What are History Outputs?
History Outputs are time-series data recorded at specific points, sets, or surfaces in your model.
- They are stored per increment just like field outputs, but instead of being distributed over the entire mesh, they track selected quantities at discrete locations.
- You typically use them for plots (force vs. displacement, stress vs. strain, energy vs. time) or when you need numerical values for postprocessing.
Examples of History Outputs
Some common history outputs are:
- Displacements (U) at a specific node
- Reaction Forces (RF) at a reference point or node
- Stress/Strain at an element integration point
- Energy quantities: ALLKE (Kinetic energy), ALLIE (Internal energy), ALLSE (Strain energy), ALLWK (Work done), ALLAE (Artificial energy)
- Contact forces: CF, CTF
- Temperatures (NT) at a node
Unlike Field Outputs, you cannot plot History Outputs as contours. Instead, you get curves (e.g., Force vs. Time, Displacement vs. Time).
Python scripting
from odbAccess import openOdb
# Open ODB
odb = openOdb('Job-1.odb')
step = odb.steps['Step-1']
# History regions are sets of nodes/elements where history was requested
for regionName, region in step.historyRegions.items():
print("History region:", regionName)
# Example: get reaction force in Y at a reference point
if 'Node PART-1-1.1000' in regionName:
forceHist = region.historyOutputs['RF2'].data # RF2 = Reaction force in Y
dispHist = region.historyOutputs['U2'].data # U2 = Displacement in Y
# Print Force–Displacement pairs
for (time, force), (_, disp) in zip(forceHist, dispHist):
print(f"Time={time:.3f}, Disp={disp:.6f}, Force={force:.6f}")
odb.close()
In 3DEXPERIENCE Platform (SIMULIA)
- The same logic applies, because the Abaqus kernel is used underneath.
- You can request History Outputs in the scenario definition (just like in Abaqus/CAE step module).
- After the run, you can use Results Analytics to extract the history data.
- If scripting: same API (step.historyRegions).
