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Eight-Node Plane Stress Element (CPS8 and CPS8R)

The eight-node plane stress element is a 2D element used for plane stress analysis. It assumes loading only acts in the plane and displacement occurs only in the x and y directions. The element is essentially a shell element with zero thickness in the z-direction and imposed kinematic constraints. Distributed loading is defined on element faces and connections to 3D structures require ensuring rigid body motions are constrained.

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Gustavo Teixeira
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56 views

Eight-Node Plane Stress Element (CPS8 and CPS8R)

The eight-node plane stress element is a 2D element used for plane stress analysis. It assumes loading only acts in the plane and displacement occurs only in the x and y directions. The element is essentially a shell element with zero thickness in the z-direction and imposed kinematic constraints. Distributed loading is defined on element faces and connections to 3D structures require ensuring rigid body motions are constrained.

Uploaded by

Gustavo Teixeira
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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04/02/2019 Eight-node plane stress element (CPS8 and CPS8R)

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Next: Three-node plane strain element Up: Element Types Previous: Six-node plane stress element
Contents

Eight-node plane stress element (CPS8 and CPS8R)


The eight node plane stress element is a general purpose plane stress element. It is actually a special case of
shell element: the structure is assumed to have a symmetry plane parallel to the x-y plane and the loading
only acts in-plane. In general, the z-coordinates are zero. Just like in the case of the shell element, the plane
stress element is expanded into a C3D20 or C3D20R element. Figures 64 and 65 apply. From the above
premises the following conclusions can be drawn:

The displacement in z-direction of the midplane is zero. This condition is introduced in the form of
SPC's. MPC's must not be defined in z-direction!
The displacements perpendicular to the z-direction of nodes not in the midplane is identical to the
displacements of the corresponding nodes in the midplane.
The normal is by default (0,0,1)
The thickness can vary. It can be defined in the same way as for the shell element, except that the
*SOLID SECTION card is used instead of the *SHELL SECTION card.
Different offsets do not make sense.
Point loads are treated in a similar way as for shells.

The use of plane stress elements can also lead to knots, namely, if the thickness varies in a discontinuous
way, or if plane stress elements are combined with other 1D or 2D elements such as axisymmetric elements.
The connection with the plane stress elements, however, is modeled as a hinge.

Distributed loading in plane stress elements is different from shell distributed loading: for the plane stress
element it is in-plane, for the shell element it is out-of-plane. Distributed loading in plane stress elements is
defined on the *DLOAD card with the labels P1 up to P4. The number indicates the face as defined in Figure
67.

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04/02/2019 Eight-node plane stress element (CPS8 and CPS8R)

Figure 67: Face numbering for quadrilateral elements

If a plane stress element is connected to a structure consisting of 3D elements the motion of this structure in
the out-of-plane direction (z-direction) is not restricted by its connection to the 2D elements. The user has to
take care that any rigid body motion of the structure involving the z-direction is taken care of, if appropriate.
This particularly applies to any springs connected to plane stress elements, look at test example spring4 for
an illustration.

Notice that structures containing plane stress elements should be defined in the global x-y plane, i.e. z=0 for
all nodes.

t i t t
Next: Three-node plane strain element Up: Element Types Previous: Six-node plane stress element
Contents
guido dhondt 2014-03-02

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