Plate Properties: Plate/Shell User-Defined

Description

Used for the definition of plate/shell user-defined properties.

Material Tab

Matrix Tab

The stiffness matrix of the user-defined plate is defined in the element's local axis system using the three sub-matrices [C], [B] and [D]. These can be either stiffness or compliance matrices.

Membrane Matrix [C]

Coefficients of membrane stiffness or compliance matrix.

Stiffness units are Force/Length (e.g., N/mm, lbf/in).

Compliance units are Length/Force (e.g., mm/N, in/lbf).

Membrane/Bending Coupling Matrix [B]

Coefficients of membrane/bending coupling stiffness or compliance matrix.

Stiffness units are Force (e.g., N, lbf).

Compliance units are 1/Force (e.g., 1/N, 1/lbf).

Bending/Curvature Matrix [D]

Coefficients of bending/curvature stiffness or compliance matrix.

Stiffness units are Force×Length (e.g., N·mm, lbf·in).

Compliance units are 1/(Force×Length) (e.g., 1/N·mm, 1/lbf·in).

Transverse Shear

Coefficients for transverse shear stiffness matrix.

If non-zero, enables the thick plate formulation when used with Tri6/Quad8/Quad9 elements.

Units are Force/Length (e.g., N/mm, lbf/in).

Matrix Type

Type of relationship defined by the material matrix.

Stiffness

Matrix defines a stiffness relating strain to stress.

The stiffness matrix is the inverse of the compliance matrix.
Compliance

Matrix defines a compliance relating stress to strain.

The compliance matrix is the inverse of the stiffness matrix.

Check Matrices

Checks if the specified stiffness matrix is singular or not.

Nonlinear Tab

Temperature / Time

Damping Tab

Tables Tab

Thickness Tab

Equivalent Thickness

Thickness of the user-defined plate.

Used for calculating mass and for the application of edge loads (as such pressure and shear stress), which are defined per unit area.

As the force-displacement stiffness matrix is defined directly, the equivalent thickness is not used as part of the stiffness calculations.

Units are Length (e.g., m, in).