Element Name
|
Major Features
|
| Rod |
Two node element. Usually accepts only translational degrees of freedom
and hence CAEFEM automatically ignores rotational degrees of freedom. But it considers
rotational degree of freedom about its axis, if user specifies nonzero torsional constant. |
| Cable |
Same as Rod element except an initial tension can be specified. CAEFEM
automatically treats Rod element as a Cable element if nonzero initial tension is
specified. |
| Bar |
Same as a uniform beam element. |
| Beam |
Two node element.
Shear deformation effects.
End releases (both translational and rotational).
Nodal offsets.
User can specify the stress recovery locations.
Tapered beams.
Unsymmetrical beams.
Distributed line loads either in global coordinate system or in elemental
coordinate system.
Large rotations using Co rotational formulation. |
| Tube (Pipe) |
Same as a beam element with an annular cross section. |
| Gap |
Two node element. (considers friction)
Automatically estimates the proper gap stiffnesses for
efficient solution.
CAEFEM automatically switches to nonlinear analysis if Gap elements exist in the current
model.
Applicable only for a structural analysis. |
| Contact |
Surface to surface contact. |
| Spring and Damper |
Supports both axial and torsional stiffnesses and dampers. Applicable only
for a structural analysis. |
| DOF Spring |
User can specify the stiffness values between any two degrees of freedom.
Degrees of freedom can be specified in the output coordinate system. Applicable
only for a structural analysis. |
| Rigid |
Any number of nodes can be connected by a rigid element. Applicable only
for a structural analysis. |
| Membrane |
Same as a Plane stress element except that it can be located in a three
dimensional space. |
| Plane Stress |
Supports 3 to 8 nodes. Should be defined in XY plane. |
| Plane Strain |
Supports 3 to 8 nodes. Should be defined in XY plane. |
| Axisymmetric Ring |
Supports 3 to 8 nodes. Should be defined in XY plane. (Y axis being
the axis of revolution) |
| Shell |
Supports 3 to 8 nodes.
Supports both Thick and Thin element formulations. Automatically considers shear
deformation effects. |
| Laminated Shell |
Supports 3 to 8 nodes.
Maximum number of layers = 90
Non-symmetric Laminates
Various failure criteria (Hill, Hoffman, Maximum Strain, Tsai-Wu, and Bond
failure) |
| Solid Brick |
Supports 4 to 20 nodes. Degenerated element can be formed by repeating the
nodes. |
| Solid Tetrahedron |
Supports 4 to 10 nodes. |
| Solid Wedge |
Supports 6 to 15 nodes. |
| Stiffness Matrix |
User can specify all 36 coefficients of a stiffness matrix. Applicable
only for a structural analysis. |
| Mass Matrix |
User can specify all 36 coefficient of a mass matrix. Applicable only for
a structural analysis. |
| Nodal Mass |
User can specify all six components of mass values at a node. Applicable
only for structural analysis.
Considers nodal offsets. |
