ABAQUS/EPGEN - a general purpose finite element code with emphasis on nonlinear applications

The article contains a summary description of ABAQUS, a finite element program designed for general use in nonlinear as well as linear structural problems, in the context of its application to nuclear structural integrity analysis. The article begins with a discussion of the design criteria and methods upon which the code development has been based. The engineering modelling capabilities, currently implemented in the program - elements, constitutive models and analysis procedures - are then described. Finally, a few demonstration examples are presented, to illustrate some of the program's features that are of interest in structural integrity analysis associated with nuclear power plants. (orig.)