76 Formulas for Stress and Strain [CHAP.

TABLE 5.1 Sample nite element library

Element Number
type Name Shape of nodes Applications
Line Truss 2 Pin-ended bar in tension or
compression
Beam 2 Bending

Frame 2 Axial, torsional, and bending.

With or without load stiffening
Surface 4 Noded 4 Plane stress or strain,
quadri- axisymmetry, shear panel, thin
lateral flat plate in bending
8 Noded 8 Plane stress or strain, thin
quadri- plate or shell in bending
lateral
3 Noded 3 Plane stress or strain,
triangular axisymmetry, shear panel, thin
flat plate in bending. Prefer
quad where possible. Used for
transitions of quads
6 Noded 6 Plane stress or strain,
triangular axisymmetry, thin plate or shell
in bending. Prefer quad where
possible. Used for transitions of
quads
Solidy 8 Noded 8 Solid, thick plate (using mid-
hexagonal side nodes)
(brick)
6 Noded 6 Solid, thick plate (using mid-
Pentagonal side nodes). Used for
(wedge) transitions

4 Noded 4 Solid, thick plate (using mid-

tetrahedron side nodes). Used for
(tet) transitions

Special Gap 2 Free displacement for

purpose prescribed compressive gap
Hook 2 Free displacement for
prescribed extension gap
Rigid Variable Rigid constraints between
nodes

y These elements are also available with mid-size nodes.

finite element codes concentrate on reducing these errors and conse-

quently the analyst generally is concerned with discretization factors.
2. Discretization errors. The geometry and the displacement distri-
bution of a true structure vary continuously. Using a finite number of
elements to model the structure introduces errors in matching geo-
metry and the displacement distribution due to the inherent limita-