Types of Structures

Robot can analyze various types of structures. These structures are listed in the following table, along with their coordinates system and their nodal degrees of freedom.

Note: U denotes displacements in the X, Y, or Z direction in a global coordinate system, and R denotes rotations around the axes.

Open Structure Type dialog window, which selects a structure type to be created, using either method:

Click Geometry menu > Structure Type.
Click .

STRUCTURES	COORDINATES	NODAL DEGREES OF FREEDOM
2D frames	X, Y	UX , UY , - , - , - , RZ ,
2D trusses	X, Y	UX , UY , - , - , - , - ,
Grillages	X, Y	- , - , UZ , RX , RY , - ,
3D trusses	X, Y, Z	UX , UY , UZ , - , - , - ,
3D frames	X, Y, Z	UX , UY , UZ , RX , RY , RZ,
Plates	X, Y	- , - , UZ , RX , RY , - ,
Shells	X, Y, Z	UX , UY , UZ , RX , RY , RZ,
Plane stress structures		UX , UY , - , - , - , - ,
Plane deformation structures		UX , UY , - , - , - , - ,
Axisymmetric structures		UX , UY , - , - , - , - ,
Volumetric structures	X, Y, Z	UX , UY , UZ , - , - , - ,

Note: Building

is not a structure type, but a template which facilitates defining this structure type. The available coordinates and nodal degrees of freedom for the building type are the same as the ones for shells.

Note: For volumetric structures, you can define a 3D bar model (3D frame) or a shell structure. These element types that can be used in volumetric structures have 6 degrees of freedom: UX, UY, UZ, RX, RY, and RZ.