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### Eight-node plane strain element (CPE8 and CPE8R)

The eight node plane strain element is a general purpose plane strain element. It is actually a special case of plane stress element: the treatise of Section 4.1.12 also applies here. In addition we have:

- The displacement in z-direction of all nodes (not only the midnodes) is zero. This condition is introduced in the form of MPC's, expressing that the displacement in z-direction of nodes not in the midplane is identical to the displacement of the corresponding nodes in the midplane.
- Different thicknesses do not make sense: one thickness applicable to all plane strain elements suffices.

Plane strain elements are used to model a slice of a very long structure, e.g. of a dam.

If a plane strain element is connected to a structure consisting of 3-D elements the motion of this structure in the out-of-plane direction (z-direction) is not restricted by its connection to the 2-D elements. The user has to take care that any rigid body motion of the structure involving the z-direction is taken care of, if appropriate. This particularly applies to any springs connected to plane strain elements.

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