## *TIME POINTS

Keyword type: model definition

This option may be used to specify a sequence of time points. If the parameter TIME=TOTAL TIME is used the reference time is the total time since the start of the calculation, else it is the local step time. The parameter NAME, specifying a name for the time point sequence so that it can be referenced by output definitions (*NODE FILE, *EL FILE, *NODE PRINT or *EL PRINT) is required (maximum 80 characters).This option makes sense for nonlinear static, nonlinear dynamic, modal dynamic, heat transfer and coupled temperature-displacement calculations only. In all other procedures, this card is ignored.

In each step, the local step time starts at zero. Its upper limit is given by the time period of the step. This time period is specified on the *STATIC, *DYNAMIC, *HEAT TRANSFER or *COUPLED TEMPERATURE-DISPLACEMENT keyword card. The default step time period is 1.

The total time is the time accumulated until the beginning of the actual step augmented by the local step time.

GENERATE is the second optional parameter. If specified, the user can define a regular pattern of time points by specifying the starting time, the end time and the time increment.

First line:

• *TIME POINTS
• Enter the required parameter NAME, and the optional parameter if needed.

Following line, using as many entries as needed, if GENERATE is not specified:

• Time.
• Time.
• Time.
• Time.
• Time.
• Time.
• Time.
• Time.
Repeat this line if more than eight entries are needed.

Following line, using as many entries as needed, if GENERATE is specified:

• Starting time
• End time
• Time increment
Repeat this line if more than one regular sequence is needed.

Example:

*TIME POINTS,NAME=T1
.2,.3.,.8


defines a time points sequence with name T1 consisting of times .2, .3 and .8 time units. The time used is the local step time.

Example:

*TIME POINTS,NAME=T1,GENERATE
0.,3.,1.


defines a time points sequence with name T1 consisting of the time points 0., 1., 2., and 3. The time used is the local step time.

Example files: beamnlptp