/PLY

Block Format Keyword This option is used to define plies made of 4-node and 3-node shell elements with /PROP/PCOMPP.

Format

(1)	(2)	(4)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
/PLY/`ply_ID`/`unit_ID`
`ply_title`
`mat_ID`	`t`	$Δ ϕ$ $Δ ϕ$	`grsh4n_ID`	`grsh3n_ID`	`Npt_ply`	$α_{i}$ $α_{i}$

Optional line

(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)	(10)
`drape_ID`	`def_orth`

Definition

Field	Contents	SI Unit Example
`ply_ID`	Ply identifier (Integer, maximum 10 digits)
`unit_ID`	Unit Identifier (Integer, maximum 10 digits)
`ply_title`	Ply title (Character, maximum 100 characters)
`mat_ID`	Material identifier for ply (Integer)
`t`	Thickness of ply (Real)	$[m]$ $[m]$
$Δ ϕ$ $Δ ϕ$	Incremental angle for ply (Real)	$[\deg]$ $[\deg]$
`grsh4n_ID`	Shell 4-nodes group identifier connected to Ply (Integer, maximum 10 digits)
`grsh3n_ID`	Shell 3-nodes group identifier connected to Ply (Integer, maximum 10 digits)
`Npt_ply`	Number of integration points through ply thickness with, 1 ≤ `Npt_ply` ≤ 10 = 1 (Default) (Integer)
$α_{i}$ $α_{i}$	Angle between first and second material direction for ply $i$ $i$ . Default = 90.0 (Real)	$[\deg]$ $[\deg]$
`drape_ID`	Optional: Drape identifier. 6 (Integer)
`def_orth`	Optional: Orthotropy angle. 5 = 1 The orthotropy angle is calculated using the angle $ϕ$ $ϕ$ _s defined in /SHELL and /SH3N. = 2 (Default) The orthotropy angle is calculated using the skew and rotation defined in /STACK option.. (Integer)

Comments

The ply option is used in combination with /STACK and /PROP/PCOMPP to create ply-based sandwich composite properties. See Example (Substack with /DRAPE) in /STACK.
All elements defined in the ply must use the /PROP/PCOMPP property. The compatibility to material law of this option is similar to /STACK.
The ply can be attached to a group of shell element (4 or 3 node shell or both).
If both the grsh4n_ID and the grsh3n_ID are 0, the ply is void (no element).
The orthotropy angle in
- Orthotropy angle defined without def_orth and drape_ID in optional line
  The angle for ply $i$ $i$ (in /STACK)(1)
  $ϕ = ϕ_{i} + Δ ϕ$ $ϕ = ϕ_{i} + Δ ϕ$
  
  Where, $ϕ_{i}$ $ϕ_{i}$ is defined in /STACK.
- Orthotropy angle defined with def_orth and drape_ID in optional line
  - If def_orth = 2, the angle between the reference direction and the first direction of orthotropy is:(2)
    $ϕ = ϕ_{i} + Δ ϕ + θ_{d r a p e}$ $ϕ = ϕ_{i} + Δ ϕ + θ_{d r a p e}$
    
    Where, $θ_{d r a p e}$ $θ_{d r a p e}$ is the angle increment defined in the drape option drape_ID (if any) and $ϕ_{i}$ $ϕ_{i}$ is defined in /STACK for ply.
  - If def_orth = 1, the angle between the shell skew and the first direction of orthotropy is:(3)
    $ϕ = ϕ_{s} + Δ ϕ + θ_{d r a p e}$ $ϕ = ϕ_{s} + Δ ϕ + θ_{d r a p e}$
    
    Where, $θ_{d r a p e}$ $θ_{d r a p e}$ is the angle increment defined in the drape option drape_ID (if any) and $ϕ_{s}$ $ϕ_{s}$ is defined in the shell (/SHELL or /SH3N).
  If def_orth = 1, skew_ID, and V_X, V_Y, V_Z from /STACK input are ignored.
If drape_IDis defined, the angle of each element defined in the drape is incremented by the value defined for this element $θ_{d r a p e}$ $θ_{d r a p e}$ and the thickness is modified according to the thinning for this element (/DRAPE).