Use this list of elements sorted by application to select the best elements for your analysis. Primary applications are as follows:
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Within each element category, the elements appear in order of shape function (topology). Current-technology elements take precedence.
| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| Structural Solid | 3-D | SOLID185 8-Node Structural Solid |
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| SOLID186 20-Node Structural Solid |
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| SOLID187 10-Node Tetrahedral Structural Solid |
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| SOLID285 4-Node Tetrahedral Structural Solid with Nodal Pressures |
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| SOLID65 8-Node Reinforced Concrete Structural Solid |
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| 2-D | PLANE182 4-Node Structural Solid |
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| PLANE183 8-Node Structural Solid |
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| PLANE25 4-Node Axisymmetric-Harmonic Structural Solid |
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| PLANE83 8-Node Axisymmetric-Harmonic Structural Solid |
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| General Axisymmetric | SOLID272 4- to 48-Node General Axisymmetric Solid |
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| SOLID273 8- to 96-Node General Axisymmetric Solid |
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| Structural Solid Shell | 3-D | SOLSH190 8-Node Structural Solid Shell |
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| Structural Shell | 3-D | SHELL181 4-Node Structural Shell |
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| SHELL281 8-Node Structural Shell |
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| 2-D | SHELL208 2-Node Axisymmetric Shell |
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| SHELL209 3-Node Axisymmetric Shell |
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| SHELL61 2-Node Axisymmetric-Harmonic Structural Shell |
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| Structural Layered Composite | 3-D | SOLID185 8-Node Layered Solid |
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| SOLID186 20-Node Layered Structural Solid |
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| SOLSH190 8-Node Solid Shell |
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| The following elements can also be used for layered applications: SHELL181, SHELL208, SHELL209, SHELL281, ELBOW290 | |||
| Structural Beam | 3-D | BEAM188 2-Node Structural Beam |
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| BEAM189 3-Node Structural Beam |
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| Structural Pipe | 3-D | PIPE288 2-Node Pipe |
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| PIPE289 3-Node Pipe |
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| ELBOW290 3-Node Elbow |
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| Structural Line | 3-D | LINK180 2-Node Structural 3-D Spar (or Truss) |
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| LINK11 2-Node Structural Linear Actuator |
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| Structural Point | 3-D | MASS21 1-Node Structural Mass |
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| Structural Interface | 3-D | INTER194 Interface 16-Node Gasket |
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| INTER195 Interface 8-Node Gasket |
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| INTER204 Interface 16-Node Cohesive |
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| INTER205 Interface 8-Node Cohesive |
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| 2-D | INTER192 Interface 4-Node Gasket |
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| INTER193 Interface 6-Node Gasket |
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| INTER202 Interface 4-Node Cohesive |
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| INTER203 Interface 6-Node Cohesive |
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| Structural Multipoint Constraint | 3-D | MPC184 |
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| MPC184-Link/Beam |
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| MPC184-Slider |
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| MPC184-Revolute |
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| MPC184-Universal |
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| MPC184-Slot |
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| MPC184-Point |
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| MPC184Translational |
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| MPC184Cylindrical |
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| MPC184-Planar |
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| MPC184-Weld |
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| MPC184-Orient |
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| MPC184-Spherical |
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| MPC184-General |
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| MPC184-Screw |
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Explicit Dynamics (Explicit dynamics analyses can use only explicit dynamic elements.) | |||
| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| Explicit Solid | 3-D | SOLID164 8-Node Explicit Structural Solid |
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| SOLID168 10-Node Explicit Tetrahedral Structural Solid |
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| 2-D | PLANE162 4-Node Explicit Solid |
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| Explicit Shell | 3-D | SHELL163 4-Node Explicit Thin Structural Shell |
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| Explicit Beam | 3-D | BEAM161 3-Node Explicit Beam |
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| Explicit Line | 3-D | LINK160 3-Node Explicit Spar (or Truss) |
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| LINK167 3-Node Explicit Tension-Only Spar |
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| COMBI165 2-Node Explicit Spring-Damper |
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| Explicit Point | 3-D | MASS166 1-Node Explicit Structural Mass |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| Thermal Solid | 3-D | SOLID278 8-Node Thermal Solid |
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| SOLID279 20-Node Thermal Solid |
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| SOLID70 8-Node Thermal Solid |
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| SOLID87 10-Node Tetrahedral Thermal Solid |
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| SOLID90 20-Node Thermal Solid |
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| 2-D | PLANE35 6-Node Triangular Thermal Solid |
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| PLANE55 4-Node Thermal Solid |
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| PLANE75 4-Node Axisymmetric-Harmonic Thermal Solid |
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| PLANE77 8-Node Thermal Solid |
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| PLANE78 4-Node Axisymmetric-Harmonic Thermal Solid |
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| Thermal Layered Solid | 3-D | SOLID278 8-Node Thermal Solid |
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| SOLID279 20-Node Thermal Solid |
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| Thermal Shell | 3-D | SHELL131 4-Node Thermal Shell |
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| SHELL132 8-Node Thermal Shell |
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| Thermal Line | 3-D | LINK31 2-Node Radiation Link |
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| LINK33 2-Node Thermal Conduction Bar |
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| LINK34 2-Node Convection Link |
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| Thermal Point | 3-D | MASS71 1-Node Thermal Mass |
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| Thermal Electric | 3-D | LINK68 2-Node Coupled Thermal-Electric Line |
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| SHELL157 4-Node Thermal-Electric Shell |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| Acoustic Volume | 3-D | FLUID30 8-Node Acoustic Fluid |
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| FLUID220 20-Node Acoustic Fluid |
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| FLUID221 10-Node Acoustic Fluid |
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| 2-D | FLUID29 4-Node Acoustic Fluid |
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| Acoustic Planar | 3-D | FLUID130 4-Node Infinite Acoustic |
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| Acoustic Line | 2-D | FLUID129 2-Node Infinite Acoustic |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| Diffusion Solid | 2-D | PLANE238 8-Node Diffusion Solid |
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| 3-D | SOLID239 20-Node Diffusion Solid |
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SOLID240
10-Node Tetrahedral Diffusion Solid |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| Fluid Volume | 3-D | HSFLD242 9-Node Hydrostatic Fluid |
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| 2-D | HSFLD241 4-Node Hydrostatic Fluid |
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| Fluid - Gap | 3-D | FLUID38 2-Node Dynamic Fluid Coupling |
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| FLUID136 4- or 8-Node Squeeze Film Fluid |
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| FLUID138 2-Node Viscous Fluid Link |
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| FLUID139 2- or 32-Node Slide Film Fluid |
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| Fluid Pipe | 3-D | FLUID116 2-Node Coupled Thermal-Fluid Pipe |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| --- | 3-D | SOLID96 8-Node Magnetic Scalar Solid |
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| SOLID122 20-Node Electrostatic Solid |
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| SOLID123 10-Node Tetrahedral Electrostatic Solid |
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| SOLID231 20-Node Electric Solid |
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| SOLID232 10-Node Tetrahedral Electric Solid |
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| SOLID236 20-Node Electromagnetic Solid |
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| SOLID237 10-Node Electromagnetic Solid |
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| 2-D | PLANE121 8-Node Electrostatic Solid |
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| PLANE230 8-Node Electric Solid |
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| PLANE233 8-Node Electromagnetic Solid |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| --- | 3-D | SOURC36 3-Node Magnetic Electric Current Source |
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| CIRCU124 2- to 6-Node Electric Circuit |
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| CIRCU125 2-Node Magnetic Electric Diode |
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| 2-D | CIRCU94 2- or 3-Node Coupled-Field Piezoelectric Circuit |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| --- | 3-D | SOLID226 20-Node Coupled-Field Solid |
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| SOLID227 10-Node Coupled-Field Solid |
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| SOLID5 8-Node Coupled-Field Solid |
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| LINK68 2-Node-Coupled Thermal-Electric Line |
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| SOLID98 10-Node Tetrahedral Coupled-Field Solid |
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| ROM144 20- or 30-Node Reduced-Order Electrostatic-Structural Coupled-Field |
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| SHELL157 4-Node Thermal-Electric Shell |
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| TRANS126 2-Node Electromechanical Transducer |
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| CPT215 8-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure-Thermal Mechanical Solid |
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| CPT216 20-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure-Thermal Mechanical Solid |
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| CPT217 10-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure-Thermal Mechanical Solid |
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| 2-D | PLANE222 4-Node Coupled-Field Solid |
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| PLANE223 8-Node Coupled-Field Solid |
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| PLANE13 4-Node Coupled-Field Solid |
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| CPT212 4-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure-Thermal Mechanical Solid |
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| CPT213 8-Node Coupled Pore-Pressure-Thermal Mechanical Solid |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| --- | 3-D | TARGE170 8-Node Contact 3-D Target Segment |
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| CONTA173 4-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact |
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| CONTA174 8-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact |
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| CONTA176 3-Node Line-to-Line Contact |
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| CONTA177 3-Node Line-to-Surface Contact |
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| CONTA178 2-Node Node-to-Node Contact |
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| 2-D/3-D | CONTA175 1-Node Node-to-Surface Contact |
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| 2-D | TARGE169 3-Node Contact 2-D Target Segment |
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| CONTA171 2-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact |
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| CONTA172 3-Node Surface-to-Surface Contact |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| --- | 3-D | COMBIN14 2-Node Combination Spring-Damper |
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| COMBIN37 4-Node Combination Control |
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| COMBIN39 2-Node Combination Nonlinear Spring |
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| COMBIN40 2-Node Combination |
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| 2-D/3-D | PRETS179 3-Node Pretension Combination |
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| 2-D | COMBI214 2-Node Combination Spring-Damper Bearing |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| --- | 3-D | MATRIX27 2-Node Stiffness, Damping, or Mass Matrix |
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| 2-D/3-D | MATRIX50 Superelement (or Substructure) |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| --- | 3-D | INFIN47 4-Node Infinite Boundary |
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| INFIN111 8- or 20-Node Infinite Solid |
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| 2-D | INFIN110 4- or 8-Node Infinite Solid |
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| 2-D / 3-D | INFIN257 4- or 8-node (2-D) or 8- or 20-node (3-D) Structural Infinite Solid |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| --- | 3-D | SURF152 4- to 10-Node Thermal Surface Effect |
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| SURF154 4- to 8-Node Structural Surface Effect |
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| SURF155 2- to 4-Node Thermal Surface Effect |
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| SURF156 3- or 4-Node Structural Surface Line Load |
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| SURF159 2- to 36-Node General Axisymmetric Surface |
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| FOLLW201 1-Node Follower Load |
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| SURF252 3- or 4-Node Thermal Radiosity Surface |
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| 2-D | SURF151 2- or 4-Node Thermal Surface Effect |
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| SURF153 2- or 3-Node Structural Surface Effect |
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| SURF251 2-Node Radiosity Surface |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| --- | 2-D/3-D | MESH200 2- to 20-Node Meshing Facet |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| --- | 3-D | REINF264 2- to 20-Node Discrete Reinforcing |
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| REINF265 2- to 20-Node Smeared Reinforcing |
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| 2-D | REINF263 2- to 8-Node Smeared Reinforcing |
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| Type | Dimension | Element | Pictorial |
| --- | --- | USER300 | --- |