Picking an element type for FEA

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the preference for 8-node quadrilateral elements over 4-node quadrilateral elements in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) stress analysis. The 8-node elements are favored due to their ability to accommodate complex geometries more effectively, thanks to the inclusion of mid-side nodes. This feature allows for higher-order interpolation, leading to improved accuracy in stress calculations, particularly in scenarios with limited mesh density. The article referenced provides a practical overview of the benefits of mid-side node elements in ANSYS.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
  • Familiarity with ANSYS software
  • Knowledge of element types in FEA, specifically quadrilateral elements
  • Basic principles of interpolation methods in numerical analysis
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the differences between 4-node and 8-node quadrilateral elements in FEA
  • Explore the implementation of mid-side nodes in ANSYS simulations
  • Learn about higher-order interpolation techniques in numerical methods
  • Investigate mesh density optimization strategies for FEA
USEFUL FOR

Engineers and analysts involved in FEA, particularly those using ANSYS for stress analysis, as well as students and professionals seeking to enhance their understanding of element selection and interpolation methods in computational mechanics.

mattyboson12
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When choosing between a 2D 4-node quadrilateral element and 8-node for FEA stress analysis, why is the 8 node option preferred? I understand it has much more flexibility with different shapes due to the central mid node but are there any other reasons?
 
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This article gives a useful practical overview of mid-side node elements for stress calculation in ANSYS: http://www.padtinc.com/blog/the-focus/mid-side-nodes-do-they-really-help

The advantages of elements with mid-side nodes are two fold:
  1. The sides of the element can better follow curved or non-uniform surface geometries
  2. Straight-sided (a.k.a. linear) elements only have two elements along any edge, so only linear interpolation is available between the nodes; if mesh density is limited, this can become a problem. FEA elements with mid-side nodes along each side allow for order (n-1) interpolation, so in the case of an element with single mid-side nodes (3 nodes per edge), 2nd-order quadratic interpolation is possible between nodes which in some cases results in smoother stress calculations.
 
Thank you
 

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