/BRICK

Block Format Keyword

/BRICK - Hexahedral Solid Element and Thick Shell Element with 8 Nodes

Defines a hexahedral solid element and thick shell element with 8 nodes.

Format

Field	Contents
part_ID	Part identifier of the block (Integer, maximum 10 digits)
brick_ID	Element identifier (Integer)
node_ID1	Node identifier 1 (Integer)
node_ID2	Node identifier 2 (Integer)
node_ID3	Node identifier 3 (Integer)
node_ID4	Node identifier 4 (Integer)
node_ID5	Node identifier 5 =0 for tetrahedron with a specific formulation. (Integer)
node_ID6	Node identifier 6 =0 for tetrahedron with a specific formulation. (Integer)
node_ID7	Node identifier 7 =0 for tetrahedron with a specific formulation. (Integer)
node_ID8	Node identifier 8 =0 for tetrahedron with a specific formulation. (Integer)

1.	The identifier (ID) must be unique in each element family, but it is advised for each element type to have a unique element identifier in the global model.

2.	More than one solid block can be used to define a part.

3.	Any number of solids can be defined in one block.

4.	For /MAT/LAW59 and /MAT/LAW83 the element local coordinate system is special. Normal direction t is constructed from bottom (1-2-3-4) and top (5-6-7-8).

clip0035

5.	A property set is compulsory.

6.	In order to input degenerated 3D solid elements (Pentahedron /PENTA6), any two nodes belonging to a same edge may be collapsed (starting from the full 8-node solid element).

Examples are given below:

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6.	The 8-node thick shell element is defined as a 3D solid element with /BRICK.

8 node thick shells are treated internally as solid elements (brick_ID), using solid properties, solid materials and solid groups (grbric_ID).

7.	For thick shell element with the formulation PA6 (Isolid =15), only /PENTA6 elements can be used.