This chapter describes the theory underlying each Mechanical APDL element. The explanations are augmented by references to other sections in this manual as well as external sources.
The table below the introductory figure of each element is complete, except that the Newton-Raphson load vector is omitted. This load vector always uses the same shape functions and integration points as the applicable stiffness, conductivity and/or coefficient matrix. Exceptions associated mostly with some nonlinear line elements are noted with the element description.
- 13.1. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.2. Not Documented
- 13.3. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.4. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.5. SOLID5 - 3D Coupled-Field Solid
- 13.6. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.7. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.8. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.9. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.10. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.11. LINK11 - Linear Actuator
- 13.12. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.13. PLANE13 - 2D Coupled-Field Solid
- 13.14. COMBIN14 - Spring-Damper
- 13.15. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.16. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.17. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.18. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.19. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.20. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.21. MASS21 - Structural Mass
- 13.22. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.23. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.24. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.25. PLANE25 - Axisymmetric-Harmonic 4-Node Structural Solid
- 13.26. Not Documented
- 13.27. MATRIX27 - Stiffness, Damping, or Mass Matrix
- 13.28. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.29. FLUID29 - 2D Acoustic Fluid
- 13.30. FLUID30 - 3D Acoustic Fluid
- 13.31. LINK31 - Radiation Link
- 13.32. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.33. LINK33 - 3D Conduction Bar
- 13.34. LINK34 - Convection Link
- 13.35. PLANE35 - 2D 6-Node Triangular Thermal Solid
- 13.36. SOURC36 - Current Source
- 13.37. COMBIN37 - Control
- 13.38. FLUID38 - Dynamic Fluid Coupling
- 13.39. COMBIN39 - Nonlinear Spring
- 13.40. COMBIN40 - Combination
- 13.41. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.42. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.43. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.44. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.45. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.46. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.47. INFIN47 - 3D Infinite Boundary
- 13.48. Not Documented
- 13.49. Not Documented
- 13.50. MATRIX50 - Superelement (or Substructure)
- 13.51. Not Documented
- 13.52. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.53. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.54. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.55. PLANE55 - 2D Thermal Solid
- 13.56. Not Documented
- 13.57. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.58. Not Documented
- 13.59. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.60. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.61. SHELL61 - Axisymmetric-Harmonic Structural Shell
- 13.62. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.63. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.64. Not Documented
- 13.65. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.66. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.67. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.68. LINK68 - Coupled Thermal-Electric Line
- 13.69. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.70. SOLID70 - 3D Thermal Solid
- 13.71. MASS71 - Thermal Mass
- 13.72. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.73. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.74. Not Documented
- 13.75. PLANE75 - Axisymmetric-Harmonic 4-Node Thermal Solid
- 13.76. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.77. PLANE77 - 2D 8-Node Thermal Solid
- 13.78. PLANE78 - Axisymmetric-Harmonic 8-Node Thermal Solid
- 13.79. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.80. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.81. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.82. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.83. PLANE83 - Axisymmetric-Harmonic 8-Node Structural Solid
- 13.84. Not Documented
- 13.85. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.86. Not Documented
- 13.87. SOLID87 - 3D 10-Node Tetrahedral Thermal Solid
- 13.88. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.89. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.90. SOLID90 - 3D 20-Node Thermal Solid
- 13.91. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.92. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.93. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.94. CIRCU94 - Piezoelectric Circuit
- 13.95. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.96. SOLID96 - 3D Magnetic Scalar Solid
- 13.97. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.98. SOLID98 - Tetrahedral Coupled-Field Solid
- 13.99. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.100. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.101. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.102. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.103. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.104. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.105. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.106. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.107. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.108. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.109. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.110. INFIN110 - 2D Infinite Solid
- 13.111. INFIN111 - 3D Infinite Solid
- 13.112. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.113. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.114. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.115. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.116. FLUID116 - Coupled Thermal-Fluid Pipe
- 13.117. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.118. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.119. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.120. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.121. PLANE121 - 2D 8-Node Electrostatic Solid
- 13.122. SOLID122 - 3D 20-Node Electrostatic Solid
- 13.123. SOLID123 - 3D 10-Node Tetrahedral Electrostatic Solid
- 13.124. CIRCU124 - Electric Circuit
- 13.125. CIRCU125 - Diode
- 13.126. TRANS126 - Electromechanical Transducer
- 13.127. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.128. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.129. FLUID129 - 2D Infinite Acoustic
- 13.130. FLUID130 - 3D Infinite Acoustic
- 13.131. SHELL131 - 4-Node Layered Thermal Shell
- 13.132. SHELL132 - 8-Node Layered Thermal Shell
- 13.133. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.134. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.135. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.136. FLUID136 - 3D Squeeze Film Fluid Element
- 13.137. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.138. FLUID138 - 3D Viscous Fluid Link Element
- 13.139. FLUID139 - 3D Slide Film Fluid Element
- 13.140. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.141. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.142. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.143. Not Documented
- 13.144. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.145. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.146. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.147. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.148. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.149. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.150. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.151. SURF151 - 2D Thermal Surface Effect
- 13.152. SURF152 - 3D Thermal Surface Effect
- 13.153. SURF153 - 2D Structural Surface Effect
- 13.154. SURF154 - 3D Structural Surface Effect
- 13.155. SURF155 - 3D Thermal Surface Line Load
- 13.156. SURF156 - 3D Structural Surface Line Load Effect
- 13.157. SHELL157 - Thermal-Electric Shell
- 13.158. Not Documented
- 13.159. SURF159 - General Axisymmetric Surface with 2 or 3 Nodes
- 13.160. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.161. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.162. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.163. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.164. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.165. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.166. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.167. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.168. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.169. TARGE169 - 2D Target Segment
- 13.170. TARGE170 - 3D Target Segment
- 13.171. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.172. CONTA172 - 2D 3-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact
- 13.173. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.174. CONTA174 - 3D 8-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact
- 13.175. CONTA175 - 2D/3D Node-to-Surface Contact
- 13.176. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.177. CONTA177 - 3D Line-to-Surface Contact
- 13.178. CONTA178 - 3D Node-to-Node Contact
- 13.179. PRETS179 - Pretension
- 13.180. LINK180 - 3D Spar (or Truss)
- 13.181. SHELL181 - 4-Node Shell
- 13.182. PLANE182 - 2D 4-Node Structural Solid
- 13.183. PLANE183 - 2D 8-Node Structural Solid
- 13.184. MPC184 - Multipoint Constraint
- 13.185. SOLID185 - 3D 8-Node Structural Solid
- 13.186. SOLID186 - 3D 20-Node homogeneous/Layered Structural Solid
- 13.187. SOLID187 - 3D 10-Node Tetrahedral Structural Solid
- 13.188. BEAM188 - 3D 2-Node Beam
- 13.189. BEAM189 - 3D 3-Node Beam
- 13.190. SOLSH190 - 3D 8-Node Layered Solid Shell
- 13.191. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.192. INTER192 - 2D 4-Node Gasket
- 13.193. INTER193 - 2D 6-Node Gasket
- 13.194. INTER194 - 3D 16-Node Gasket
- 13.195. INTER195 - 3D 8-Node Gasket
- 13.196. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.197. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.198. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.199. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.200. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.201. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.202. INTER202 - 2D 4-Node Cohesive
- 13.203. INTER203 - 2D 6-Node Cohesive
- 13.204. INTER204 - 3D 16-Node Cohesive
- 13.205. INTER205 - 3D 8-Node Cohesive
- 13.206. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.207. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.208. SHELL208 - 2-Node Axisymmetric Shell
- 13.209. SHELL209 - 3-Node Axisymmetric Shell
- 13.210. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.211. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.212. CPT212 - 2D 4-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure-Thermal Mechanical Solid
- 13.213. CPT213 - 2D 8-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure-Thermal Mechanical Solid
- 13.214. COMBI214 - 2D Spring-Damper Bearing
- 13.215. CPT215 - 3D 8-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure-Thermal Mechanical Solid
- 13.216. CPT216 - 3D 20-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure-Thermal Mechanical Solid
- 13.217. CPT217 - 3D 10-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure-Thermal Mechanical Solid
- 13.218. FLUID218 - 3D Hydrodynamic Bearing Element
- 13.219. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.220. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.221. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.222. PLANE222 - 2D 4-Node Coupled-Field Solid
- 13.223. PLANE223 - 2D 8-Node Coupled-Field Solid
- 13.224. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.225. SOLID225 - 3D 8-Node Coupled-Field Solid
- 13.226. SOLID226 - 3D 20-Node Coupled-Field Solid
- 13.227. SOLID227 - 3D 10-Node Coupled-Field Solid
- 13.228. LINK228 - 3D Coupled-Field Link
- 13.229. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.230. PLANE230 - 2D 8-Node Electric Solid
- 13.231. SOLID231 - 3D 20-Node Electric Solid
- 13.232. SOLID232 - 3D 10-Node Tetrahedral Electric Solid
- 13.233. PLANE233 - 2D 8-Node Electromagnetic Solid
- 13.234. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.235. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.236. SOLID236 - 3D 20-Node Electromagnetic Solid
- 13.237. SOLID237 - 3D 10-Node Electromagnetic Solid
- 13.238. PLANE238 - 2D 8-Node Diffusion Solid
- 13.239. SOLID239 - 3D 20-Node Diffusion Solid
- 13.240. SOLID240 - 3D 10-Node Tetrahedral Diffusion Solid
- 13.241. HSFLD241 - 2D Hydrostatic Fluid
- 13.242. HSFLD242 - 3D Hydrostatic Fluid
- 13.243. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.244. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.245. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.246. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.247. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.248. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.249. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.250. COMBI250 - 3D Bushing Element
- 13.251. SURF251 - 2D Radiosity Surface
- 13.252. SURF252 - 3D Thermal Radiosity Surface
- 13.253. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.254. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.255. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.256. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.257. INFIN257 - Structural Infinite Solid
- 13.258. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.259. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.260. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.261. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.262. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.263. REINF263 - 2D Smeared Reinforcing
- 13.264. REINF264 - 3D Discrete Reinforcing
- 13.265. REINF265 - 3D Smeared Reinforcing
- 13.266. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.267. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.268. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.269. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.270. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.271. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.272. SOLID272 - General Axisymmetric Solid with 4 Base Nodes
- 13.273. SOLID273 - General Axisymmetric Solid with 8 Base Nodes
- 13.274. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.275. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.276. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.277. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.278. SOLID278 - 3D 8-Node Homogeneous/Layered Thermal Solid
- 13.279. SOLID279 - 3D 20-Node Homogeneous/Layered Thermal Solid
- 13.280. CABLE280 - 3D 3-Node Cable
- 13.281. SHELL281 - 8-Node Shell
- 13.282. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.283. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.284. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.285. SOLID285 - 3D 4-Node Tetrahedral Structural Solid
- 13.286. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.287. Reserved for Future Use
- 13.288. PIPE288 - 3D 2-Node Pipe
- 13.289. PIPE289 - 3D 3-Node Pipe
- 13.290. ELBOW290 - 3D 3-Node Elbow
- 13.291. SOLID291 - 3D 10-Node Tetrahedral Thermal Solid
- 13.292. PLANE292 - 2D 4-Node Thermal Element
- 13.293. PLANE293 - 2D 8-Node Thermal Solid
- 13.294. SHELL294 - 4-Node Thermal Shell