Main Help → All Commands → FEA Mesh / MPM Grid and Material Points → Element
The Element
command is used to define the element type for subsequent commands that depend on element type.
Element (elem)
where (elem)
is
"3 Node Triangle"
(or 1) for constant strain triangle (2D)"4 Node Quadrilateral"
(or 2) for four node isoparametric quadrilateral (2D)"8 Node Quadrilateral"
(or 3) for eight node isoparametric quadrilateral (2D)"6 Node Triangle"
(or 4) for six node isoparametric triangle (2D)"4 Node Interface"
(or 5) for four node linear interface element (2D)"6 Node Interface"
(or 6) for six node quadratic interface element (2D)"8 Node Brick"
(or 7) for 8 node cubical element (3D)"9 Node Lagrange"
(or 8) for nine node quadrilateral (Lagrange element with extra central node compared to 8 node quadrilaterals) (2D)Element
commands must come after the Analysis command.Element
commands, the default element type is 8 Node Quadrilateral
for FEA calculations, 4 Node Quadrilateral
for 2D MPM calculations, and 8 Node Brick
elements for 3D MPM calculations.4 Node Quadrilateral
elements are allowed for 2D MPM calculations and only 8 Node Brick
elements are allowed for 3D MPM calculations.
Element
commands between Area commands, it is possible to mix elements in a single analysis. When mixed elements are used, they must be compatible elements, which means same number of nodes along element edges. For example 3 node triangles can be used with 4 node quadrilaterals and 4 node interfaces and 6 node triangles can be used with 8 node quadrilaterals and 6 node interfaces.