Advanced Tutorial: Numerical Simulation of Stiffened FGM Cylindrical Shells Using Abaqus + USDFLD Subroutine

This comprehensive training package is designed for engineers and researchers seeking mastery in the numerical analysis of composite and functionally graded structures. Based on a peer-reviewed scientific article, the tutorial walks you through the simulation of free vibration in stiffened and non-stiffened cylindrical shells resting on Winkler–Pasternak foundations under thermal environments.

Using Abaqus and the USDFLD subroutine, you will learn how to:

• Model complex shell geometries with FGM properties
• Implement position-dependent field definitions via user subroutines
• Validate numerical results against analytical solutions with high accuracy

Included in this package:

• Full 3D model geometry based on the reference article
• Abaqus simulation files (version 2022) with detailed setup
• USDFLD subroutine code with explanations
• MATLAB scripts for property distribution
• PDF documentation with step-by-step simulation workflow and validation results

Whether you’re a graduate student, academic researcher, or industry professional, this tutorial offers a practical and well-documented path to mastering advanced finite element techniques in composite material design.

🎓 Elevate your simulation skills. Learn from real research. Build models that matter.

Article:

Minh-Tu Tran, Van-Loi Nguyen, Sy-Dong Pham, Jaroon Rungamornrat. “Free vibration of stiffened functionally graded circular cylindrical shell resting on Winkler–Pasternak foundation with different boundary conditions under thermal environment”, Springer, 2020, Volume 231, pages 2545–2564, doi.org/10.1007/s00707-020-02658-y.

Article Abstract: In this paper, the analytical free-vibration analysis of a stiffened functionally graded circular cylindrical shell resting on a Winkler–Pasternak foundation is reported. Various boundary conditions and the thermal effect are considered. Material properties are assumed to be temperature-dependent and vary continuously across the shell’s thickness according to the power-law distribution of the volume fraction of constituents. In order to derive the governing equations of the cylindrical shell structure, Hamilton’s principle together with the first-order shear deformation theory and the Lekhnitsky smeared stiffener technique is applied. The natural frequencies of the shell are determined by applying the Galerkin method together with the beam functions for the axial displacement fields. A good agreement between the present results and those available in the literature is observed. In numerical investigations, the influence of temperature field, material volume fraction index, elastic foundation coefficients, boundary conditions, and geometrical ratios on the fundamental natural frequencies of the shell is also given and discussed in detail.