Multiphysics elements

The table lists the Multiphysics elements that are supported in Pre/Post. It also lists the physical property tables that can be defined for each element type.

0D elements

Element name	Corresponding Simcenter Nastran element name	Supported analysis types	Description	Pre/Post command	Physical property table names	Additional information
Concentrated Mass	CONM2	StructuralThermalCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-FlowCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	Concentrated mass element	0D Mesh	Concentrated Mass	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box. For the thermal solver, specify the thermo-optical properties for radiation in the physical property table.
Spring Type 1	CELAS1	StructuralCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	Scalar spring connection element that behaves as a simple extension/compression or rotational spring. You can define a constant or nonlinear stiffness value.	0D Mesh 1D Mesh or 1D Connection	Spring (PELAS for linear stiffness values and PELAST for nonlinear stiffness values)	–
Spring Type 2	CELAS2	StructuralCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	Scalar spring connection element that behaves as a simple extension/compression or rotational spring. You can only define a constant thickness value.	–	All properties are defined as Mesh Associated Data
Bushing	CBUSH	StructuralCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	Axial spring element that accounts for the distance between the connecting grid points when transferring loads. You can specify constant or nonlinear stiffness values in all six degrees-of-freedom.	Bushing (PBUSH for constant stiffness and PBUSHT for nonlinear stiffness values)	–
Unidirectional Bushing	CBUSH1D	StructuralCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	Axial spring element that supports large displacements.	Unidirectional Bushing (PBUSH1D)	–

1D elements

Element name	Corresponding Simcenter Nastran element name	Supported analysis types	Description	Pre/Post command	Physical property table names	Additional information
Bar	CBAR	StructuralThermalCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-FlowCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	General purpose 1D element that supports tension and compression, torsion, bending in two perpendicular planes, and shear in two perpendicular planes.	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	Bar (PBAR)Bar Cross Section (PBARL)	For the thermal solver, specify the thermo-optical properties for radiation in the physical property table.
Beam	CBEAM	StructuralThermalCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-FlowCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	General purpose 1D element that supports tension and compression, torsion, bending in two perpendicular planes, and shear in two perpendicular planes.	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	Beam (PBEAM)Beam Cross Section (PBEAML)	For the thermal solver, specify the thermo-optical properties for radiation in the physical property table.
Interpolation Constraint Element	RSPLINE	Structural	1D elastic interpolation constraint element that you can use to connect 2-100 nodes.	1D Mesh 1D Connection Element Create	–	You can use the D/L option in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box to specify the ratio of the diameter of the elastic tube to the sum of the lengths of all segments.You can use the Interpolation Constraint options in the Element Associated Data dialog box to specify which degrees of freedom to constrain for the dependent nodes of the RSPLINE element.
Interpolation Element	RBE3	StructuralCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	Interpolation constraint element created with the 1D Connection command	1D Connection	–	–
Duct	N/A	ThermalCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-FlowCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	Thermal duct or stream element	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	DuctDuct with Thick WallDuct with Mass FlowDuct AxisymmetricDuct with Mass Flow Axisymmetric	Modeling ducts with 1D elementsFor the thermal solver, specify the thermo-optical properties for radiation in the Duct with Thick Wall physical property table. Duct and stream elements do not participate in radiation calculations. Only the duct wall can participate in radiation calculations.Use the Duct Axisymmetric and Duct with Mass Flow Axisymmetric physical properties to model annular ducts using axisymmetric curves in a thermal model, which has both axisymmetric elements and non-axisymmetric elements. The axisymmetric elements cannot share nodes with the non-axisymmetric elements.
Rigid Bar	RBAR	StructuralCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	Rigid bar element	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
Rigid Link	RBE2	StructuralCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	Rigid link	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.

2D elements

Element name	Corresponding Simcenter Nastran element name	Analysis type	Description	Pre/Post command	Physical property table namesNOTE	Additional information
Axisymmetric Linear or Parabolic Quadrilateral	CQUADX4****CQUADX8	Structural with the 2D Solid Option set to anything other than NoneThermal with the 2D Solid Option set to anything other than NoneCoupled Thermal-Structural with the 2D Solid Option set to anything other than NoneCoupled Flow-Structural with the 2D Solid Option set to anything other than NoneCoupled Thermal-Flow with the 2D Solid Option set to anything other than NoneCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural with the 2D Solid Option set to anything other than None	Isoparametric and axisymmetric quadrilateral cross-section ring element with or without midside nodes	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	Solid (PSOLID)	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box. For the thermal solver, specify the thermo-optical properties for radiation in the physical property table.
Axisymmetric Linear or Parabolic Triangle	CTRAX3****CTRAX6	Isoparametric and axisymmetric triangular cross-section ring element with or without midside nodes
Chocking Linear or Parabolic Quadrilateral	CCHOCK4****CCHOCK8	4- or 8-noded quadrilateral axisymmetric element for special modeling situations	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	Chocking Property (PCHOCK)	Chocking elementsEnter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box. For the thermal solver, specify the thermo-optical properties for radiation in the physical property table.
Chocking Linear or Parabolic Triangle	CCHOCK3****CCHOCK6	3- or 6-noded triangular axisymmetric element for special modeling situations
Plane Strain Linear or Parabolic Triangle	CPLSTN3****CPLSTN6	3- or 6-noded triangular plane strain element	Plane Property (PPLANE)Generalized Plane Strain Property (PGPLSN)	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box. For the thermal solver, specify the thermo-optical properties for radiation and top to bottom couplings for two-layer shells in the physical property table.
Plane Strain Linear or Parabolic Quadrilateral	CPLSTN4****CPLSTN8	4- or 8-noded quadrilateral plane strain element
Plane Stress Linear or Parabolic Triangle	CPLSTS3****CPLSTS6	3- or 6-noded triangular plane stress element	Plane Property (PPLANE)	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box. For the thermal solver, specify the thermo-optical properties for radiation and top to bottom couplings for two-layer shells in the physical property table.
Plane Stress Linear or Parabolic Quadrilateral	CPLSTS4****CPLSTS8	4- or 8-noded quadrilateral plane stress element
Coating Linear or Parabolic Quadrilateral	N/A	ThermalFlowCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-FlowCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	4- or 8-noded quadrilateral thin shell element	Coating	Special considerations for thermal meshingFor the thermal solver, specify the thermo-optical properties for radiation and top to bottom couplings for two-layer shells in the physical property table.The Coating physical property is not present in Flow and Coupled Flow-Structural analyses because it is not needed.
Coating Linear or Parabolic Triangle	N/A	3- or 6-noded triangular thin shell element
Linear or Parabolic Quadrilateral	CQUADR	StructuralThermalCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-FlowCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	4- or 8-noded quadrilateral thin shell element	Thin Shell (PSHELL)Laminate (PCOMP and PCOMPG)	For more information, see 2D meshes for Multiphysics structural solutionsEnter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box. For the thermal solver, specify the thermo-optical properties for radiation and top to bottom couplings for two-layer shells in the physical property table.The Laminate physical property is only supported in Structural analysis.
Linear or Parabolic Triangle	CTRIAR	3- or 6-noded triangular thin shell element
Linear or Parabolic Quadrilateral Seed	N/A	StructuralThermalCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-FlowCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	4- or 8-noded quadrilateral thin shell element that is only used to control the placement of nodes in an associated solid mesh.	Laminate	2D meshes for Multiphysics structural solutions
Linear or Parabolic Triangle Seed	N/A	3- or 6-noded triangular thin shell element that is only used to control the placement of nodes in an associated solid mesh.

3D elements

Element name	Corresponding Simcenter Nastran element name	Analysis type	Description	Pre/Post command	Physical property table namesNOTE	Additional information
Linear or Parabolic Cohesive Hexahedron	CHEXCZ	StructuralThermalCoupled Thermal-StructuralCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-FlowCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	8- to 20-noded cohesive hexahedral solid element	3D Swept Mesh with Type set to Manual Between	Cohesive Property (PSOLCZ)	Cohesive elementsEnter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box.
Linear or Parabolic Cohesive Wedge	CPENTCZ	6- to 15-noded cohesive pentahedral (wedge) solid element	3D Swept Mesh with Type set to Manual BetweenNote: This element type is created automatically by the software to model transition areas.
Linear or Parabolic Hexahedron	CHEXA	8- to 20-noded hexahedral solid element	3D Swept Mesh or 3D Hybrid Mesh or 3D Hybrid from Shell Mesh	Solid (PSOLID)Solid Laminate	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box.This software exports the Solid Laminate property table as the PSOLID entry if the laminate is homogenous and as the PCOMPS entry if the laminate is layered.For the thermal solver, specify the thermo-optical properties for radiation in the physical property table.
Linear or Parabolic Wedge	CPENTA	6- to 15-noded pentahedral (wedge) solid element	3D Swept Mesh 3D Tetrahedral Mesh or 3D Hybrid Mesh with Boundary Layer mesh controlNote: This element type is created automatically by the software to model transition areas.
Linear or Parabolic Pyramid	CPYRAM	5- to 13-noded pyramid solid element	3D Tetrahedral Mesh or 3D Hybrid Mesh or 3D Hybrid from Shell Mesh Note: In the 3D Tetrahedral Mesh dialog box, select the Transition with Pyramid Elements check box to create transitional pyramid elements between the tetrahedral mesh and an adjacent hexahedral mesh.
Linear or Parabolic Tetrahedron	CTETRA	4- to 10-noded tetrahedral solid element	3D Tetrahedral Mesh or Solid from Shell or 3D Hybrid Mesh or 3D Hybrid from Shell Mesh
Fluid Linear or Parabolic Hexahedron	N/A	FlowCoupled Flow-StructuralCoupled Thermal-FlowCoupled Thermal-Flow-Structural	8- to 20-noded hexahedral fluid element	3D Swept Mesh or 3D Hybrid Mesh or 3D Hybrid from Shell Mesh	Fluid	–
Fluid Linear or Parabolic Wedge	N/A	6- to 15-noded pentahedral (wedge) fluid element	3D Swept Mesh 3D Tetrahedral Mesh or 3D Hybrid Mesh with Boundary Layer mesh controlNote: This element type is created automatically by the software to model transition areas.
Fluid Linear or Parabolic Pyramid	N/A	5- to 13-noded pyramid fluid element	3D Tetrahedral Mesh or 3D Hybrid Mesh or 3D Hybrid from Shell Mesh Note: In the 3D Tetrahedral Mesh dialog box, select the Transition with Pyramid Elements check box to create transitional pyramid elements between the tetrahedral mesh and an adjacent hexahedral mesh.
Fluid Linear or Parabolic Tetrahedron	N/A	4- to 10-noded tetrahedral fluid element	3D Tetrahedral Mesh or Solid from Shell or 3D Hybrid Mesh or 3D Hybrid from Shell Mesh

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2D meshes for Multiphysics structural solutions

Chocking elements

Cohesive elements

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Multiphysics elements, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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