Nastran elements

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

For a description of an element type or its associated physical properties, follow the links to the bulk data entry name in the Simcenter Nastran Quick Reference Guide.

0D elements

Element name	Analysis type	Description	Pre/Post command	Physical property table names	Additional information
CBUSH	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Node-to-ground spring	0D Mesh	PBUSH, PBUSHT	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CBUSH1D	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Rod type spring-and-damper Connection	0D Mesh	PBUSH1D	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CDAMP1	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Scalar damper node-to-ground connection	0D Mesh	PDAMP, PDAMPT	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CDAMP2	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Scalar damper node-to-ground	0D Mesh	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CELAS1	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Node-to-ground spring	0D Mesh	PELAS, PELAST	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CELAS2	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Node-to-ground spring	0D Mesh	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CMASS1	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Scalar mass node-to-ground	0D Mesh	PMASS	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CMASS2	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Scalar mass node-to-ground	0D Mesh	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CONM1	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Concentrated mass	0D Mesh	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CONM2	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Concentrated mass	0D Mesh	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.

1D elements

Element name	Analysis type	Description	Pre/Post command	Physical property table names	Additional information
CAERO2	StructuralThermal	Bar	Aero Body, 1D Mesh , or 1D Connection	PAERO2
CBAR	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Bar	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PBAR****PBARL	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CBEAM	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Beam	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PBEAM****PBEAML	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CBEAR	StructuralRotor Dynamics (including SOL 414)	Bearing	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PBEAR	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box
CBEAR2	SOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Bearing	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PBEAR2	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box
CBEND	Structural	One-dimensional bending element with a constant radius of curvature	1D Mesh or Element Create	PBEND
CBUSH	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Spring	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PBUSH****PBUSHT	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CBUSH1D	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Rod type spring-and-damper connection	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PBUSH1D	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CBUSH2	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Spring and damper connection	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PBUSH2	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CDAMP1	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Scalar damper node-to node connection	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PDAMP****PDAMPT	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CDAMP2	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Scalar damper node-to-node	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CELAS1	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	2 DOF node-to-node spring	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PELAS****PELAST	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CELAS2	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	2 DOF node-to-node spring	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CFAST	Structural	Defines a shell patch connection with direct stiffness input.	CFAST/CWELD Connection	PFAST	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CGAP	StructuralAxisymmetric Structural	Gap elements created by the 1D Mesh, 1D Connection, Contact Mesh, and Surface Contact Mesh commands	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PGAP	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CJOINT	Structural	Kinematic joint	1D Connection	PJOINT	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CLINK	SOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Connection between coincident nodes. Nodes can belong to different rotors rotating at the same speed and in the same direction.	1D Connection	-	Enter element attributes in the Element Associated Data dialog box.
CMASS1	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Scalar mass node-to-node	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PMASS	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CMASS2	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Scalar mass node-to-node	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CONROD	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Rod	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CROD	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Rod	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PROD	–
CTUBE	StructuralThermal	Tube (tension-compression-torsion) element	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PTUBE	–
CVISC	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Viscous damper element	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	PVISC	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CWELD	Structural	Defines a weld or fastener connecting two surface patches or points.	CFAST/CWELD Connection	PWELD	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
FOU3	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Connects a 3D node to a 2D axisymmetric mesh.	1D Connection or Element Create	–	Specify Fourier connection options in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box.
PLOTEL	Structural, Acoustic, or Vibro-acoustic	Dummy 1D element for use in plotting and visualization.	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	–	–
RBAR	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Rigid bar element	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
RBE2	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Rigid link	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
RBE3	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Interpolation constraint element created with the 1D Connection command	1D Connection	–	–
RROD	Structural	Rigid pin-ended connection element	1D Mesh or 1D Connection	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
RSPLINE	Structural	Elastic interpolation element	Element Create	–	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box.

2D elements

Element name	Analysis type	Description	Pre/Post command	Physical property table names	Additional information
CAERO1	StructuralThermal	3 or 4-noded triangular or quadrilateral aerodynamic plane element	Aero Panel , 2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PAERO1
CPLSTN3	Structural or Axisymmetric StructuralThermal or Axisymmetric Thermal	3-noded triangular plane strain element	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PPLANE or PLPLANE (for nonlinear plane strain or plane stress elementsPGPLSN (for Simcenter 3D Multiphysics analyses)	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CPLSTN4	Structural or Axisymmetric StructuralThermal or Axisymmetric Thermal	4-noded quadrilateral plane strain element	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PPLANE or PLPLANE (for nonlinear plane strain or plane stress elementsPGPLSN (for Simcenter 3D Multiphysics analyses)	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CPLSTN6	Structural or Axisymmetric StructuralThermal or Axisymmetric Thermal	6-noded triangular plane strain element	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PPLANE or PLPLANE (for nonlinear plane strain or plane stress elementsPGPLSN (for Simcenter 3D Multiphysics analyses)	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CPLSTN8	Structural or Axisymmetric StructuralThermal or Axisymmetric Thermal	8-noded quadrilateral plane strain element	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PPLANE or PLPLANE (for nonlinear plane strain or plane stress elementsPGPLSN (for Simcenter 3D Multiphysics analyses)	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CPLSTS3	Structural or Axisymmetric StructuralThermal or Axisymmetric Thermal	3-noded triangular plane stress element	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PPLANE or PLPLANE (for nonlinear plane strain or plane stress elements	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CPLSTS4	Structural or Axisymmetric StructuralThermal or Axisymmetric Thermal	4-noded quadrilateral plane stress element	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PPLANE or PLPLANE (for nonlinear plane strain or plane stress elements	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CPLSTS6	Structural or Axisymmetric StructuralThermal or Axisymmetric Thermal	6-noded triangular plane stress element	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PPLANE or PLPLANE (for nonlinear plane strain or plane stress elements	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CPLSTS8	Structural or Axisymmetric StructuralThermal or Axisymmetric Thermal	8-noded quadrilateral plane stress element	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PPLANE or PLPLANE (for nonlinear plane strain or plane stress elements	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CQUAD4	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	4-noded quadrilateral thin shell	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PSHELLStructural only:PLPLANE****PCOMP Laminate	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CQUAD8	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	8-noded quadrilateral thin shell	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PSHELLStructural only:PLPLANE****PCOMP Laminate	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CQUADR	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Quadrilateral thin shell	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PSHELL****PCOMP Laminate	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CQUADX4	Structural or Axisymmetric StructuralThermal or Axisymmetric ThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Isoparametric and axisymmetric quadrilateral cross-section ring element	2D Mesh	PSOLID****PLSOLID	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CQUADX8	Structural or Axisymmetric StructuralThermal or Axisymmetric ThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Isoparametric and axisymmetric quadrilateral cross-section ring element with midside nodes	2D Mesh	PSOLID****PLSOLID	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CSHEAR	Structural	Shear panel element available only from the 2D Mapped Mesh dialog box. Because the CSHEAR element has four nodes, and it has no related three-noded transition element, you can only use a CSHEAR element in a structured mesh.	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PSHEAR	–
CTRAX3	Structural or Axisymmetric StructuralThermal or Axisymmetric ThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Isoparametric and axisymmetric triangular cross-section ring element	2D Mesh	PSOLID****PLSOLID	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CTRAX6	Structural or Axisymmetric StructuralThermal or Axisymmetric ThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Isoparametric and axisymmetric triangular cross-section ring element with midside nodes	2D Mesh	PSOLID****PLSOLID	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CTRIA3	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	3-noded triangular thin shell	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PSHELLStructural only:PLPLANEPCOMPLaminate	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CTRIA6	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	6-noded triangular thin shell	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PSHELLStructural only:PLPLANE****PCOMP Laminate	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CTRIAR	StructuralSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	Triangular thin shell	2D Mesh or 2D Mapped Mesh	PSHELL****PCOMP Laminate	Enter element attributes in the Mesh Associated Data dialog box or Element Associated Data dialog box.
CTRIAX6	Axisymmetric StructuralAxisymmetric Thermal	6-noded triangular axisymmetric ZX element	2D Mesh	–	–
PLOTEL3	Structural, Acoustic, or Vibro-acoustic	Dummy 3-noded triangular element for use in plotting and visualization.	2D Mesh	–	–
PLOTEL4	Structural, Acoustic, or Vibro-acoustic	Dummy 4-noded element quadrilateral for use in plotting and visualization.	2D Mesh	–	–
PLOTEL6	Structural, Acoustic, or Vibro-acoustic	Dummy 6-noded triangular element for use in plotting and visualization.	2D Mesh	–	–
PLOTEL8	Structural, Acoustic, or Vibro-acoustic	Dummy 8-noded element quadrilateral for use in plotting and visualization.	2D Mesh	–	–

3D elements

Element name	Analysis type	Description	Pre/Post command	Physical property table names	Additional information
CHEXA(8)	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	8-noded hexahedral solid	3D Swept Mesh	PSOLID****PLSOLID (Structural only)Solid Laminate	–
CHEXA(20)	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	20-noded hexahedral solid	3D Swept Mesh	PSOLID****PLSOLID (Structural only)Solid LaminateNote: 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.	–
CHEXA (8) and (20) - Acoustic Fluid	Acoustic( Simcenter Nastran only) or Vibro-acoustic	8- or 20-noded hexahedral solid	3D Swept Mesh	-	–
CPENTA	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	A 6 to 15-noded, five sided solid	3D Swept Mesh	PSOLID****PLSOLID (Structural only)Solid LaminateNote: 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.	–
CPENTA (6) and (15) - Acoustic Fluid	Acoustic( Simcenter Nastran only) or Vibro-acoustic	A 6 to 15-noded, five sided solid	3D Tetrahedral Mesh or Solid from Shell	–	–
CPYRAM	Structural	5 or 13 nodes	Select the Transition with Pyramid Elements option in the 3D Tetrahedral Mesh dialog box to create transitional pyramid elements between the tetrahedral mesh and an adjacent hexahedral mesh.	PSOLID	–
CTETRA (4) and (10)	StructuralThermalSOL 414 Rotor Dynamics	4- or 10- noded tetrahedral solid	3D Tetrahedral Mesh or Solid from Shell	PSOLID****PLSOLID (Structural only)	–
CTETRA (4) and (10) - Acoustic Fluid	Acoustic( Simcenter Nastran only) or Vibro-acoustic	4- ro 10-noded tetrahedral solid	3D Tetrahedral Mesh or Solid from Shell	–	–
PLOTHEX(8)	Structural, Acoustic, or Vibro-acoustic	Dummy 8-noded hexahedral solid for use in plotting and visualization.	3D Hexahedral Mesh or Solid from Shell	–	–
PLOTHEX(20)	Structural, Acoustic, or Vibro-acoustic	Dummy 20-noded hexahedral solid for use in plotting and visualization.	3D Hexahedral Mesh or Solid from Shell	–	–
PLOTPEN(6)	Structural, Acoustic, or Vibro-acoustic	Dummy 6-noded 5-sided solid for use in plotting and visualization.	3D Swept Mesh	-	-
PLOTPEN(15)	Structural, Acoustic, or Vibro-acoustic	Dummy 15-noded 5-sided solid for use in plotting and visualization.	3D Swept Mesh	-	-
PLOTTET(4)	Structural, Acoustic, or Vibro-acoustic	Dummy 4-noded tetrahedral solid for use in plotting and visualization.	3D Tetrahedral Mesh or Solid from Shell	–	–
PLOTTET(10)	Structural, Acoustic, or Vibro-acoustic	Dummy 10-noded tetrahedral solid for use in plotting and visualization.	3D Tetrahedral Mesh or Solid from Shell	–	–

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Nastran elements, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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