2D Plane Strain Structure Model Type
Use this option if the strain in one direction is negligible. This is typically the case for structures that are long in one dimension and loaded transversely—for example, long pipes, dams, and retaining walls. 2D plane strain models represent a unit thickness slice of the actual 3D model.
In 2D plane strain models:
• All included geometry must lie in the XY plane of the Cartesian coordinate system that you select as the reference coordinate system for your model. If you are working with assemblies, all included geometry from the assembly components must lie at the same Z depth.
• Loads and displacements must be in the XY plane.
If your model meets these criteria, you can model a cross-section of your structure as a 2D plane strain model using
shells or solids, or a combination of both. Depending on your choice,
Creo Simulate takes one of the following actions:
• Pure solid models—Meshes your model using
2D solid elements. For solid modeling, you need to assign material properties to the cross-section surface. You should not assign shell idealizations to any of the curves in your model.
• Pure shell models—Meshes your model using
2D shell elements. For shell modeling, you should choose only edges when you select the geometry to include in your plane strain model. Do not select surfaces. You also need to create
simple or advanced shell idealizations on each curve that you want
Creo Simulate to mesh. You should not assign material properties to the cross-section surface.
• Mixed models—Meshes your model using both 2D solid and 2D shell elements. For mixed modeling, you need to create simple or advanced shell idealizations on each curve that you want Creo Simulate to mesh. You must also assign material properties to the cross-section surface.
In addition to shell idealizations, you can create the
mass and
spring idealizations for a 2D plane strain model.
As mentioned, you must use a Cartesian coordinate system as the model type reference coordinate system. However, you can base other modeling entities on Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical coordinate systems. You can define loads, constraints, and other model attributes in three degrees of freedom for a plane strain model:
• translation in X and Y (or the cylindrical and spherical equivalents)
• rotation in Z (or the cylindrical and spherical equivalent)
For solid treatments of your model, only two degrees of freedom are available—translation in X and Y.