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SHELL63

Elastic Shell
MP ME ST PR PRN DS <> <> <> <> <> PP <> EME MFS
Product Restrictions

SHELL63 Element Description

Although this legacy element is available for use in your analysis, ANSYS
recommends using a current-technology element such as SHELL181 (KEYOPT(3)
= 2).

SHELL63 has both bending and membrane capabilities. Both in-plane and normal
loads are permitted. The element has six degrees of freedom at each node:
translations in the nodal x, y, and z directions and rotations about the nodal x, y, and
z-axes. Stress stiffening and large deflection capabilities are included. A consistent
tangent stiffness matrix option is available for use in large deflection (finite rotation)
analyses. See SHELL63 for more details about this element. Similar elements are
SHELL181 (plastic capability) and SHELL281 (midside node capability). The ETCHG
command converts SHELL157 elements to SHELL63.

Figure 63.1 SHELL63 Geometry

xIJ = Element x-axis if ESYS is not supplied.

x = Element x-axis if ESYS is supplied.

SHELL63 Input Data

The geometry, node locations, and the coordinate system for this element are shown
in Figure 63.1. The element is defined by four nodes, four thicknesses, an elastic
foundation stiffness, and the orthotropic material properties. Orthotropic material
directions correspond to the element coordinate directions. The element coordinate
system orientation is as described in Coordinate Systems. The element x-axis may be
rotated by an angle THETA (in degrees).
The thickness is assumed to vary smoothly over the area of the element, with the
thickness input at the four nodes. If the element has a constant thickness, only TK(I)
need be input. If the thickness is not constant, all four thicknesses must be input.

The elastic foundation stiffness (EFS) is defined as the pressure required to produce
a unit normal deflection of the foundation. The elastic foundation capability is
bypassed if EFS is less than, or equal to, zero.

For certain nonhomogeneous or sandwich shell applications, the following real

constants are provided: RMI is the ratio of the bending moment of inertia to be used
to that calculated from the input thicknesses. RMI defaults to 1.0. CTOP and CBOT
are the distances from the middle surface to the extreme fibers to be used for stress
evaluations. Both CTOP and CBOT are positive, assuming that the middle surface is
between the fibers used for stress evaluation. If not input, stresses are based on the
input thicknesses. ADMSUA is the added mass per unit area.

Element loads are described in Node and Element Loads. Pressures may be input as
surface loads on the element faces as shown by the circled numbers on Figure 63.1.
Positive pressures act into the element. Because shell edge pressures are input on a
per-unit-length basis, per-unit-area quantities must be multiplied by the shell
thickness. The lateral pressure loading may be an equivalent (lumped) element load
applied at the nodes (KEYOPT(6) = 0) or distributed over the face of the element
(KEYOPT(6) = 2). The equivalent element load produces more accurate stress results
with flat elements representing a curved surface or elements supported on an elastic
foundation since certain fictitious bending stresses are eliminated.

Temperatures may be input as element body loads at the "corner" locations (1-8)
shown in Figure 63.1. The first corner temperature T1 defaults to TUNIF. If all other
temperatures are unspecified, they default to T1. If only T1 and T2 are input, T1 is
used for T1, T2, T3, and T4, while T2 (as input) is used for T5, T6, T7, and T8. For
any other input pattern, unspecified temperatures default to TUNIF.

KEYOPT(1) is available for neglecting the membrane stiffness or the bending

stiffness, if desired. A reduced out-of-plane mass matrix is also used when the
bending stiffness is neglected.

KEYOPT(2) is used to activate the consistent tangent stiffness matrix (that is, a
matrix composed of the main tangent stiffness matrix plus the consistent stress
stiffness matrix) in large deflection analyses [NLGEOM,ON]. You can often obtain
more rapid convergence in a geometrically nonlinear analysis, such as a nonlinear
buckling or postbuckling analysis, by activating this option. However, you should not
use this option if you are using the element to simulate a rigid link or a group of
coupled nodes. The resulting abrupt changes in stiffness within the structure make
the consistent tangent stiffness matrix unsuitable for such applications.

KEYOPT(3) allows you to include (KEYOPT(3) = 0 or 2) or suppress (KEYOPT(3) = 1)

extra displacement shapes. It also allows you to choose the type of in-plane
rotational stiffness used:

• KEYOPT(3) = 0 or 1 activates a spring-type in-plane rotational stiffness about

the element z-axis
• KEYOPT(3) = 2 activates a more realistic in-plane rotational stiffness (Allman
rotational stiffness - the program uses default penalty parameter values of d1 =
1.0E-6 and d2 = 1.0E-3).

Using the Allman stiffness will often enhance convergence behavior in large
deflection (finite rotation) analyses of planar shell structures (that is, flat shells or flat
regions of shells).

KEYOPT(7) allows a reduced mass matrix formulation (rotational degrees of freedom

terms deleted). This option is useful for improved bending stresses in thin members
under mass loading.

KEYOPT(8) allows a reduced stress stiffness matrix (rotational degrees of freedom

deleted). This option can be useful for calculating improved mode shapes and a more
accurate load factor in linear buckling analyses of certain curved shell structures.

KEYOPT(11) = 2 is used to store midsurface results in the results file for single or
multi-layer shell elements. If you use SHELL,MID, you will see these calculated
values, rather than the average of the TOP and BOTTOM results. You should use this
option to access these correct midsurface results (membrane results) for those
analyses where averaging TOP and BOTTOM results is inappropriate; examples
include midsurface stresses and strains with nonlinear material behavior, and
midsurface results after mode combinations that involve squaring operations such as
in spectrum analyses.

A summary of the element input is given in "SHELL63 Input Summary". A general

description of element input is given in Element Input.

SHELL63 Input Summary

Nodes

I, J, K, L
Degrees of Freedom

UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ

Real Constants
TK(I), TK(J), TK(K), TK(L), EFS, THETA,
RMI, CTOP, CBOT, (Blank), (Blank), (Blank),
(Blank), (Blank), (Blank), (Blank), (Blank), (Blank),
ADMSUA
See Table 63.1: SHELL63 Real Constants for a description of the real constants
Material Properties

EX, EY, EZ, (PRXY, PRYZ, PRXZ or NUXY, NUYZ, NUXZ), ALPX, ALPY, ALPZ (or
CTEX, CTEY, CTEZ or THSX, THSY, THSZ), DENS, GXY, DAMP

Surface Loads
Pressures --
face 1 (I-J-K-L) (bottom, in +Z direction), face 2 (I-J-K-L) (top, in -Z direction),
face 3 (J-I), face 4 (K-J), face 5 (L-K), face 6 (I-L)
Body Loads
Temperatures --

T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8

Special Features
Stress stiffening
Large deflection
Birth and death
KEYOPT(1)

Element stiffness:

0 --

Bending and membrane stiffness

1 --

Membrane stiffness only

2 --
 Bending stiffness only

KEYOPT(2)

Stress stiffening option:

0 --

Use only the main tangent stiffness matrix when NLGEOM is ON. (Stress
stiffening effects used in linear buckling or other linear prestressed analyses
must be activated separately with PSTRES,ON.)

1 --

Use the consistent tangent stiffness matrix (that is, a matrix composed of the
main tangent stiffness matrix plus the consistent stress stiffness matrix) when
NLGEOM is ON and when KEYOPT(1) = 0. (SSTIF,ON will be ignored for this
element when KEYOPT(2) = 1 is activated.) Note that if SOLCONTROL is ON
and NLGEOM is ON, KEYOPT(2) is automatically set to 1; that is, the
consistent tangent will be used.

2 --

Use to turn off consistent tangent stiffness matrix (i.e., a matrix composed of
the main tangent stiffness matrix plus the consistent stress stiffness matrix)
when SOLCONTROL is ON. Sometimes it is necessary to turn off the
consistent tangent stiffness matrix if the element is used to simulate rigid
bodies by using a very large real constant number . KEYOPT(2) = 2 is the same
as KEYOPT(2) = 0, however, KEYOPT(2) = 0 is controlled by SOLCONTROL,
ON or OFF, while KEYOPT(2) = 2 is independent of SOLCONTROL.

KEYOPT(3)

Extra displacement shapes:

0 --

Include extra displacement shapes, and use spring-type in-plane rotational

stiffness about the element z-axis (the program automatically adds a small
stiffness to prevent numerical instability for non-warped elements if KEYOPT(1)
= 0).
 Note: For models with large rotation about the in-plane direction, KEYOPT(3) =
0 results in some transfer of moment directly to ground.
1 --

Suppress extra displacement shapes, and use spring-type in-plane rotational

stiffness about the element z-axis (the program automatically adds a small
stiffness to prevent numerical instability for non-warped elements if KEYOPT(1)
= 0).

2 --

Include extra displacement shapes, and use the Allman in-plane rotational
stiffness about the element z-axis). See the Theory Reference for the
Mechanical APDL and Mechanical Applications.

KEYOPT(5)

Extra stress output:

0 --

Basic element printout

2 --

Nodal stress printout

KEYOPT(6)

Pressure loading:

0 --

Reduced pressure loading (must be used if KEYOPT(1) = 1)

2 --

Consistent pressure loading

KEYOPT(7)

Mass matrix:

0 --
 Consistent mass matrix

1 --

Reduced mass matrix

KEYOPT(8)

Stress stiffness matrix:

0 --

"Nearly" consistent stress stiffness matrix (default)

1 --

Reduced stress stiffness matrix

KEYOPT(9)

Element coordinate system defined:

0 --

No user subroutine to define element coordinate system

4 --

Element x-axis located by user subroutine USERAN

Note: See the Guide to ANSYS User Programmable Features for user written
subroutines
KEYOPT(11)

Specify data storage:

0 --

Store data for TOP and BOTTOM surfaces only

2 --

Store data for TOP, BOTTOM, and MID surfaces

Table 63.1 SHELL63 Real Constants

No. Name Description

1 TK(I) Shell thickness at node I
2 TK(J) Shell thickness at node J
3 TK(K) Shell thickness at node K
4 TK(L) Shell thickness at node L
5 EFS Elastic foundation stiffness
6 THETA Element X-axis rotation
7 RMI Bending moment of inertia ratio
8 CTOP Distance from mid surface to top
9 CBOT Distance from mid surface to bottom
10, ..., 18 (Blank) --
19 ADMSUA Added mass/unit area

SHELL63 Output Data

The solution output associated with the element is in two forms:

• Nodal displacements included in the overall nodal solution

• Additional element output as shown in Table 63.2: SHELL63 Element Output
Definitions

Several items are illustrated in Figure 63.2. Printout includes the moments about the
x face (MX), the moments about the y face (MY), and the twisting moment (MXY).
The moments are calculated per unit length in the element coordinate system. The
element stress directions are parallel to the element coordinate system. A general
description of solution output is given in Solution Output. See the Basic Analysis
Guide for ways to view results.

Figure 63.2 SHELL63 Stress Output

xIJ = Element x-axis if ESYS is not supplied.

x = Element x-axis if ESYS is supplied.

The Element Output Definitions table uses the following notation:

A colon (:) in the Name column indicates that the item can be accessed by the
Component Name method (ETABLE, ESOL). The O column indicates the availability
of the items in the file [Link]. The R column indicates the availability of the
items in the results file.

In either the O or R columns, “Y” indicates that the item is always available, a
number refers to a table footnote that describes when the item is conditionally
available, and “-” indicates that the item is not available.

Table 63.2 SHELL63 Element Output Definitions

Name Definition OR
EL Element Number Y Y
NODES Nodes - I, J, K, L Y Y
MAT Material number Y Y
AREA AREA Y Y
XC, YC, ZC Location where results are reported Y 1
PRES Pressures P1 at nodes I, J, K, L; P2 at I, J, K, L; P3 at J, I; Y Y
P4 at K, J; P5 at L, K; P6 at I, L
TEMP Temperatures T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8 Y Y
T(X, Y, XY) In-plane element X, Y, and XY forces Y Y
M(X, Y, XY) Element X, Y, and XY moments Y Y
[Link] Foundation pressure (if nonzero) Y -
LOC Top, middle, or bottom Y Y
S:X, Y, Z, XY Combined membrane and bending stresses Y Y
S:1, 2, 3 Principal stress Y Y
S:INT Stress intensity Y Y
S:EQV Equivalent stress Y Y
EPEL:X, Y, Z, Average elastic strain Y Y
XY
EPEL:EQV Equivalent elastic strain [2] - Y
EPTH:X, Y, Z, Average thermal strain Y Y
XY
EPTH:EQV Equivalent thermal strain [2] - Y

1. Available only at centroid as a *GET item.

 2. The equivalent strains use an effective Poisson's ratio: for elastic and thermal
this value is set by the user (MP,PRXY).

Table 63.3 SHELL63 Miscellaneous Element Output

Description Names of Items Output O R

Nodal Stress Solution TEMP, S(X, Y, Z, XY), SINT, SEQV 1 -

1. Output at each node, if KEYOPT(5) = 2, repeats each location

Table 63.4: SHELL63 Item and Sequence Numbers lists output available through the
ETABLE command using the Sequence Number method. See The General
Postprocessor (POST1) in the Basic Analysis Guide and The Item and Sequence
Number Table in this manual for more information. The following notation is used in
Table 63.4: SHELL63 Item and Sequence Numbers:

Name

output quantity as defined in the Table 63.2: SHELL63 Element Output

Definitions

Item

predetermined Item label for ETABLE command

sequence number for single-valued or constant element data

I,J,K,L

sequence number for data at nodes I,J,K,L

Table 63.4 SHELL63 Item and Sequence Numbers

ETABLE and ESOL Command Input

Output Quantity Name
Item E I J K L
TX SMISC 1 - - - -
TY SMISC 2 - - - -
TXY SMISC 3 - - - -
MX SMISC 4 - - - -
MY SMISC 5 - - - -
MXY SMISC 6 - - - -
P1 SMISC - 9 10 11 12
P2 SMISC - 13 14 15 16
P3 SMISC - 18 17 - -
P4 SMISC - - 20 19 -
P5 SMISC - - - 22 21
P6 SMISC - 23 - - 24
Top
S:1 NMISC - 1 6 11 16
S:2 NMISC - 2 7 12 17
S:3 NMISC - 3 8 13 18
S:INT NMISC - 4 9 14 19
S:EQV NMISC - 5 10 15 20
Bot
S:1 NMISC - 21 26 31 36
S:2 NMISC - 22 27 32 37
S:3 NMISC - 23 28 33 38
S:INT NMISC - 24 29 34 39
S:EQV NMISC - 25 30 35 40

SHELL63 Assumptions and Restrictions

• Zero area elements are not allowed. This occurs most often whenever the
elements are not numbered properly.
• Zero thickness elements or elements tapering down to a zero thickness at any
corner are not allowed.
• The applied transverse thermal gradient is assumed to vary linearly through the
thickness and vary bilinearly over the shell surface.
• An assemblage of flat shell elements can produce a good approximation of a
curved shell surface provided that each flat element does not extend over more
than a 15° arc. If an elastic foundation stiffness is input, one-fourth of the total
is applied at each node. Shear deflection is not included in this thin-shell
element.
• A triangular element may be formed by defining duplicate K and L node
numbers as described in Triangle, Prism, and Tetrahedral Elements. The extra
 shapes are automatically deleted for triangular elements so that the membrane
stiffness reduces to a constant strain formulation. For large deflection analyses,
if KEYOPT(1) = 1 (membrane stiffness only), the element must be triangular.
• For KEYOPT(1) = 0 or 2, the four nodes defining the element should lie as
close as possible to a flat plane (for maximum accuracy), but a moderate
amount of warping is permitted. For KEYOPT(1) = 1, the warping limit is very
restrictive. In either case, an excessively warped element may produce a
warning or error message. In the case of warping errors, triangular elements
should be used (see Triangle, Prism, and Tetrahedral Elements). Shell element
warping tests are described in detail in tables of Applicability of Warping Tests
and Warping Factor Limits in the Theory Reference for the Mechanical APDL
and Mechanical Applications.
• If the lumped mass matrix formulation is specified [LUMPM,ON], the effect of
the implied offsets on the mass matrix is ignored for warped SHELL63
elements.

SHELL63 Product Restrictions

When used in the product(s) listed below, the stated product-specific restrictions
apply to this element in addition to the general assumptions and restrictions given in
the previous section.

ANSYS Professional.

• The DAMP material property is not allowed.

• The only special features allowed are stress stiffening and large deflection.
• KEYOPT(2) can only be set to 0 (default).
• KEYOPT(9) can only be set to 0 (default).

Release 13.0 - © 2010 SAS IP, Inc. All rights reserved.

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