Bars Panel
Use the Bars panel to create, review, or update bar2 or bar3 elements.
Bar Elements
1D elements created in a space between two or three nodes of a model where beam properties are desired.
The nodes are related to each other based on the properties of the bar or beam element connecting them. Properties associated with bar elements include vector orientation, offset vectors that end at A and B, or at A, B, and C, and pin flags to tell it what degree of freedom should carry through the beam.
Bar elements are displayed as a line between two nodes with BAR2 or BAR3 written at the centroid of the element.
- Bar2
- Configuration 60 - 1D (1st order) elements with 2 nodes used to model axial, bending, and torsion behavior. Bar2 elements have a property reference, an orientation vector, offset vectors and ends A and B, and pin flags at ends A and B.
- Bar3
- Configuration 63 - 1D (2nd order) elements with 3 nodes used to model axial, bending, and torsion behavior. Bar3 elements have a property reference, an orientation vector, offset vectors and ends A and B, and pin flags at ends A and B.
Bar2 Subpanel
Option | Action |
---|---|
node A / node B | Select one node at each end of the bar. |
orientation |
Select how bars are oriented in 3D space.
|
pin a / pin b |
Specify the degrees of freedom which are not intended to
transmit force.
Note: Terminology varies between different solvers. For example, what
is referred to as "pins" in this panel is sometimes called "beam
releases".
|
property= | Select the collector whose properties the bar should share. |
elem types= | Select a type of elements to use when creating the bar. |
offsets in basic / displacement / elemental |
Select the bar's offset direction(s),
which depend on how the bar element's coordinate system is defined.
|
offset values | Specify the exccy and exccz parameter values for the bar offsets. Because bar elements are modeled as 1D objects, these values represent the distance between the real-world edge of a bar and its center axis. For example, if the bar was cylindrical in shape, A and B would determine where the edge of the bar would attach to another element, but the offsets would represent the radius of the cylindrical bar and therefore would identify where the bar’s central axis lay in relation to the connection points. |
Bar3 Subpanel
Option | Action |
---|---|
node A | Select a node at one end of the bar. |
node B | Select a node at the midpoint of the bar. |
node C | Select a node at the other end of the bar. |
orientation |
Select how bars are oriented in 3D space.
|
pin a / pin b |
Specify the degrees of freedom which are not intended to
transmit force.
Note: Terminology varies between different solvers. For example, what
is referred to as "pins" in this panel is sometimes called "beam
releases".
|
property= | Select the collector whose properties the bar should share. |
elem types= | Select a type of elements to use when creating the bar. |
offsets in basic / displacement / elemental |
Select the bar's offset direction(s),
which depend on how the bar element's coordinate system is defined.
|
offset values | Specify the exccy and exccz parameter values for the bar offsets. Because bar elements are modeled as 1D objects, these values represent the distance between the real-world edge of a bar and its center axis. For example, if the bar was cylindrical in shape, A and B would determine where the edge of the bar would attach to another element, but the offsets would represent the radius of the cylindrical bar and therefore would identify where the bar’s central axis lay in relation to the connection points. |
Update Subpanel
Option | Action |
---|---|
elems | Select the bar elements that you want to update. |
orientation |
Select how bars are oriented in 3D space.
|
pin a / pin b |
Specify the degrees of freedom which are not intended to
transmit force.
Note: Terminology varies between different solvers. For example, what
is referred to as "pins" in this panel is sometimes called "beam
releases".
|
property= | Select the collector whose properties the bar should share. |
elem types= | Select a type of elements to use when creating the bar. |
offsets in basic / displacement / elemental |
Select the bar's offset direction(s),
which depend on how the bar element's coordinate system is defined.
|
offset values | Specify the exccy and exccz parameter values for the bar offsets. Because bar elements are modeled as 1D objects, these values represent the distance between the real-world edge of a bar and its center axis. For example, if the bar was cylindrical in shape, A and B would determine where the edge of the bar would attach to another element, but the offsets would represent the radius of the cylindrical bar and therefore would identify where the bar’s central axis lay in relation to the connection points. |
Command Buttons
Button | Action |
---|---|
update | Update the bars with the changed information. |
review | Review the bar element, or create bar elements similar to
existing bar elements. When you review a bar element, the bar is drawn in the offset position with the local axis and other information displayed. In addition, the values of the offsets of the bar are displayed on the panel. To create bar elements click review to select a bar element, then use the values that display in the data entry fields to create a new bar. |
reject | Revert the mostly recently performed action. |
return | Exit the panel. |