Standard Bar Element

Appendix D Sign Conventions

Standard Bar Element
Axial force (+ve) (-ve) Axial tension Axial compression
1 Fx Axial force 2 Fx

Standard Beam Element

Numerically Integrated Beams
Axial force (+ve)Axial tension (-ve)Axial compression Bending Moment (+ve)Hogging moment (-ve)Sagging moment Torsion (+ve)Anti-clockwise rotation (1st node), clockwise rotation (3rd node) (-ve)Clockwise rotation (1st node), anti-clockwise rotation (3rd node)

Engineering Beams
Note. The above standard (or numerically integrated) beam convention is for internal forces. The end forces and rotations for ENGINEERING (or explicitly

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Appendix D Sign Conventions integrated) beams are those acting on the element nodes in local directions, and are as follows:
Fx

Mz 2

1 Fx

Axial force

1 Mz

Bending moment

Mx 2

Fy 2

1 Mx

Torsion 1 Fy Shear force

y x Local element axis system

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Standard Beam Eccentricity Considering the force at the local node 2, for engineering beams: Axial force (+ve)Axial tension (-ve)Axial compression Bending Moment (+ve)Sagging moment (-ve)Hogging moment Torsion (+ve)Clockwise rotation (-ve)Anti-clockwise rotation

Standard Beam Eccentricity

Eccentricity is an optional geometric property for some elements and may be specified if the nodal line of the element does not lie along the required bending line/plane for the structural component being modelled.
bending or beam xy plane 2 ez y 1 x nodal line

Measurement of ez is from the z required bending plane (the beam local element xy plane) to the nodal line in the axis system local element axis z-direction. If a beam xy plane is required such that it has negative local z coordinates relative to the nodal line, the eccentricity is positive.

Standard 2D Continuum Element

Y y xy x x xy y X

Direct stress (+ve) Tension (-ve) Compression Shear stress (+ve) Shear into XY quadrant (-ve) Shear into XY quadrant Positive stress values shown.

Standard 3D Continuum Element

Direct stress (+ve) Tension (-ve) Compression

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Appendix D Sign Conventions Shear stress (+ve) Shear into XY, YZ and XZ quadrants (-ve) Shear into XY, YZ and XZ quadrants
Y y xy x x xy y X yz z Y y y Z z yz

z xz x x xz z X

Positive stress values shown.

Standard Plate Element

Flexural stress (+ve) Hogging moment (producing +ve stresses on the element top surface) (-ve) Sagging moment (producing -ve stresses on the element top surface)

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Standard Plate Eccentricity

Y Mx Sx Sy Mxy My Mxy Y

My Sy

Mx Mxy X

Sx X

Mxy

The +ve local z-direction defines the top surface.

Standard Plate Eccentricity

Eccentricity is an optional geometric property for this element type and may be specified if the nodal plane of the element does not lie along the required bending plane for the structural component being modelled. Measurement of ez is from the required bending plane to the nodal line in the local element axis z-direction.
global element axis system z y x ez nodal plane

xy plane or required bending plane

Thin Shell Element

Membrane stress (+ve) Direct tension (-ve) Direct compression (+ve) In-plane shear into xy quadrant (-ve) In-plane shear into xy quadrant Flexural stress (+ve) Hogging moment (producing +ve stresses on the element top (-ve) surface) Sagging moment (producing -ve stresses on the element top surface)

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Appendix D Sign Conventions

y Mx Mxy My Mxy x My Mx xy Mxy x Mxy y x x y y xy

Positive stress values shown. The +ve local z-direction defines the top surface.

Thin Shell Eccentricity

Eccentricity is an optional geometric property for this element type and may be specified if the nodal plane of the element does not lie along the required bending plane for the structural component being modelled. Measurement of ez is from the required bending plane to the nodal line in the local element axis z-direction.
local element axis system z y x xy plane or required bending plane ez nodal plane

Thick Shell Element

Continuum Stress
Direct stress Shear stress (+ve) (-ve) (+ve) (-ve) Tension Compression Shear into XY, YZ and XZ quadrants Shear into XY, YZ, xz quadrants

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Thick Shell Element

y y xy x x xy y x z xz y yz z yz

xz

Stress Resultant
Membrane stress (+ve) Direct tension (-ve) Direct compression (+ve) In-plane shear into XY quadrant (-ve) In-plane shear into XY quadrant Flexural stress (+ve) Hogging moment (producing +ve stresses on the element top (-ve) surface) Sagging moment (producing -ve stresses on the element top surface)

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Appendix D Sign Conventions

y Mx Mxy My Mxy
Sx Sy y

My

Mx Mxy x y Nx Ny Nxy Nxy Nxy Nx x

Sy Sx x

Mxy

Nxy

Ny

The +ve local z-direction defines the top surface.

Thick Shell Eccentricity

Eccentricity is an optional geometric property for this element type and may be specified if the nodal plane of the element does not lie along the required bending plane for the structural component being modelled. Measurement of ez is from the required bending plane to the nodal line in the local element axis z-direction.
local element axis system z y x xy plane or required bending plane ez nodal plane

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Standard Membrane Element

Standard Membrane Element

Direct stress Shear stress (+ve) (-ve) (+ve) (-ve) Tension Compression Shear into xy quadrant Shear into xy quadrant
y y xy x x xy y x

Membrane Eccentricity
Eccentricity is an optional geometric property for this element type and may be specified if the nodal plane of the element does not lie along the required bending plane for the structural component being modelled. Measurement of ez is from the required bending plane to the nodal line in the local element axis z-direction.
local element axis system z y x xy plane or required bending plane ez nodal plane

Standard Field Element

Potential (+ve) +ve field value, dT/dx rate of change of field in x direction

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Appendix D Sign Conventions

Standard Joint Element

Direct force Spring Moment (+ve) (-ve) (+ve) (-ve) Tension Compression For positive rotational spring strain For negative rotational spring strain

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