You can define springs and dashpots that exhibit the same linear behavior. You can also define both spring and dashpot behaviors on the same set of points. If you define both spring and dashpot behaviors, they act in parallel. You can model springs and dashpots using the following connectivity types:

• Connect two points and follow the line of action between the points

• Connect two points and act in a fixed direction (Abaqus/Standard analyses only)

• Connect points to ground (Abaqus/Standard analyses only)

Select SpecialSprings/DashpotsCreate from the main menu bar in the Property module or the Interaction module to define springs and dashpots. Select Edit from the same menu to make changes to an existing definition. Springs and dashpots created on a part are instanced along with the part.

If you want to include the spring and dashpot results data in the output database generated by the analysis, you must use the History Output Request editor in the Step module. Springs and dashpots appear in the Model Tree in the Engineering Features container under the part (if created in the Property module) or under the assembly (if created in the Interaction module).

For detailed information, see the following sections:

• “Modifying history output requests,” Section 14.12.3

• “Creating springs and dashpots connecting two points,” Section 37.3

• “Editing springs and dashpots connecting two points,” Section 37.4

• “Creating springs and dashpots connecting points to ground,” Section 37.5

• “Editing the region to which springs and dashpots connecting points to ground are applied,” Section 37.6