2.3.

Selecting Elements for Your Analysis

Use this list of elements sorted by application to select the best elements for your analysis. Primary applications are as follows:

Structural Contact
Explicit Dynamics Combination
Thermal Matrix
Acoustic Infinite
Diffusion Load
Fluid Meshing
Magnetic Electric Reinforcing
Electric Circuit User-Defined
Coupled-Field

Within each element category, the elements appear in order of shape function (topology). Current-technology elements take precedence.

Structural
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
Structural Solid 3-D SOLID185 8-Node Structural Solid

SOLID186 20-Node Structural Solid

SOLID187 10-Node Tetrahedral Structural Solid

SOLID285 4-Node Tetrahedral Structural Solid with Nodal

Pressures

SOLID65 8-Node Reinforced Concrete Structural Solid

2-D PLANE182 4-Node Structural Solid

PLANE183 8-Node Structural Solid

PLANE25 4-Node Axisymmetric-Harmonic Structural Solid

PLANE83 8-Node Axisymmetric-Harmonic Structural Solid

General A xisymmetric SOLID272 4- to 48-Node General Axisymmetric Solid

SOLID273 8- to 96-Node General Axisymmetric Solid

Structural Solid Shell 3-D SOLSH190 8-Node Structural Solid Shell

Structural Shell 3-D SHELL181 4-Node Structural Shell

SHELL281 8-Node Structural Shell

SHELL28 4-Node Structural Shear/Twist Panel

SHELL41 4-Node Structural Membrane Shell

2-D SHELL208 2-Node Axisymmetric Shell

SHELL209 3-Node Axisymmetric Shell

SHELL61 2-Node Axisymmetric-Harmonic Structural Shell

Structural Layered Composite 3-D SOLID185 8-Node Layered Solid

SOLID186 20-Node Layered Structural Solid

SOLSH190 8-Node Solid Shell

The following elements can also be used for layered applications: SHELL181, SHELL208, SHELL209, SHELL281, ELBOW290
Structural Beam 3-D BEA M188 2-Node Structural Beam

BEA M189 3-Node Structural Beam

Structural Pipe 3-D PIPE288 2-Node Pipe

PIPE289 3-Node Pipe

 ELBOW290 3-Node Elbow

Structural Line 3-D LINK180 2-Node Structural 3-D Spar (or Truss)

LINK11 2-Node Structural Linear Actuator

Structural Point 3-D MASS21 1-Node Structural Mass

Structural Interface 3-D INTER194 Interface 16-Node Gasket

INTER195 Interface 8-Node Gasket

INTER204 Interface 16-Node Cohesive

INTER205 Interface 8-Node Cohesive

2-D INTER192 Interface 4-Node Gasket

INTER193 Interface 6-Node Gasket
INTER202 Interface 4-Node Cohesive
INTER203 Interface 6-Node Cohesive

Structural Multipoint Constraint 3-D MPC184

MPC184-Link/Beam

MPC184-Slider

MPC184-Revolute

MPC184-Universal

MPC184-Slot

MPC184-Point

MPC184Translational

MPC184Cylindrical

MPC184-Planar

MPC184-Weld

MPC184-Orient

MPC184-Spherical

MPC184-General

MPC184-Screw

Explicit Dynamics (Explicit dynamics analyses can use only explicit dynamic elements.)
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
Explicit Solid 3-D SOLID164 8-Node Explicit Structural Solid

SOLID16810-Node Explicit Tetrahedral Structural Solid

2-D PLANE162 4-Node Explicit Solid

Explicit Shell 3-D SHELL163 4-Node Explicit Thin Structural Shell

Explicit Beam 3-D BEA M161 3-Node Explicit Beam

Explicit Line 3-D LINK160 3-Node Explicit Spar (or Truss)

LINK167 3-Node Explicit Tension-Only Spar

COMBI165 2-Node Explicit Spring-Damper

Explicit Point 3-D MASS166 1-Node Explicit Structural Mass

Thermal
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
Thermal Solid 3-D SOLID278 8-Node Thermal Solid

SOLID279 20-Node Thermal Solid

SOLID70 8-Node Thermal Solid

SOLID87 10-Node Tetrahedral Thermal Solid

SOLID90 20-Node Thermal Solid

2-D PLANE35 6-Node Triangular Thermal Solid

 PLANE55 4-Node Thermal Solid

PLANE75 4-Node Axisymmetric-Harmonic Thermal Solid

PLANE77 8-Node Thermal Solid

PLANE78 4-Node Axisymmetric-Harmonic Thermal Solid

Thermal Layered Solid 3-D SOLID278 8-Node Thermal Solid

SOLID279 20-Node Thermal Solid

Thermal Shell 3-D SHELL131 4-Node Thermal Shell

SHELL132 8-Node Thermal Shell

Thermal Line 3-D LINK31 2-Node Radiation Link

LINK33 2-Node Thermal Conduction Bar

LINK34 2-Node Convection Link

Thermal Point 3-D MASS71 1-Node Thermal Mass

Thermal Electric 3-D LINK68 2-Node Coupled Thermal-Electric Line

SHELL157 4-Node Thermal-Electric Shell

Acoustic
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
Acoustic Volume 3-D FLUID30 8-Node Acoustic Fluid

FLUID220 20-Node A coustic Fluid

FLUID221 10-Node A coustic Fluid

2-D FLUID29 4-Node Acoustic Fluid

Acoustic Planar 3-D FLUID130 4-Node Infinite Acoustic

Acoustic Line 2-D FLUID129 2-Node Infinite Acoustic

Diffusion
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
Diffusion Solid 2-D PLANE238 8-Node Diffusion Solid

3-D SOLID239 20-Node Diffusion Solid

SOLID240

10-Node Tetrahedral Diffusion Solid

Fluid
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
Fluid Volume 3-D HSFLD242 9-Node Hydrostatic Fluid

2-D HSFLD241 4-Node Hydrostatic Fluid

Fluid - Gap 3-D FLUID38 2-Node Dynamic Fluid Coupling

FLUID136 4- or 8-Node Squeeze Film Fluid

FLUID138 2-Node Viscous Fluid Link

FLUID139 2- or 32-Node Slide Film Fluid

Fluid Pipe 3-D FLUID116 2-Node Coupled Thermal-Fluid Pipe

Magnetic Electric
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
--- 3-D SOLID96 8-Node Magnetic Scalar Solid

SOLID97 8-Node Magnetic Solid

SOLID122 20-Node Electrostatic Solid

 SOLID123 10-Node Tetrahedral Electrostatic Solid

SOLID231 20-Node Electric Solid

SOLID232 10-Node Tetrahedral Electric Solid

SOLID236 20-Node Electromagnetic Solid

SOLID237 10-Node Electromagnetic Solid

2-D PLANE53 8-Node Magnetic Solid

PLANE121 8-Node Electrostatic Solid

PLANE230 8-Node Electric Solid

PLANE233 8-Node Electromagnetic Solid

Electric Circuit
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
--- 3-D SOURC36 3-Node Magnetic Electric Current Source

CIRCU124 2- to 6-Node Magnetic Electric Circuit

CIRCU125 2-Node Magnetic Electric Diode

2-D CIRCU94 2- or 3-Node Coupled-Field Piezoelectric Circuit

Coupled-Field
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
--- 3-D SOLID226 20-Node Coupled-Field Solid

SOLID227 10-Node Coupled-Field Solid

SOLID5 8-Node Coupled-Field Solid

LINK68 2-Node-Coupled Thermal-Electric Line

SOLID98 10-Node Tetrahedral Coupled-Field Solid

ROM144 20- or 30-Node Reduced-Order Electrostatic-

Structural Coupled-Field

SHELL157 4-Node Thermal-Electric Shell

CPT215 8-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure Mechanical Solid

CPT216 20-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure Mechanical Solid

CPT217 10-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure Mechanical Solid

2-D PLANE223 8-Node Coupled-Field Solid

PLANE13 4-Node Coupled-Field Solid

CPT212 4-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure Mechanical Solid

CPT213 8-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure Mechanical Solid

Contact
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
--- 3-D TA RGE170 8-Node Contact 3-D Target Segment

CONTA 173 4-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact

CONTA 174 8-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact

CONTA 176 3-Node Line-to-Line Contact

CONTA 177 3-Node Line-to-Surface Contact

CONTA 178 2-Node Node-to-Node Contact

2-D/3-D CONTA 175 1-Node Node-to-Surface Contact

2-D TA RGE169 3-Node Contact 2-D Target Segment
 CONTA 171 2-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact

CONTA 172 3-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact

Combination
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
--- 3-D COMBIN14 2-Node Combination Spring-Damper

COMBIN37 4-Node Combination Control

COMBIN39 2-Node Combination Nonlinear Spring

COMBIN40 2-Node Combination

2-D/3-D PRETS179 3-Node Pretension Combination

2-D COMBI214 2-Node Combination Spring-Damper Bearing

Matrix
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
--- 3-D MATRIX27 2-Node Stiffness, Damping, or Mass Matrix

2-D/3-D MATRIX50 Superelement (or Substructure)

Infinite
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
--- 3-D INFIN47 4-Node Infinite Boundary

INFIN111 8- or 20-Node Infinite Solid

2-D INFIN9 2-Node Infinite Boundary

INFIN110 4- or 8-Node Infinite Solid

Load
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
--- 3-D SURF152 4- to 10-Node Thermal Surface Effect

SURF154 4- to 8-Node Structural Surface Effect

SURF156 3- or 4-Node Structural Surface Line Load

SURF159 2- to 36-Node General Axisymmetric Surface

FOLLW201 1-Node Follower Load

SURF252 3- or 4-Node Thermal Radiosity Surface

2-D SURF151 2- or 4-Node Thermal Surface Effect

SURF153 2- or 3-Node Structural Surface Effect

SURF251 2-Node Radiosity Surface

Meshing
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
--- 2-D/3-D MESH200 2- to 20-Node Meshing Facet

Reinforcing
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
--- 3-D REINF264 2- to 20-Node Discrete Reinforcing

REINF265 2- to 20-Node Smeared Reinforcing

2-D REINF263 2- to 8-Node Smeared Reinforcing

User-Defined
Type Dimension Element Pictorial
--- --- USER300 ---

Release 15.0 - © SAS IP, Inc. All rights reserved.