Choosing Appropriate Analysis Procedures in Abaqus

In Finite Element Analysis Projects, understanding and selecting the appropriate analysis procedure in Abaqus is critical for achieving accurate and efficient results. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the most important analysis procedures available in Abaqus and explains when and how to use them.

An analysis procedure in Abaqus determines the type of simulation being performed, such as:

Choosing Static or Dynamic Analysis in Abaqus

Static General Procedure

Static procedures in Abaqus are used to analyze structures under steady-state or slowly applied loads, where inertia and damping effects are negligible. This type of analysis is ideal for problems involving linear or nonlinear material behavior, large deformations, and contact interactions. Abaqus offers two main static procedures: General Static Analysis (for nonlinear problems like plasticity and geometric instabilities) and Linear Perturbation Analysis (for small deformations around a preloaded state).

Abaqus provides two main static procedures:

Static General: The General procedure in Abaqus is suitable for linear and nonlinear problems, including large deformations and contact.

Static Riks.  The Riks method, on the other hand, is essential for tracing unstable responses such as buckling or snap-through. Choosing the correct static procedure helps ensure accurate and stable simulation results in structural and mechanical analysis.

Static, Linear Perturbation: in Abaqus is a specialized analysis step used to study the linear response of a system due to small disturbances. Unlike nonlinear static analyses, Linear Perturbation assumes that the response to an additional load is linear, even if the base state comes from a nonlinear procedure. It’s especially useful when you want to evaluate how a structure reacts to a small change, such as thermal expansion, mechanical loading, or pressure, without considering nonlinear effects.

Dynamic Explicit & Implicit Procedure in Abaqus

Dynamic Explicit procedure is suitable for simulations involving high-speed, transient events. It uses an explicit time integration scheme, making it ideal for handling severe nonlinear and complex contact interactions.

• Solves equations explicitly ( ideal for high-speed impacts, crash tests, explosions,Drop tests, Metal forming).

• Uses small time increments for stability (CFL condition).

• No need for convergence checks (unlike implicit methods)

Dynamic Implicit Procedure is used for analyzing dynamic problems where inertia effects are important but can be solved using an implicit time integration scheme. Solves equilibrium equations iteratively (good for low-speed events, Vibrational analysis, Seismic response of structures, Transient thermal-mechanical coupling).

• Time step can be larger than explicit analysis
• Requires convergence at each time step
• Suitable for long-duration dynamic events
• Used for modal, harmonic, and transient dynamics.

Read about Configuring general analysis procedures

Linear vs. Nonlinear Analysis in Abaqus

Linear Analysis

In Abaqus, linear analysis assumes small deformations, linear material behavior, and no contact changes during loading. It’s ideal for quick simulations with minimal computational cost. In linear analysis, the relationship between load and response is proportional. This assumes:

• Small deformations
• Linear material behavior
• Constant boundary conditions

Linear model is faster and uses fewer computational resources. It’s ideal when you’re analyzing elastic behavior under moderate loads where no contact or large deformation occurs.

✅ Use Linear Analysis When:

• Deformations are small
• Materials behave elastically (no plasticity)
• No contact interaction or geometric instability is involved

Nonlinear Analysis in Abaqus

Nonlinear accounts for large deformations, nonlinear materials, and evolving contact conditions. It is essential when structural behavior changes significantly under load, such as in plastic deformation, buckling, or complex contact scenarios. Choosing between linear and nonlinear depends on the expected response and accuracy needed.

It is clear from the graphs shown that if the deformation exceeds a certain value and enters the nonlinear range, linear analysis can no longer be used. If linear is used, the amount of error in the results increases, which cannot be ignored.

📝 See our related post:
👉 Step-by-Step Guide: Nonlinear Shell Analysis in Abaqus

Nonlinear problems are solved incrementally in Abaqus using the Newton-Raphson method, making them more accurate for complex real-world problems.

✅ Using of Nonlinear Analysis:

• You have contact problems, such as in welding simulations
• Materials undergo plasticity, viscoelasticity or damage
• Structural behavior changes drastically under load (e.g., buckling or collapse)

Decision Matrix: Choosing the Right Procedure

Configuring general analysis procedures

Heat Transfer Procedure

The heat transfer procedure in Abaqus simulates thermal behavior through conduction, convection, and radiation. It supports both steady-state (time-independent) and transient (time-dependent) analyses, making it ideal for applications like electronic cooling, engine component heating, or HVAC system design. Users define thermal boundary conditions (fixed temperatures, heat fluxes, or film coefficients) and material properties (conductivity, specific heat). Nonlinearities from temperature-dependent material properties or phase changes can also be modeled.

Fully Coupled, Simultaneous Heat Transfer and Stress Procedure

A thermo-mechanical coupling analysis that solves heat transfer and structural deformation simultaneously. Used for problems where thermal expansion or heat generation from mechanical work (e.g., friction, plastic deformation) affects results. Common applications include brake disc heating, welding simulations, or thermal stress in pipelines. The procedure iteratively couples thermal and mechanical solutions at each increment.

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Fully Coupled, Simultaneous Heat Transfer and Electrical Procedure

This models electro-thermal interactions , such as Joule heating in resistors or electrical components. It solves for temperature, voltage, and current distributions concurrently, accounting for temperature-dependent electrical conductivity. Applications include PCB design, battery thermal management, and overheating prevention in power electronics.

Fully Coupled, Simultaneous Heat Transfer, Electrical, and Structural Procedure

An extension of electro-thermal analysis that adds structural deformation (e.g., thermal expansion in microelectronics or MEMS devices). It captures Multiphysics effects like Piezoresistivity or stress-induced changes in electrical/thermal properties. Critical for semiconductor packaging, stretchable electronics, and sensors operating under combined loads.

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Direct Cyclic Procedure

Optimized for cyclic loading problems (e.g., fatigue, rolling contact) where traditional transient analysis would be computationally expensive. It directly computes the steady-state cyclic response using Fourier series and nonlinear material models, bypassing incremental time stepping. Used for turbine blade fatigue, bearing life prediction, or repeated mechanical loading.

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Dynamic Fully Coupled Thermal-Stress Procedure (Explicit)

Combines transient heat transfer and dynamic stress analysis using explicit integration. Ideal for high-speed events with thermal coupling (e.g., explosive welding, laser impact). Explicit methods handle severe nonlinear but require small time steps. Heat generation from plastic work or friction is automatically included.

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Geo-static Stress Field Procedure

A specialized static analysis for Geo-static stress initialization  in Geo-mechanic. It establishes equilibrium under gravitational loads before applying additional boundary conditions (e.g., tunneling, embankment construction). Ensures realistic initial stress states in soils or rocks, avoiding artificial settling in subsequent steps.

Mass Diffusion Procedure

Simulates species diffusion (e.g., hydrogen in metals, moisture in polymers) driven by concentration gradients. Couples with temperature for thermo-diffusion effects. Applications include corrosion modeling, battery electrolyte diffusion, or aging studies in composites.

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Effective Stress Analysis for Fluid-Filled Porous Media

Models poro-mechanical behavior  where fluid pressure affects solid stress (e.g., soil consolidation, oil reservoir deformation). Uses Biot’s theory to couple pore pressure with structural deformation. Supports transient fluid flow and nonlinear material models for geo-technical applications.

Transient, Static, Stress/Displacement Analysis with Time-Dependent Material Response

A static procedure for viscoelastic/plastic materials (e.g., creep in metals, polymer relaxation). Applies loads gradually while accounting for time-dependent strain, even without inertia effects. Used for long-term deformation predictions in piping, adhesives, or asphalt.

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Annealing Procedure

Resets history-dependent variables (e.g., plastic strain, damage) to simulate heat treatment or material resetting. Often used in multi-stage forming simulations where intermediate annealing relieves residual stresses. The material “forgets” prior hardening, enabling re-deformation analysis.