PLINE

Geometric properties Element

Description

PLINE lets you specify the properties for an associated line spring element

Format

<PLINE

id = "integer"

k = "real"

c = "real"

dir = "integer"

L1 = "real"

L2 = "real"

L3 = "real"

L4 = "real"

L5 = "real"

L6 = "real"

graph = "integer"

Attributes

Unique beam property identification number.

Spring stiffness.

Damping coefficient, default = 0.

dir

This attribute specifies the direction of resistance for the spring element.

dir = -1 implies a compression only spring. That is, there is no resistance to tension.

dir = 1 implies a tension-only resisting spring. That is, there is no resistance to compression.

dir = 0 implies the spring can resist both tension and compression.

The default is dir = 0.

L1 – L6

Relaxed distance between nodes 1 and 2.

graph

A post processing flag that determines how this element is represented in the animation H3D. Default is 0.

Comments

1.	This type of property card is used to specify the properties of an associated spring damper element. Each line property element must have a unique identification number.

2.	This property card defines the geometrical properties of the cable. The material properties of the beam are defined by the material specified by mid.

This property card also defines the resistance direction which is specified by the parameter dir. If the parameter dir=-1 this means that the line element has compression resistance only. If the parameter dir=0 this means that the line element has compression and tension resistance and if the parameter dir=1 this means that the line element has tension resistance only. Moreover, the default value of the parameter dir=0 i.e the default that the line element has compression and tension resistance.

4.	L1, L2 ……L6 is the relaxed distance between the element nodes; the default value is calculated from where is the nodal position of node i and is the nodal position of node j.

5.	graph is a post processing flag that determines how this element will be represented in the animation H3D file.

•	graph = “0” implies that this element will not be represented in the H3D.

•	graph = “1” implies that this element will be represented as a line drawn between the two connecting nodes.

Example

The example demonstrates the definition of a PLINE property element.