ANSYS Mechanical APDL Element

Name
BEAM3
BEAM4
BEAM23
BEAM24
BEAM44
BEAM54
BEAM161
BEAM188
BEAM189
CIRCU94
CIRCU124
CIRCU125
COMBIN7
COMBIN14
COMBIN37
COMBIN39
COMBIN40
COMBI165
COMBI214
CONTAC12
CONTAC52
CONTA171
CONTA172
CONTA173
CONTA174
CONTA175
CONTA176
CONTA177
CONTA178
CPT212
CPT213
CPT215
CPT216
CPT217
FLUID29
FLUID30
FLUID38
FLUID79
FLUID80
FLUID81
FLUID116

Number
3
4
23
24
44
54
161
188
189
94
124
125
7
14
37
39
40
165
214
12
52
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
212
213
215
216
217
29
30
38
79
80
81
116

Type
BEAM
BEAM
BEAM
BEAM
BEAM
BEAM
BEAM
BEAM
BEAM
CIRCU
CIRCU
CIRCU
COMBI
COMBI
COMBI
COMBI
COMBI
COMBI
COMBI
CONTA
CONTA
CONTA
CONTA
CONTA
CONTA
CONTA
CONTA
CONTA
CONTA
CPT
CPT
CPT
CPT
CPT
FLUID
FLUID
FLUID
FLUID
FLUID
FLUID
FLUID

Description
Structural 2-D Elastic Beam
Structural 3-D Elastic Beam
Structural 2-D Plastic Beam
Structural 3-D Thin-Walled Beam
Structural 3-D Elastic Tapered Unsymmetric Beam
Structural 2-D Elastic Tapered Unsymmetric Beam
Explicit Dynamics 3-D Beam
Structural 3-D 2-Node Beam
Structural 3-D 3-Node Beam
Coupled-Field Piezoelectric Circuit
Magnetic Electric Circuit
Magnetic Electric Diode
Combination Revolute Joint
Combination Spring-Damper
Combination Control
Combination Nonlinear Spring
Combination
Explicit Dynamics Spring-Damper
Combination Spring-Damper Bearing
2-D Point-to-Point Contact
3-D Point-to-Point Contact
2-D 2-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact
2-D 3-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact
3-D 4-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact
3-D 8-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact
2-D/3-D Node-to-Surface Contact
3-D Line-to-Line Contact
3-D Line-to-Surface Contact
3-D Node-to-Node Contact
2-D 4-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure Mechanical Solid
2-D 8-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure Mechanical Solid
3-D 8-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure Mechanical Solid
3-D 20-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure Mechanical Solid
3-D 10-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure Mechanical Solid
2-D Acoustic Fluid
3-D Acoustic Fluid
Dynamic Fluid Coupling
2-D Contained Fluid
3-D Contained Fluid
Axisymmetric-Harmonic Contained Fluid
Coupled Thermal-Fluid Pipe

FLUID129
FLUID130
FLUID136
FLUID138
FLUID139
FLUID141
FLUID142
FOLLW201
HF118
HF119
HF120
INFIN9
INFIN47
INFIN110
INFIN111
INTER115
INTER192
INTER193
INTER194
INTER195
INTER202
INTER203
INTER204
INTER205
LINK1
LINK8
LINK10
LINK11
LINK31
LINK32
LINK33
LINK34
LINK68
LINK160
LINK167
LINK180
MASS21
MASS71
MASS166
MATRIX27
MATRIX50
MESH200
MPC184
PIPE16
PIPE17
PIPE18
PIPE20

129
130
136
138
139
141
142
201
118
119
120
9
47
110
111
115
192
193
194
195
202
203
204
205
1
8
10
11
31
32
33
34
68
160
167
180
21
71
166
27
50
200
184
16
17
18
20

FLUID
FLUID
FLUID
FLUID
FLUID
FLUID
FLUID
FOLLW
HF
HF
HF
INFIN
INFIN
INFIN
INFIN
INTER
INTER
INTER
INTER
INTER
INTER
INTER
INTER
INTER
LINK
LINK
LINK
LINK
LINK
LINK
LINK
LINK
LINK
LINK
LINK
LINK
MASS
MASS
MASS
MATRIX
MATRIX
MESH
MPC
PIPE
PIPE
PIPE
PIPE

2-D Infinite Acoustic

3-D Infinite Acoustic
3-D Squeeze Film Fluid
3-D Viscous Fluid Link
3-D Slide Film Fluid
2-D Fluid-Thermal
3-D Fluid-Thermal
3-D Follower Load
2-D High-Frequency Magnetic Electric Quadrilateral Solid
3-D High-Frequency Magnetic Electric Tetrahedral Solid
3-D High-Frequency Magnetic Electric Brick Solid
2-D Infinite Boundary
3-D Infinite Boundary
2-D Infinite Solid
3-D Infinite Solid
3-D Magnetic Electric Interface
Structural 2-D Interface 4-Node Gasket
Structural 2-D Interface 6-Node Gasket
Structural 3-D Interface 16-Node Gasket
Structural 3-D Interface 8-Node Gasket
Structural 2-D Interface 4-Node Cohesive
Structural 2-D Interface 6-Node Cohesive
Structural 3-D Interface 16-Node Cohesive
Structural 3-D Interface 8-Node Cohesive
Structural 2-D Spar (or Truss)
Structural 3-D Spar (or Truss)
Structural 3-D Tension-only or Compression-only Spar
Structural 3-D Linear Actuator
Radiation Link
Thermal 2-D Conduction Bar
Thermal 3-D Conduction Bar
Convection Link
Coupled Thermal-Electric Line
Explicit 3-D Spar (or Truss)
Explicit Tension-Only Spar
Structural 3-D Spar (or Truss)
Structural Mass
Thermal Mass
Explicit 3-D Structural Mass
Stiffness, Damping, or Mass Matrix
Superelement (or Substructure)
Meshing Facet
Structural Multipoint Constraint
Structural Elastic Straight Pipe
Structural Elastic Pipe Tee
Structural Elastic Curved Pipe (Elbow)
Structural Plastic Straight Pipe

PIPE59
PIPE60
PIPE288
PIPE289
ELBOW290
PLANE13
PLANE25
PLANE35
PLANE42
PLANE53
PLANE55
PLANE67
PLANE75
PLANE77
PLANE78
PLANE82
PLANE83
PLANE121
PLANE145
PLANE146
PLANE162
PLANE182
PLANE183
PLANE223
PLANE230
PLANE233
PRETS179
REINF264
REINF265
ROM144
SHELL28
SHELL41
SHELL57
SHELL61
SHELL63
SHELL131
SHELL132
SHELL150
SHELL157
SHELL163
SHELL181
SHELL208
SHELL209
SHELL281
SOLID5
SOLID45
SOLID62

59
60
288
289
290
13
25
35
42
53
55
67
75
77
78
82
83
121
145
146
162
182
183
223
230
233
179
264
265
144
28
41
57
61
63
131
132
150
157
163
181
208
209
281
5
45
62

PIPE
PIPE
PIPE
PIPE
PIPE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PLANE
PRETS
REINF
REINF
ROM
SHELL
SHELL
SHELL
SHELL
SHELL
SHELL
SHELL
SHELL
SHELL
SHELL
SHELL
SHELL
SHELL
SHELL
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID

Structural Immersed Pipe or Cable

Structural Plastic Curved Pipe (Elbow)
3-D 2-Node Pipe
3-D 3-Node Pipe
3-D 3-Node Elbow
2-D Coupled-Field Solid
Axisymmetric-Harmonic 4-Node Structural Solid
2-D 6-Node Triangular Thermal Solid
2-D Structural Solid
2-D 8-Node Magnetic Solid
2-D Thermal Solid
2-D Coupled Thermal-Electric Solid
2-D Axisymmetric-Harmonic 4-Node Thermal Solid
2-D 8-Node Thermal Solid
2-D Axisymmetric - Harmonic 8-Node Thermal Solid
2-D 8-Node Structural Solid
2-D Axisymmetric - Harmonic 8-Node Structural Solid
2-D 8-Node Electrostatic Solid
2-D Quadrilateral Structural Solid p-Element
2-D Triangular Structural Solid p-Element
Explicit 2-D Structural Solid
2-D 4-Node Structural Solid
2-D 8-Node Structural Solid
2-D 8-Node Coupled-Field Solid
2-D 8-Node Electric Solid
2-D 8-Node Electromagnetic Solid
2-D/3-D Pretension Combination
3-D Discrete Reinforcing
3-D Smeared Reinforcing
Reduced Order Electrostatic-Structural Coupled-Field
Structural 3-D Shear/Twist Panel
Structural 3-D Membrane Shell
Thermal Shell
2-D Axisymmetric - Harmonic Structural Shell
Structural 3-D Elastic Shell
4-Node Thermal Shell
8-Node Thermal Shell
3-D 8-Node Structural Shell p-Element
Thermal-Electric Shell
Explicit Thin Structural Shell
4-Node Structural Shell
2-Node Axisymmetric Shell
3-Node Axisymmetric Shell
8-Node Structural Shell
3-D Coupled-Field Solid
3-D Structural Solid
3-D Magneto-Structural Coupled-Field Solid

SOLID65
SOLID69
SOLID70
SOLID87
SOLID90
SOLID92
SOLID95
SOLID96
SOLID97
SOLID98
SOLID117
SOLID122
SOLID123
SOLID127
SOLID128
SOLID147
SOLID148
SOLID164
SOLID168
SOLID185
SOLID186
SOLID187
SOLID226
SOLID227
SOLID231
SOLID232
SOLID236
SOLID237
SOLID272
SOLID273
SOLID285
SOLSH190
SOURC36
SURF151
SURF152
SURF153
SURF154
SURF156
SURF251
SURF252
TARGE169
TARGE170
TRANS109
TRANS126
USER300

65
69
70
87
90
92
95
96
97
98
117
122
123
127
128
147
148
164
168
185
186
187
226
227
231
232
236
237
272
273
285
190
36
151
152
153
154
156
251
252
169
170
109
126
300

SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLSH
SOURC
SURF
SURF
SURF
SURF
SURF
SURF
SURF
TARGE
TARGE
TRANS
TRANS
USER

3-D Reinforced Concrete Structural Solid

3-D Coupled Thermal-Electric Solid
3-D Thermal Solid
3-D 10-Node Tetrahedral Thermal Solid
3-D 20-Node Thermal Solid
3-D 10-Node Tetrahedral Structural Solid
3-D 20-Node Structural Solid
3-D Magnetic Scalar Solid
3-D Magnetic Solid
Tetrahedral Coupled-Field Solid
3-D 20-Node Magnetic Edge
3-D 20-Node Electrostatic Solid
3-D 10-Node Tetrahedral Electrostatic Solid
3-D Tetrahedral Electrostatic Solid p-Element
3-D Brick Electrostatic Solid p-Element
3-D Brick Structural Solid p-Element
3-D Tetrahedral Structural Solid p-Element
Explicit 3-D Structural Solid
Explicit 3-D 10-Node Tetrahedral Structural Solid
3-D 8-Node Structural Solid
3-D 20-Node Structural Solid
3-D 10-Node Tetrahedral Structural Solid
3-D 20-Node Coupled-Field Solid
3-D 10-Node Coupled-Field Solid
3-D 20-Node Electric Solid
3-D 10-Node Tetrahedral Electric Solid
3-D 20-Node Electromagnetic Solid
3-D 10-Node Electromagnetic Solid
4-Base-Node General Axisymmetric Solid
8-Base-Node General Axisymmetric Solid
3-D 4-Node Tetrahedral Structural Solid with Nodal Pressure
Structural Solid Shell
Magnetic Electric Current Source
2-D Thermal Surface Effect
3-D Thermal Surface Effect
2-D Structural Surface Effect
3-D Structural Surface Effect
3-D Structural Surface Line Load
2-D Radiosity Surface
3-D Thermal Radiosity Surface
Contact 2-D Target Segment
Contact 3-D Target Segment
2-D Electromechanical Solid
Electromechanical Transducer
User defined element

chanical APDL Element Library, R12.1

Number of Nodes
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
3
2 or 3
2 to 6
2
5
2
4
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
4
8
1
3
3
2
4
8
8
20
10
4
8
2
4
8
4
2

Dimensionality
2-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
2-D
3-D
2-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
2-D/3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
2-D
3-D

2
4
4 or 8
2
2 or 32
4
8
1
8
10
20
2
4
4 or 8
8 or 20
4
4
6
16
8
4
6
16
8
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
2
1
1
1
2
n/a
2 to 20
2 or 3
3
4
3
2

2-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
2-D/3-D
2-D/3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D

2
3
3
4
3
4
4
6
4
8
4
4
4
8
8
8
8
8
8
6
4
4
8
8
8
8
3
1 to 20
1 to 20
20 or 30
4
4
4
2
4
4
8
8
4
4
4
2
3
8
8
8
8

3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D
2-D/3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D

8
8
8
10
20
10
20
8
8
10
20
20
10
10
20
20
10
8
10
8
20
10
20
10
20
10
20
10
N/A
N/A
4
8
3
2 or 4
4 to 10
2 or 30
4 to 8
3 to 4
2
3 or 4
3
8
3
2
N/A

3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
2-D
3-D
N/A

ry, R12.1
Compiled by PADT, Inc. from ANSYS Help
www.PADTINC.com

DOFS
UX, UY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ, VX, VY, AX, AY, AZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
VOLT, CURR
VOLT, CURR, EMF
VOLT
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ, PRES, TEMP
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ, PRES, TEMP
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ, PRES, TEMP
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ, VX, VY, VZ, AX, AV, AZ
UX, UY, UZ,
UX, UY
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, TEMP, VOLT, AZ
UX, UY, TEMP, VOLT, AZ
UX, UY, UZ, TEMP, VOLT, MAG
UX, UY, UZ, TEMP, VOLT, MAG
UX, UY, UZ, TEMP, VOLT, AX, MAG
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, PRES
UX, UY, PRES
UX, UY, UZ, PRES
UX, UY, UZ, PRES
UX, UY, UZ, PRES
UX, UY, PRES
UX, UY, UZ, PRES
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ
PRES, TEMP

PRES
PRES
PRES
PRES
UX, UY, UZ
VX, VY, VZ, PRES, TEMP, ENKE, ENDS
VX, VY, VZ, PRES, TEMP, ENKE, ENDS
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
AX
AX
AX
AZ, TEMP
MAG, TEMP
AZ, VOLT, TEMP
MAG, AX, AY, AZ, VOLT, TEMP
AX, AY, AZ, MAG
UX, UY
UX, UY
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY
UX, UY
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ
TEMP
TEMP
TEMP
TEMP
TEMP, VOLT
UX, UY, UZ, VX, VY, VZ, AX, AY, AZ
UX, UY, UZ, VX, VY, VZ, AX, AY, AZ
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
TEMP
UX, UY, UZ, VX, VY, VZ, AX, AY, AZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
Determined from included element types
None
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ

UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ

UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
TEMP, AZ, UX, UY, VOLT
UX, UY, UZ
TEMP
UX, UY
VOLT, AZ, CURR, EMF
TEMP
TEMP, VOLT
TEMP
TEMP
TEMP
UX, UY
UX, UY, UZ
VOLT
UX, UY
UX, UY
UX, UY, VX, VY, AX, AY
UX, UY
UX, UY
UX, UY, TEMP, VOLT
VOLT
AZ, VOLT
UX
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
EMF, VOLT, UX
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ
TEMP
UX, UY, UZ, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
TBOT, TE2, TE3, TE4, . . . TTOP
TBOT, TE2, TE3, TE4, . . . TTOP
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
TEMP, VOLT
UX, UY, UZ, VX, VY, VZ, AX, AY, AZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ,
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, ROTZ
UX, UY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ
UX, UY, UZ, TEMP, VOLT, MAG
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ, AX, AY, AZ, VOLT

UX, UY, UZ
TEMP, VOLT
TEMP
TEMP
TEMP
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ
MAG
AX, AY, AZ, VOLT, CURR, EMF
UX, UY, UZ, TEMP, VOLT, MAG
AZ
VOLT
VOLT
VOLT
VOLT
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ, VX, VY, VZ, AX, AY, AZ
UX, UY, UZ, VX, VY, VZ, AX, AY, AZ
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ, TEMP, VOLT
UX, UY, UZ, TEMP, VOLT
VOLT
VOLT
AZ, VOLT
AZ, VOLT
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ, HDSP
UX, UY, UZ
None
TEMP
TEMP
UX, UY
UX, UY, UZ
UX, UY, UZ

UX, UY, ROTZ, TEMP

UX, UY, UZ, TEMP
UX, UY, VOLT
UX-VOLT, UY-VOLT, UZ-VOLT
N/A

Row Labels
BEAM
CIRCU
COMBI
CONTA
CPT
FLUID
FOLLW
HF
INFIN
INTER
LINK
MASS
MATRIX
MESH
MPC
PIPE
PLANE
PRETS
REINF
ROM
SHELL
SOLID
SOLSH
SOURC
SURF
TARGE
TRANS
Grand Total

Count of Description
9
3
7
10
5
14
1
3
4
9
12
3
2
1
1
9
21
1
2
1
14
34
1
1
7
2
2
179

FOLLW
MESH
MPC
PRETS
ROM
SOLSH
SOURC
MATRIX
REINF
TARGE
TRANS
CIRCU
HF
MASS
INFIN
CPT
COMBI
SURF
BEAM
INTER
PIPE
CONTA
LINK
FLUID
SHELL
PLANE
SOLID

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
5
7
7
9
9
9
10
12
14
14
21
34