I am trying to apply a constant load to a cylindrical connector in Abaqus. During the first step I apply a smooth step increasing amplitude and in the second step try to hold it at that value but it doesn't work. I have done the same for axial connectors and it works for them but not for the cylindrical connectors. I have no idea why, I have defined the connectors as follows: (example for one)

*ELEMENT, TYPE=CONN3D2, ELSET=musc-vaslat1

3500, 3100, 3000

**

*CONNECTOR SECTION, ELSET=musc-vaslat1, BEHAVIOR=vaslat_behavior

CYLINDRICAL,

vaslat_ori,

**

*ORIENTATION, NAME=vaslat_ori, DEFINITION=NODES, SYSTEM=RECTANGULAR

3000, 222, 3100

1,

**

*CONNECTOR BEHAVIOR, NAME=vaslat_behavior

*CONNECTOR DAMPING, COMPONENT=1

0.01

*CONNECTOR DAMPING, COMPONENT=4

10.0

**

And to apply the constant load I have;

*AMPLITUDE, VALUE=RELATIVE, SMOOTH=0.1, NAME=vaslat1_hold

0.0000, 122.8760, 0.6500, 122.8760

*CONNECTOR LOAD, OP=NEW, AMPLITUDE=vaslat1_hold

musc-vaslat1, 1, -1.0

and have also tried

*CONNECTOR LOAD, OP=NEW

musc-vaslat1, 1, -122.8760

neither have worked- when I plot CTF1 I do not get a fixed load. Any ideas? Thanks