Shell Element in ETABS
Shell Element in ETABS
Shell Element in ETABS
Note that the positive 3 face is sometimes called the top of the shell element in SAP2000, particularly in the output, and
the negative 3 face is called the bottom of the shell element.
The basic shell element stresses are identified as S11, S22, S12, S13, and S23. An S21 might also be expected, but
S21 is always equal to S12, so it is not actually necessary to report S21. Sij stresses (where i can be equal to 1 or 2
and j can be equal to 1, 2 or 3) are stresses that occur on face i of an element in direction j. Direction j refers to the
local axis direction of the shell element. Thus S11 stresses occur on face 1 of the element (perpendicular to the local 1
axis) and are acting in the direction parallel to the local 1 axis (that is, the stresses act normal to face 1). As another
example, S12 stresses occur on face 1 of the element (perpendicular to the local 1 axis) and are acting in the direction
parallel to the local 2 axis (that is, the stresses act parallel to face 1, like shearing stresses). The figure below shows
examples of each of these basic types of shell stresses. SAP2000 reports internal stresses for shell elements at the
four corner points of the appropriate face of the element. For example, refer to Figure a below. On the positive 1 face
internal stresses are reported by SAP2000 at points A, B, C and D.
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Output/Shell_Element_Internal_Forces_Stresses_Output_Convention.htm 1/4
8/17/2019 Shell Element Internal Forces Stresses Output Convention
Shell internal stresses are reported for both the top and the bottom of the shell element. The top and bottom of the
element are defined relative to the local 3-axis of the element. The positive 3-axis side of the element is considered to
be the top of the element. Thus in Figure a above, internal stresses at the top of the element include stresses at the
joints labeled A and C and internal stresses at the bottom of the element include stresses at the joints labeled B and D.
The Figure below clearly illustrates the points where SAP2000 reports the shell element internal stress values.
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Output/Shell_Element_Internal_Forces_Stresses_Output_Convention.htm 2/4
8/17/2019 Shell Element Internal Forces Stresses Output Convention
The transverse shear stresses calculated by SAP2000 (S13 and S23) are average values. The actual transverse shear
stress distribution is approximately parabolic; it is zero at the top and bottom surfaces and has its maximum or
minimum value at the midsurface of the element. SAP2000 reports the average transverse shear value. An
approximation to the maximum (or minimum) transverse shear stress would be 1.5 times the average shear stress.
The figure below illustrates the positive directions for shell element internal stresses S11, S22, S12, S13 and S23. Also
shown are the positive directions for the principal stresses, S-Max and S-Min, and the positive directions for the
maximum transverse shear stresses, S-Max-V.
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Output/Shell_Element_Internal_Forces_Stresses_Output_Convention.htm 3/4
8/17/2019 Shell Element Internal Forces Stresses Output Convention
For values of S13 and S23 at any angle, the maximum transverse shear stress, S-MaxV, can be calculated from:
See Also:
Sign Convention
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Output/Shell_Element_Internal_Forces_Stresses_Output_Convention.htm 4/4
8/17/2019 Shell Element Internal Forces Stresses Output Convention
The force distribution labeled (c) in the figure above shows how SAP2000 assumes that the F11 forces vary linearly
along the length of the shell element between the calculated F11 force values at the element nodes for graphical
plotting purposes only.
The figure below illustrates the positive directions for shell element internal forces F11, F22, F12, V13 and V23. Note
that these shell element internal forces are forces per unit length acting on the midsurface of the shell element.
SAP2000 reports only the value of these forces at the shell element corner points.
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Output/Shell_Element_Internal_Forces_Stresses_Output_Convention.htm 2/9
8/17/2019 Shell Element Internal Forces Stresses Output Convention
The figure below illustrates the positive direction for shell element principal forces, Fmax and Fmin. It also illustrates
the positive direction for the shell element maximum transverse shear force, Vmax.
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Output/Shell_Element_Internal_Forces_Stresses_Output_Convention.htm 3/9
8/17/2019 Shell Element Internal Forces Stresses Output Convention
For values of V13 and V23 at any angle, the maximum transverse shear stress, V-Max, can be calculated as:
The figure below illustrates the positive directions for shell element internal moments M11, M22 and M12. Note that
these shell element internal moments are moments per unit length acting on the midsurface of the shell element.
SAP2000 reports only the value of these moments per unit length at the shell element corner points.
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Output/Shell_Element_Internal_Forces_Stresses_Output_Convention.htm 4/9
8/17/2019 Shell Element Internal Forces Stresses Output Convention
Use the right-hand rule to determine the sense of the moments shown in the figure above.
The figure below illustrates the positive direction for shell element principal moments, Mmax and Mmin.
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Output/Shell_Element_Internal_Forces_Stresses_Output_Convention.htm 5/9
8/17/2019 Shell Element Internal Forces Stresses Output Convention
See Also:
Sign Convention
The basic shell element stresses are identified as S11, S22, S12, S13, and S23. An S21 might also be expected, but
S21 is always equal to S12, so it is not actually necessary to report S21. Sij stresses (where i can be equal to 1 or 2
and j can be equal to 1, 2 or 3) are stresses that occur on face i of an element in direction j. Direction j refers to the
local axis direction of the shell element. Thus S11 stresses occur on face 1 of the element (perpendicular to the local 1
axis) and are acting in the direction parallel to the local 1 axis (that is, the stresses act normal to face 1). As another
example, S12 stresses occur on face 1 of the element (perpendicular to the local 1 axis) and are acting in the direction
parallel to the local 2 axis (that is, the stresses act parallel to face 1, like shearing stresses). The figure below shows
examples of each of these basic types of shell stresses. SAP2000 reports internal stresses for shell elements at the
four corner points of the appropriate face of the element. For example, refer to Figure a below. On the positive 1 face
internal stresses are reported by SAP2000 at points A, B, C and D.
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Output/Shell_Element_Internal_Forces_Stresses_Output_Convention.htm 6/9
8/17/2019 Shell Element Internal Forces Stresses Output Convention
Shell internal stresses are reported for both the top and the bottom of the shell element. The top and bottom of the
element are defined relative to the local 3-axis of the element. The positive 3-axis side of the element is considered to
be the top of the element. Thus in Figure a above, internal stresses at the top of the element include stresses at the
joints labeled A and C and internal stresses at the bottom of the element include stresses at the joints labeled B and D.
The Figure below clearly illustrates the points where SAP2000 reports the shell element internal stress values.
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Output/Shell_Element_Internal_Forces_Stresses_Output_Convention.htm 7/9
8/17/2019 Shell Element Internal Forces Stresses Output Convention
The transverse shear stresses calculated by SAP2000 (S13 and S23) are average values. The actual transverse shear
stress distribution is approximately parabolic; it is zero at the top and bottom surfaces and has its maximum or
minimum value at the midsurface of the element. SAP2000 reports the average transverse shear value. An
approximation to the maximum (or minimum) transverse shear stress would be 1.5 times the average shear stress.
The figure below illustrates the positive directions for shell element internal stresses S11, S22, S12, S13 and S23. Also
shown are the positive directions for the principal stresses, S-Max and S-Min, and the positive directions for the
maximum transverse shear stresses, S-Max-V.
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Output/Shell_Element_Internal_Forces_Stresses_Output_Convention.htm 8/9
8/17/2019 Shell Element Internal Forces Stresses Output Convention
For values of S13 and S23 at any angle, the maximum transverse shear stress, S-MaxV, can be calculated from:
See Also:
Sign Convention
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Output/Shell_Element_Internal_Forces_Stresses_Output_Convention.htm 9/9
8/17/2019 Sign Convention
Sign Convention
Normal Axis 3
Local axis 3 is always normal to the plane of the shell element. This axis is directed towards you when the
path j1-j2-j3 appears counter-clockwise. For quadrilateral elements, the element plane is defined by the
vectors that connect the mid-points of the two pairs of opposite sides.
Default Orientation
The default orientation of the local 1 and 2 axes is determined by the relationship between the local 3 axis
and the global Z axis:
The local 3-2 plane is taken to be vertical, i.e., parallel to the Z axis
The local 2 axis is taken to have an upward (+Z) sense unless the element is horizontal, in which case
the local 2 axis is taken along the global +Y direction
The element is considered to be horizontal if the sine of the angle between the local 3 axis and the Z axis is
less than 10-3.
The local 2 axis makes the same angle with the vertical axis as the local 3 axis makes with the horizontal
plane. This means that the local 2 axis points vertically upward for vertical elements.
The shell element coordinate angle, ang, is used to define element orientations that are different from the
default orientation. It is the angle through which the local 1 and 2 axes are rotated about the positive local 3
axis from the default orientation. The rotation for a positive angle value of ang appears counter-clockwise
when the local +3 axis is pointing toward you.
For horizontal elements, ang is the angle between the local 2 axis and the horizontal +Y axis. Otherwise, ang
is the angle between the local 2 axis and the vertical plane containing the local 3 axis. The following figures
provide examples.
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Keyboard_Commands_and_Special_Features/Sign_Convention.htm 1/4
8/17/2019 Sign Convention
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Keyboard_Commands_and_Special_Features/Sign_Convention.htm 2/4
8/17/2019 Sign Convention
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Keyboard_Commands_and_Special_Features/Sign_Convention.htm 3/4
8/17/2019 Sign Convention
docs.csiamerica.com/help-files/sap/Keyboard_Commands_and_Special_Features/Sign_Convention.htm 4/4