Specifying basic properties for homogeneous shell sections

Specify the Shell thickness.

• Choose Value, and enter a value for the shell thickness. In continuum shells this value is used to estimate certain section properties, such as hourglass stiffness, which are later computed using the actual thickness computed from the element geometry.

• Choose Element distribution; and select either an analytical field, labeled with an (A), or an element-based discrete field, labeled with a (D), to define a spatially varying element-based shell thickness. Alternatively, you can click to create a new analytical field or click to create a new discrete field. See The Analytical Field toolset and The Discrete Field toolset for more information.

• Choose Nodal distribution; and select either an analytical field, labeled with an (A), or a node-based discrete field, labeled with a (D), to define a spatially varying node-based shell thickness. Alternatively, you can click to create a new analytical field or click to create a new discrete field. See The Analytical Field toolset and The Discrete Field toolset for more information.

Select a material for the shell section. If desired, click to create a material; see Creating or editing a material, for more information. Linear or nonlinear material behavior can be associated with the section definition. However, if the material response is linear, a more economical approach is to use a generalized shell section.

If you are specifying properties for homogeneous shell sections integrated before the analysis, you can specify an Idealization to apply to the section based on assumptions about the expected behavior of the shell. For more information, see Idealizing the section response.

• Select No idealization to account for the complete stiffness of the shell section as determined from the material assignment.

• Select Membrane only if the predominant response of the shell will be in-plane stretching; bending stiffness terms are eliminated from the shell stiffness calculations.

• Select Bending only if the predominant response of the shell will be pure bending; membrane stiffness terms are eliminated from the shell stiffness calculations.

If you are specifying properties for homogeneous shell sections integrated during the analysis, select the Thickness integration rule.

• Choose Simpson to use Simpson's rule for the shell section integration.

• Choose Gauss to use Gauss quadrature for the shell section integration.

See Defining the shell section integration, for more information.

If you are specifying properties for homogeneous shell sections integrated during the analysis, enter the number of thickness integration points. The default number of integration points through the thickness is 5 for Simpson's rule integration and 3 for Gauss quadrature integration. To specify a new value for the number of integration points, you can type the number directly or click the arrows in the Thickness integration points text field.

• If you are using the Simpson integration rule, you can specify only odd numbers ranging from 3 to 15.

• If you are using the Gauss integration rule, you can specify numbers ranging from 2 to 15.