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Area Command

The Area command defines a 2D area or a 1D interface which will automatically be divided into elements to define all or part of an FEA mesh. Between the Area and its matching EndArea command, the area is defined by a collection of paths that enclose the area. A solid 2D area uses four paths; to define a 1D interface, use two paths:

Area (matid),(thick),<(angle)>
  (two or four paths defined in Path blocks or Paths commands)
EndArea

where

The Path and Paths commands within the Area block define a series of paths that must circumnavigate the area in the counter clockwise direction. The paths must be connected and define a closed area. The area will be meshed into elements of the type defined in the most recent Element command. Solid areas must use solid elements. Interfaces must use interface elements.

Solid areas must be defined by four paths. Furthermore, if n1, n2, n3, and n4 are the number of intervals along the four paths, they must satisfy either n1+n2=n3+n4 or n1+n4=n2+n3.

Areas for interface elements must be defined by two paths. The two paths must be separate paths, but have identical properties created with duplicate keypoints and have each been previously used in exactly one solid area command. For more details, see the OSUPDocs wiki.

Notes

  1. An FEA analysis can have any number of areas. To connect areas into a solid object, the areas must share common paths.
  2. The Area command is only allowed for FEA analyses.