tshap

Elements.tshap(shape='', **kwargs)

Defines simple 2D and 3D geometric surfaces for target segment elements.

Mechanical APDL Command: TSHAP

Parameters:

shapestr

Specifies the geometric shapes for target segment elements TARGE169 and TARGE170.

• LINE - Straight line (2D, 3D) (Default for 2D)

• PARA - Parabola (2D, 3D)

• ARC - Clockwise arc (2D)

• CARC - Counterclockwise arc (2D)

• CIRC - Complete circle (2D)

• TRIA - Three-node triangle (3D) (Default for 3D)

• TRI6 - Six-node triangle (3D)

• QUAD - Four-node quadrilateral (3D)

• QUA8 - Eight-node quadrilateral (3D)

• CYLI - Cylinder (3D)

• CONE - Cone (3D)

• SPHE - Sphere (3D)

• PILO - Pilot node (2D, 3D)

• POINT - Point (rigid surface node) (2D, 3D)

Notes

Use this command to specify the target segment shapes for the rigid target surface associated with surface-to-surface contact ( TARGE169, CONTA172 (2D) and TARGE170, CONTA174 (3D)), 3D beam-to-beam contact ( TARGE170 and CONTA177 ), and 3D line-to-surface contact ( TARGE170 and CONTA177 ). Once you issue tshap, all subsequent target elements generated via the direct element generation technique will have the same shape, until you issue tshap again with a different Shape value.