predefined Fields).
The specified temperatures will cause thermal strain during the static
perturbation
analysis if a thermal expansion coefficient is given for the
material (Thermal expansion),
and incremental stresses Δσ
will be generated. Hence, Abaqus/Standard
can analyze buckling
due to thermal stress. The specified temperature will not
affect temperature-dependent material properties during the eigenvalue buckling
prediction step; the material properties are
based on the temperature in the
base state. Amplitude definitions cannot be used to vary the magnitudes of
prescribed temperatures during an eigenvalue buckling analysis.

Material options
During an eigenvalue buckling analysis, the model's response is defined by
its linear elastic stiffness in the base state. All nonlinear and/or inelastic
material properties, as well as effects
involving time or strain rate, are
ignored during an eigenvalue buckling analysis. In classical eigenvalue
buckling the response in the base state is also linear.
If temperature-dependent elastic properties are used, the eigenvalue
buckling analysis will not account for changes in the stiffness matrix due to
temperature changes. The material
properties of the base state will be used.
Acoustic properties, thermal properties (except for thermal expansion), mass
diffusion properties, electrical properties, and pore fluid flow properties are
not active during an eigenvalue
buckling analysis.

Elements
Any of the stress/displacement elements in Abaqus/Standard
(including those with temperature or pressure degrees of freedom) can be used
in an eigenvalue buckling analysis, with the
exception that hybrid and contact
elements cannot be used with the Lanczos eigensolver (as discussed earlier).
See Choosing the appropriate element for an analysis type.
Output
The values of the eigenvalues, λi ,
will be listed in the printed output file. If output of stresses, strains,
reaction forces, etc. is requested, this information will be printed for each
eigenvalue; these quantities are perturbation values and represent mode shapes,
not absolute values. All of the output variable identifiers are outlined in Abaqus/Standard output variable
identifiers.
Buckling mode shapes can be plotted in the Visualization module
of Abaqus/CAE.

Input file template

The following template describes a very general eigenvalue
buckling problem, where as many eigenvalue buckling prediction steps as needed
can be specified.
Symmetric boundary conditions are specified in
the model definition part of the Abaqus/Standard
input and, therefore, belong to the base state (see General and perturbation
procedures).
In the first buckling step Abaqus/Standard
uses the base-state boundary conditions to solve for the perturbation stresses
as well as for the eigenvalue extraction.
In the second buckling
step the boundary conditions for the base state, the initial stress
calculation, and the eigenvalue extraction are all different. Abaqus/Standard
uses the specified
symmetry boundary conditions to solve for the perturbation
stresses but uses the specified antisymmetry boundary conditions for the
eigenvalue extraction.
*HEADING

*BOUNDARY

Data lines to specify zero-valued boundary conditions contributing to the base state

**

*STEP, NLGEOM

The load stiffness terms will be included in the eigenvalue buckling steps

since the NLGEOM parameter is used in this (optional) preload step

*STATIC

Data line to control incrementation

*BOUNDARY

Data lines to specify nonzero boundary conditions (dead loads)

*CLOAD and/or *DLOAD and/or *TEMPERATURE

Data lines to specify dead loads, P

N

*END STEP

**

*STEP

*BUCKLE

Data line to request the desired number of symmetric modes

*CLOAD and/or *DLOAD and/or *TEMPERATURE

Data lines to specify perturbation loading, Q

N

*END STEP

**

*STEP

*BUCKLE

Data line to request the desired number of antisymmetric modes

*CLOAD and/or *DLOAD and/or *TEMPERATURE

Data lines to specify perturbation loading, Q

N

*BOUNDARY, LOAD CASE=1

Data lines to specify all boundary conditions for perturbation loading

*BOUNDARY, LOAD CASE=2, OP=NEW

Data lines to specify all antisymmetric boundary conditions for eigenvalue extraction

*END STEP