Solid Mechanics

In Mechanics we have a dual set of differential equations:
tensor equations, for axial/shear stresses in solids;
bending equations, for bending stresses in plates of finite thickness.
Such duality has been preserved in the development of state-of-the-art FEM, producing two different lines of finite elements:
solid 'bricks' for axial/shear stresses;
laminar plates for bending moments;
the stresses in the layers are post-computed from the moments.

In CASoft there is one solid cell for mechanics, used for axial and for bending stresses. For bending, the plate thickness is subdivided into layers (see Fig. 5). The cells can be quite thin within the plane : the Algorithm provides the exact solution for any grid size. Is there a difference between the CASoft and the FEM solution? Not for elastic analysis. But in plastic analysis the linear distribution of stress along the normal no longer applies; the solid elements provide a more realistic distribution of stresses across the thickness.

CASoft solves general mechanical problems for plates modelled as Solids.
The exact solution is computed in one step, within the elastic domain; in the plastic domain, one iteration is required to correct the elastic solution. CASoft covers the full range of computations for Mechanics:
Problem: Elliptic
Equations: Mechanics
Geometry: solid 3D
Analysis: steady
Material: linear ,nonlinear
Load: transverse pressure and shear
Boundary C: displacements, forces linear, nonlinear
The grid of the model is generated with the Fractal Modeler.
The mechanical models run in real time.

The basic graphic rendering options are available for Mechanical analysis:
stress maps are painted over the surface, and rendered online with the solution;
displacement are added to the stress maps, for a realistic view of the deformation.

For nonlinear problems, some data are entered via external files:
the elastic-plastic yield diagram of the material;
the variation of the Boundary moment w.r.t. the edge rotation, i.e. the nonlinear characteristic of a plastic spring.
Most of the above files are independent of a single case, and are reusable for more cases.