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Step 2: Specify element type and constants

Specify Element Type

We next select the appropriate element type(s) for our problem from a large list of about 200 candidates. Consider this as equivalent to rifling through a sizable toolchest, picking out one or more tools and placing them on a table for later use (in step 5, in our case). To see which element types are appropriate for this problem, bring up the pictorial summary of element types: Utility menu > Help > Help Topics. Search for "pictorial summary" and double-click on the search result titled 3.2 Pictorial Summary. Click on the link to SOLID Elements. These are the element types you can use to mesh a solid volume. Check out the Solid45 element type. It is a brick-shaped element of the type referred to as "hexahedral" or "hex". It has a node at each corner and each node has three degrees of freedom: displacement in the x, y and z directions.

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Close the Element Types menu.

Specify Element Constants

There are no real constants to be set for either element type as noted above.

Save your work

Toolbar > SAVE_DB

Go to Step 3: Specify material properties

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