Spring Element Library

This section provides a reference to the spring elements available in Abaqus/Standard and Abaqus/Explicit.

This page discusses:

Element Types

SPRINGA

Axial spring between two nodes, whose line of action is the line joining the two nodes. This line of action may rotate in large-displacement analysis.

SPRING1(S)

Spring between a node and ground, acting in a fixed direction

SPRING2(S)

Spring between two nodes, acting in a fixed direction

Active Degrees of Freedom

SPRINGA: 1, 2, 3. The translational degree of freedom in the 3-direction is not activated in an Abaqus/Standard analysis if both nodes of the element are connected to two-dimensional entities such as two-dimensional analytical rigid surfaces, two-dimensional beam elements, etc.

SPRING1 or SPRING2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. If you specify a local orientation for the spring, these are local degrees of freedom. Otherwise, these are global degrees of freedom.

Additional Solution Variables

None.

Nodal Coordinates Required

SPRINGA: X, Y, Z. These coordinates are used in the calculation of the action of the element.

SPRING1 or SPRING2: None. The element nodes do not need to have coordinates defined since the action associated with these elements is defined by specifying the degrees of freedom involved.

Element Property Definition

Element-Based Loading

None.

Element Output

S11

Force in the spring.

E11

Relative displacement across the spring.

Node Ordering on Elements