The interface is multiphysics enabled and can be seamlessly coupled to fluid domains. The Structural Mechanics Module provides linear elastic, viscoelastic, and piezoelectric material models, but you can also access a wide range of nonlinear material models, including hyperelastic and elastoplastic, by adding the Nonlinear Structural Materials Module or Geomechanics Module. In addition, there are many possibilities to extend the existing material models or create your own. Enter expressions that depend on stress, strain, spatial coordinates, time, or fields coming from another physics interface directly in the input field for a material property. In frequency-domain analyses, you can enter complex-valued expressions. You can, for example, add custom differential equations to provide inelastic strain contributions. The material models can accommodate thermal expansion, hygroscopic swelling, initial stresses and strains, as well as several types of damping. Material properties can be isotropic, orthotropic, or fully anisotropic.
You can include your own material model by providing external functions coded in the C programming language. There are specialized element types for modeling beams, described by their cross section properties. Formulations for both slender beams (Euler–Bernoulli theory) and thick beams (Timoshenko theory) are available.
Predefined couplings allow for mixing beams with other element types to study reinforcements for solid and shell structures.