ANSYS elements

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

For descriptions of an element type, its associated physical property tables, and its KEYOPTS, see the ANSYS Element Reference and look up the element name in the Element Library section.

Note:

Some physical property tables can be used with more than one element type. For example, the Shell physical property table can be used to define SHELL63, SHELL93, SHELL181, or SHELL57 elements.

0D elements

Element name	Description	Keyopts/Modeling object name	Physical property table name	Element type in ANSYS Element Reference, Element Library
MASS21	Structural mass	MASS21 ET	MASS21	MASS21

1D elements

Element name	Description	Keyopts/Modeling object name	Physical property table name	Element type in ANSYS Element Reference, Element Library
BEAM188	3D linear finite strain beam	BEAM188 ETBEAM4 ETBEAM44 ET	BEAM188	BEAM188BEAM4 (legacy)BEAM44 (legacy)
COMBIN14	Spring-damper	COMBIN14 ET	COMBIN14	COMBIN14
COMBIN39	Unidirectional nonlinear spring element with a nonlinear, generalized force-deflection capability	COMBIN39 ET	COMBIN39	COMBIN39
FLUID116	Coupled Thermal-Fluid Pipe	FLUID116ET	FLUID116	FLUID116
LINK31	1D radiation bar	LINK31ET	LINK31	LINK31
LINK33_BAR	3D conduction bar	–	LINK33	LINK33
LINK34	1D, 2 node uniaxial element with the ability to convect heat between its nodes	LINK34ET	LINK34	LINK34
LINK33_BEAM	3D conduction beam	–	LINK33	LINK33
LINK180	3-D Finite Strain Spar (or Truss)	LINK180 ETLINK8 ETLINK10 ET	LINK180	LINK180LINK8 (legacy)LINK10 (legacy)
MPC184	Multipoint constraint elements	MPC184 ET	–	MPC184
PIPE288	1D, 2 node element with an orientation node	PIPE288ET	PIPE288	PIPE288
PRETS179	Pretension	–	PRETS179	PRETS179
Rigid link CE (Conductor)	Rigid link between two nodes to transfer thermal conduction	–	–	CE command in ANSYS Commands Reference
Rigid link RL (CERIG, CP, MASS 21)	CERIG and/or CP, and/or MASS21 can be written to the input file.CERIG and CP do not transmit loads. To transmit loads across a rigid link, use the MPC184 element.	–	–	CERIG and CP commands in ANSYS Commands Reference

2D elements

Element name	Description	Keyopts/Modeling object name	Physical property table name	Element type in ANSYS Element Reference, Element Library
INTER192	4-node gasket element for axisymmetric structural analyses (available from the 2D Mapped Mesh dialog box)	INTER192 ET	INTER192	INTER192
SHELL131	4- or 3-node layered thermal shell element	SHELL131ET****SHELL57 ET	Shell	SHELL131SHELL57 (legacy)
SHELL132	8- or 6-node parabolic element (quadrilateral or triangular)	SHELL132ET****SHELL93ET	SHELL	SHELL132SHELL93 (legacy)
SHELL181 (3)	3-node triangular finite strain shell	SHELL181 ET****SHELL63 ET	ShellLaminateBasic Laminate	SHELL181SHELL63 (legacy)
SHELL181 (4)	4-node quadrilateral finite strain shell	SHELL181 ET****SHELL63 ET	ShellLaminateBasic Laminate	SHELL181SHELL63 (legacy)
SHELL281 (6)	6-node triangular finite strain shell	SHELL281 ETSHELL99 ETSHELL93 ET****SHELL91 ET	ShellLaminateBasic Laminate	SHELL281SHELL99 (legacy)SHELL93 (legacy)SHELL91 (legacy)
SHELL281 (8)	8-node quadrilateral finite strain shell	SHELL281 ETSHELL99 ETSHELL93 ET****SHELL91 ET	ShellLaminateBasic Laminate	SHELL281SHELL99 (legacy)SHELL93 (legacy)SHELL91 (legacy)
SOLID272(3)	3-node linear triangular axisymmetric structural element.	SOLID272ET	General Axisymmetric Solid	SOLID272
SOLID272(4)	4-node linear quadrilateral axisymmetric structural element.	SOLID272ET	General Axisymmetric Solid	SOLID272
SOLID273(6)	6-node parabolic triangular axisymmetric structural element.	SOLID272ET	General Axisymmetric Solid	SOLID272
SOLID273(8)	8-node parabolic quadrilateral axisymmetric structural element.	SOLID272ET	General Axisymmetric Solid	SOLID272

3D elements

Element name	Description	Keyopts/Modeling object name	Physical property table name	Element type in ANSYS Element Reference, Element Library
INTER195	8-node gasket element available from the 3D Swept Mesh dialog box	INTER195 ET	Solid	INTER195
INTER204 (15)	15-node cohesive elementNote: In ANSYS, this is a 12-node element. When you export or solve the model, this software removes the midside nodes on the four edges that connect the top and bottom faces of the element.	INTER204 ET	-	INTER204
INTER204 (20)	20-node cohesive elementNote: In ANSYS, this is a 16-node element. When you export or solve the model, this software removes the midside nodes on the four edges that connect the top and bottom faces of the element.	INTER204 ET	-	INTER204
INTER205 (15)	8-node cohesive element	INTER205 ET	-	INTER205
PLANE55 (3)	3-node 2D thermal solid	PLANE55 ET	Axisymmetric Thermal	PLANE55
PLANE55 (4)	4-node 2D thermal solid	PLANE55 ET	Axisymmetric Thermal	PLANE55
PLANE77 (6)	6-node 2D thermal solid	PLANE77 ET	Axisymmetric Thermal	PLANE77
PLANE77 (8)	8-node 2D thermal solid	PLANE77 ET	Axisymmetric Thermal	PLANE77
PLANE182(3)	2-D 3-Node Structural Solid	PLANE182 ETPLANE42 ETPLANE25 ET	Axisymmetric Solid	PLANE182PLANE42 (legacy)PLANE25 (harmonic)
PLANE182 (4)	2-D 4-Node Structural Solid	PLANE182 ETPLANE42 ETPLANE25 ET	Axisymmetric Solid	PLANE182PLANE42 (legacy)PLANE25 (harmonic)
PLANE183 (6)	2-D 6-Node Structural Solid	PLANE183 ETPLANE82 ETPLANE83 ET	Axisymmetric Solid	PLANE183PLANE82 (legacy)PLANE83 (harmonic)
PLANE183 (8)	2-D 8-Node Structural Solid	PLANE183 ETPLANE82 ETPLANE83 ET	Axisymmetric Solid	PLANE183PLANE82 (legacy)PLANE83 (harmonic)
SOLID70 (4)	4-node 3D thermal solid	SOLID70 ET	SOLID70	SOLID70
SOLID70 (8)	8-node 3D thermal solid	SOLID70 ET	SOLID70	SOLID70
SOLID72	4-node tetrahedral solid, 6 DOF	–	–	Obsolete element type
SOLID90 (20)	20-node 3D thermal shell	SOLID90 ET	–	SOLID90
SOLID185 (4)	3-D 8-Node Structural Solid or Layered Solid	SOLID185 ET****SOLID45 ET	Solid	SOLID185SOLID45 (legacy)
SOLID186 (20)	20-node 3D structural solid or layered solidNote: You can edit the mesh associated data for a mesh of SOLID187 elements to create degenerate tetrahedral SOLID186 elements.	SOLID186 ET****SOLID95 ET	LaminateBasic LaminateSolid	SOLID186SOLID95 (legacy)
SOLID187 (10)	10-node 3D tetrahedral structural solid	SOLID187 ET****SOLID92 ET	Solid	SOLID187SOLID92 (legacy)
SOLID191 (20)	20-node 3D layered structural solidFor solid laminate models only.	SOLID191 ET	Laminate****Basic Laminate	SOLID191
SOLID226	15-or 20-node coupled field solid element (Hexahedral 20, Pyramid 15, and Wedge 15)	SOLID226ET	Solid	SOLID226
SOLID227	10-node coupled field solid element	SOLID227ET	Solid	SOLID227
SOLSH190 (8)	8-node 3D layered solid shell	SOLSH190 ET	Laminate****Basic Laminate	SOLSH190
SURF154	3D structural surface effectNote: You cannot create SURF154 elements in Pre/Post. The software creates them automatically in your ANSYS input file when you export or solve a model that contains a Pressure load with the Type set to either Components or Components-Spatial.	N/A	N/A	SURF154
SURF151	2D thermal surface effectNote: You cannot create SURF151 elements in Pre/Post. The software creates them automatically in your ANSYS input file when you export or solve a model that contains a Convection (on edge), Heat Flux (nodal) or Heat Generation (nodal) with the Add Surface Effect Elements check box selected.	SURF151ET	SURF151 Real Constants	SURF151
SURF152	3D thermal surface effectNote: You cannot create SURF152 elements in Pre/Post. The software creates them automatically in your ANSYS input file when you export or solve a model that contains a Convection (on face), Heat Flux (on face) or Heat Generation (on face or on elements) with the Add Surface Effect Elements check box selected. The software also creates SURF152 elements when you create a Radiation load and select the Use radiation load to apply flame temperature on SURF152 extra node option in the Solution dialog box.	SURF152ET	SURF152 Real Constants	SURF152

Contact elements

Element name	Description	Keyopts/Modeling object name	Physical property table name	Element type in ANSYS Element Reference, Element Library
CONTA172 CONTA174 CONTA175****CONTA177 TARGE169 TARGE170	These contact elements are created automatically by the software in your ANSYS input file when you export or solve your model when your model contains Structural Contact or Thermal Contact with manual pairing and the Use ESURF option in the Simulation Region dialog box set to No.	CONTA174 ET	CONTA174 Real Constants	CONTA172 CONTA174CONTA175CONTA177TARGE169TARGE170
CONTA178	3-D node-to-node contact element	CONTA178ETCONTAC52 ETCONTAC12 ET	CONTA178	CONTA178CONTAC52 (legacy)CONTAC12 (legacy axisymmetric)
Contact Mesh, Contact Spring type	Combination	COMBIN40 ET	COMBIN40	COMBIN40

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