stdBrick and Brick8N to model 3D solid structural members?

JoseLeo · Post by **JoseLeo** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:59 pm

since these elements only have 3 translational DOFs at each node with no rotation (-ndm 3 -dof 3), are there any further improvement on these 2 solid elements (stdBrick and Brick8N) to be used in 3D solid modeling of structural members such as columns, beams, slabs, footings, or piles..? or can they still be used as solid models for structural members with axial load, bending, and shear.?

any comment will be highly appreciated. thanks.

silvia · Post by **silvia** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:40 am

i have never done it, but i hear we don't have the right materials for it.

JoseLeo · Post by **JoseLeo** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 9:53 am

i see. so that is why for the moment these elements are just mostly used for continuum modeling of soils and rarely/not for structural members.

because I was just thinking despite these limitations whether I can use either of these stdBrick and Brick8N elements to model 3D solid structural members in one-dimensional compression or tension, say axially loaded piles or columns (pipes, tubes, structural steel, or even reinforced concrete sections with assumed bonded reinforcement). the nodes coordinates and element definition maybe quite tough but with so many solid preprocessors and meshing nowadays it may not be a problem.

i am really hoping sometime in the future releases of Opensees these solid elements may be fully extended to the solid modeling of structural members as well.