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### Eight node axisymmetric element (CAX8 and CAX8R)

This is a general purpose quadratic axisymmetric element. Just as the shell, plane stress and plane strain element it is internally expanded into a C3D20 or C3D20R element according to Figure 18 and the node numbering of Figure 17 applies.

For axisymmetric elements the coordinates of the nodes correspond to the radial direction (first coordinate) and the axial direction (second or y-coordinate). The axisymmetric structure is expanded by rotation about the second coordinate axis, half clockwise and half counterclockwise. The radial direction corresponds to the x-axis in the 3-D expansion, the axial direction with the y-axis. The x-y plane cuts the expanded structure in half. The z-axis is perpendicular to the x-y plane such that a right-hand-side axis system is obtained.

The same rules apply as for the plane strain elements, except that in-plane conditions in a plane strain construction now correspond to radial plane conditions in the axisymmetric structure. Expressed in another way, the z-direction in plane strain now corresponds to the circumferential direction in a cylindrical coordinate system with the y-axis as defining axis.

Compared to plane strain elements, the following conditions apply:

- The expansion angle can be defined on the *SOLID SECTION card. Only one angle for the complete structure makes sense.
- The displacements in cylindrical coordinates of all nodes not in the defining plane are identical to the displacements of the corresponding nodes in the defining plane. This is formulated using MPC's.
- Forces act in radial planes.
- For distributed loading Figure 20 applies.

Next: Three node beam element Up: Element Types Previous: Eight node plane strain Contents