Supported Element Types

The analysis model can contain arbitrary element types, but not all element types can be used in the design area. In addition, for the definition of restriction areas only certain element types are permitted. All other elements in the analysis model are considered as dummy elements in the optimization; for example, the elements not changed during the optimization process.

Some further restrictions might apply regarding specific design responses. Check remarks for this.

Tosca Structure-elementtype

Abaqus-elementtype

Design element (see below)

PLANE_QUAD_4

CAX4

CAX4H

CAX4HT

CAX4I

CAX4IH

CAX4R

CAX4RH

CAX4RHT

CAX4RT

CAX4T

C, S, F

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S, F

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

PLANE_QUAD_4

CGAX4

CGAX4H

CGAX4HT

CGAX4R

CGAX4RH

CGAX4RHT

CGAX4RT

CGAX4T

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

PLANE_QUAD_4

CPE4

CPE4H

CPE4HT

CPE4I

CPE4IH

CPE4R

CPE4RH

CPE4RHT

CPE4RT

CPE4T

C, S, F

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

PLANE_QUAD_4

CPEG4

CPEG4H

CPEG4HT

CPEG4I

CPEG4IH

CPEG4R

CPEG4RH

CPEG4RHT

CPEG4RT

CPEG4T

C, S, SNO

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S, SNO

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

PLANE_QUAD_4

CPS4

CPS4I

CPS4R

CPS4RT

CPS4T

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

C, S

PLANE_QUAD_8

CPE8RT

CPE8T

CPEG8

CPEG8H

CPEG8HT

CPEG8R

CPEG8RH

CPEG8RHT

CPEG8T

C, S

C, S

C, S, SNO

C, S

C, S

C, S, SNO

C, S

C, S

C, S

PLANE_QUAD_8

CPS8

CPS8R

CPS8RT

CPS8T

C, S, SNO, F

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

C, S

PLANE_QUAD_8

CAX8

CAX8H

CAX8HT

CAX8R

CAX8RH

CAX8RHT

CAX8RT

CAX8T

C, S, F

C, S

C, S

C, S, F

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

PLANE_QUAD_8

CGAX8

CGAX8H

CGAX8HT

CGAX8R

CGAX8RH

CGAX8RHT

CGAX8RT

CGAX8T

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

PLANE_QUAD_8

CPE8

CPE8H

CPE8HT

CPE8R

CPE8RH

CPE8RHT

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

C, S

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

C, S

PLANE_TRIANG_3

CAX3

CAX3H

CAX3T

C, S, F

C, S

C, S

PLANE_TRIANG_3

CGAX3

CGAX3H

CGAX3HT

CGAX3T

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

PLANE_TRIANG_3

CPE3

CPE3H

CPE3T

CPEG3

CPEG3H

CPEG3HT

CPEG3T

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

C, S

C, S, SNO

C, S

C, S

C, S

PLANE_TRIANG_3

CPS3

CPS3T

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

PLANE_TRIANG_6

CGAX6

CGAX6H

CGAX6M

CGAX6MH

CPEG6

CPEG6H

CPEG6M

CPEG6MH

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, Z

PLANE_TRIANG_6

CPE6H

CPE6M

CPE6MH

CPE6MHT

CPE6MT

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

PLANE_TRIANG_6

CPEG6

CPEG6H

CPEG6M

CPEG6MH

CPEG6MHT

CPEG6MT

C, S, SNO

C, S, SNO

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

PLANE_TRIANG_6

CPS6

CPS6M

CPS6MT

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

C, S

SOLID_BRICK_8

C3D8

C3D8H

C3D8HT

C3D8I

C3D8IH

C3D8R

C3D8RH

C3D8RHT

C3D8RT

C3D8T

SC8R

C, S, SNO, F, STS

C, S

C, S

C, S, STS

C, S

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S, SNO

SOLID_BRICK_20

C3D20

C3D20H

C3D20HT

C3D20R

C3D20RH

C3D20RHT

C3D20RT

C3D20T

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

C, S

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

C, S

C, S

C, S

SOLID_TETRA_4

C3D4

C3D4H

C3D4T

C, S, SNO, F, STS

C, S

C, S

SOLID_TETRA_10

C3D10

C3D10H

C3D10M

C3D10MH

C3D10MHT

C3D10MT

C, S, SNO, F, STS

C, S, SNO

C, S, SNO

C, S, SNO

C, S, SNO

C, S, SNO

SOLID_PENTA_6

C3D6

C3D6H

C3D6T

SC6R

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

C, S

C, S, SNO

SOLID_PENTA_15

C3D15

C3D15H

C, S, SNO, F

C, S

SHELL_QUAD_4

M3D4

M3D4R

S4

S4R

S4R5

C, S, F

C, S, F

C, S, SNO, SBO, STB, F, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, STB, F, Z

C

SHELL_QUAD_8

M3D8

M3D8R

S8R

S8R5

S8RT

C, S, SNO, SBO, F

C, S, F

C, S, SNO, SBO, STB, F, Z

C

C, S

SHELL_TRIANG_3

M3D3

S3

S3R

STRI3

C, S, F

C, S, SNO, SBO, STB, F, Z

C, S, SNO, SBO, STB, F, Z

C, S, SNO, F

SHELL_TRIANG_6

M3D6

STRI65

C, S, F

C, Z (only supported if user ensures, that rotational DOFs are written to and ODB file)

BEAM_2D

B21

B21H

R2D2

RAX2

RB2D2

T2D2

T2D2H

T2D2T

F, S, Z

F

-

-

-

-

-

-

Beam elements are allowed as restriction elements in shape optimization

BEAM_3D

B31

B31H

RB3D2

T3D2

T3D2H

T3D2T

SPRINGA

SPRING2(S)

F, S, Z

F

-

-

-

-

F

F

Beam elements are allowed as restriction elements in shape optimization

MASS_1

MASS

DUMMY_ELEM_TYPE

all not supported element types

C = allowed for controller-based optimization (bead, shape, and topology)

S = allowed for sensitivity-based topology optimization

SNO = allowed for sensitivity-based shape optimization using solver sensitivities

STS = allowed for sensitivity-based shape optimization using internal sensitivity calculation routines

SBO = allowed for sensitivity-based bead optimization using solver sensitivities

STB = allowed for sensitivity-based bead optimization using internal sensitivity calculation routines

F = allowed for the design responses that use the element-based reaction and internal forces and for frequency response

Z = allowed for sizing optimization

For shape and bead optimization, only nodes belonging to elements supported by Tosca Structure can be used as design nodes, see About Design Variables (DV_SHAPE) and Design Variables (DV_BEAD) for details.

More solver-specific information about a sensitivity-based algorithm is found in Remarks for Sensitivity-Based Optimizations. For sensitivity-based bead optimization, see Special Remarks Using Sensitivity-Based Algorithm.

The following are the acoustic elements supported specifically for NVH analysis. Apart from these, conventional shell elements are supported for the modeling of solid structures.

Acoustic continuum elements:

 Element type
One-dimensional:

AC1D2

AC1D3

2-node link

3-node link
Two-dimensional:

AC2D3

AC2D4

AC2D4R

AC2D6

AC2D8

3-node linear

4-node bilinear

4-node bilinear reduced integration with hourglass control

6-node quadratic

8-node biquadratic
Three-dimensional:

AC3D4

AC3D6

AC3D8R

AC3D10

AC3D15

AC3D20

4-node linear tetrahedron

6-node linear triangular prism

8-node linear brick reduced integration with hourglass control

10-node quadratic tetrahedron

15-node quadratic triangular prism

20-node quadratic brick
Axisymmetric:

ACAX3

ACAX4R

ACAX4

ACAX6

ACAX

3-node linear

4-node linear, reduced integration with hourglass control

4-node linear

6-node quadratic

8-node quadratic
Acoustic Infinite Elements

2-D acoustic infinite elements:

ACIN2D2

ACIN2D3

2-node linear, acoustic infinite

3-node quadratic, acoustic infinite
3-D acoustic infinite elements:

ACIN3D3

ACIN3D4

ACIN3D6

ACIN3D8

3-node linear, acoustic infinite triangular element

4-node linear, acoustic infinite quadrilateral element

6-node quadratic, acoustic infinite triangular element

8-node quadratic, acoustic infinite quadrilateral element
Axisymmetric acoustic infinite elements:

ACINAX2

ACINAX3

2-node linear, acoustic infinite

3-node quadratic, acoustic infinite

Remarks

Important:

  • In shape optimization, the form of the shell structure is optimized and not its thickness. This means that the shell edges are modified and that modifications on the shell level are not carried out.
  • For frequency response, the geometric nonlinearities and the incompatible, modified, and hybrid elements are not supported.
  • Shell elements are not admitted for stresses in topology optimization.