MSC.NASTRAN Product Details

Product Description	Analysis Types Material Models	Element Library Load Types	System Requirements

Optional Analysis Modules	Dynamic Response Non-Linear	Heat Transfer DMAP	Optimization

Product Description

MSC.NASTRAN is the industry's leading FEA program. In an area where unreliable results may cost millions of development dollars, MSC.NASTRAN has proven its accuracy and effectiveness over and over. It has remained the leading FEA program by constantly evolving to take advantage of the newest analytical capabilities and algorithms for structural analysis. MSC.FEA

MSC.NASTRAN offers a wide variety of analysis types, including linear statics, normal modes, buckling. Optional analysis modules can be added to support heat transfer, dynamics, frequency response, transient response, random response, and response spectrum analysis as your analysis requirements increase.

Virtually any material type can be modeled, including composites and hyperelastic materials. Advanced features include superelements (substructuring), component mode synthesis, and DMAP (a tool kit for creating custom solutions in support of your proprietary applications).

Superior element technology and robust numerical methods are the foundation of MSC.NASTRAN. The program includes h- and p-elements, and both can be mixed in the same model for increased modeling accuracy with minimal computer resources. The p-elements conform closely to a structure's curved geometry and can therefore be highly accurate for detailed stress analysis. These elements automatically adapt to the desired accuracy level. Sparse matrix numerical methods, incorporated in every analysis type, greatly increase the solution speed and reduce the amount of disk space, making numerical processing fast and efficient.

In addition, MSC.NASTRAN features state-of-the-art solution algorithms and procedures including the industry leading sparse matrix solver for fast, accurate solutions. This speed means that more design alternatives can be explored in any given period of time.

Key Features

Analysis Types

Linear statics
Linear statics with inertia relief
Normal modes
Buckling

Design sensitivity-statics
Design sensitivity-modes
Design sensitivity-buckling
Model checkout

Material Models

Isotropic
Anisotropic
Orthotropic
Temperature-dependent

Element Library

Element Type	Element Name	Description
Scalar	ELAS MASS	Scalar spring (several variations) Scalar Mass (several variations)
1D	BAR BEAM BEND ROD, CONROD TUBE	Simple beam element Complex beam element including shear center offset and variable cross section Curved beam, pipe, or elbow Rod element Tension-compression-torsion element
2D	QUAD4 QUAD8 QUADR SHEAR TRIA3 TRIA6 TRIAR	Quadrilateral plate with membrane-bending or plane strain behavior Higher-order quadrilateral shell element Quadrilateral membrane or shell Shear panel Triangular plate with membraine-bending or plain strain behavior Higher-order triangular shell element Triangular membrane or shell
3D	HEXA PENTA TETRA	Six-sided solid element with 8-20 grid points Five-sided solid element with 6-15 grid points Four-sided solid element with 4-10 grid points
Rigid	RBAR RBE1 RBE2 RROD RTRPLT	Rigid bar element Rigid body connected to an arbitrary number of grid points Rigid body with independent DOFs at a grid point and dependent DOFs at an arbitrary number of grid points Pin-ended rigid rod Rigid triangular plate
Interpolation	RBE3 RSPLINE	Defines the motion of a reference point as the weighted average of the motions at a set of other grid points Multipoint constraints for the interpolation of displacements at grid points
Composites	BEAM QUAD4 QUAD8 TRIA3 TRIA6	Complex beam element Quadrilateral plate Higher-order quadrilateral plate Triangular plate Higher order triangular plate
p-Elements	HEXA PENTA TETRA	Six-sided solid element with 8-20 grid points Five sided solid element with 6-15 grid points Four-sided solid element with 4-10 grid points
Axisymmetric	CONEAX TRIAX6	Conical shell Triangular cross section ring
Crack Tip	CRAC2D CRAC3D	Two-dimensional crack tip element Three-dimensional crack tip element
General	CONM1 CONM2 DMI GENEL	6-by-6 symmetric mass matrix Concentrated mass with offsets Direct matrix input General element

Load Types

Load Type	Load Name	Description
Point	FORCE MOMENT	Concentrated force (several variations) Concentrated moment (several variations)
Curve	GMLOAD PLOAD1	Load distributed along a geometric curve Concentrated, uniform, or linear load applied to 1D elements
Surface	GMLOAD PLOAD	Load distributed along a geometric surface Pressure load applied to 2D elements or the face of 3D elements (several variations)
Volume	GRAV RFORCE	Steady-state acceleration vectors Angular velocity or acceleration
Enforced Motion	GMBC GMSPC SPC	Enforced displacements for geometry (curves and surfaces) Constraints applied to geometry Constraints applied to grid points (several variations)
Thermal	TEMP TEMPP1 TEMPRB	Temperatures applied to grid points (several variations) 2D element temperature field 1D element temperature field
Axisymmetric	FORCEAX MOMAX PLOAD1X PRESAX SPCAX TEMPAX	Concentrated force Concentrated moment Surface traction Pressure loading Constraints Applied temperatures
General	DMI	Direct matrix input
Combination	LOAD	Combines load sets

System Requirements

The Operating System level is as-built. Systems are generally presumed to run on later versions unless specifically stated otherwise. In some instances, later versions are also cited if they warrant special mention.
The MSC.NASTRAN V70.7 CDs also includes the FLEXlm V5.12 server software for all the platforms.

Vendor Model Processor Operating System

Compaq Alpha EV-5, EV-4 UNIX 4.0D

HP 9000 PA-RISC 1.1
PA-RISC 2.0
V-Class, PA-RISC 2.0 HP-UX 10.20
HP-UX 10.20
HP-UX 11.0

IBM RISC System/6000 PowerClassic, Power2
AIX 4.3.1

Intel x86 and compatibles 386+ Windows NT 3.5, 4.0

Intel 386+ Linux 2.0.36

Silicon Graphics R4K, R5K
R8K, R10K IRIX 6.2, 6.5
IRIX64 6.4, 6.5

Sun SPARC SuperSPARC
UltraSPARC
Solaris 2.5.1, 2.6, 7
Solaris 2.5.1, 2.6, 7

Vendor Model	Processor	Operating System
Compaq Alpha	EV-5, EV-4	UNIX 4.0D

HP 9000	PA-RISC 1.1 PA-RISC 2.0 V-Class, PA-RISC 2.0	HP-UX 10.20 HP-UX 10.20 HP-UX 11.0

IBM RISC System/6000	PowerClassic, Power2	AIX 4.3.1

Intel x86 and compatibles	386+	Windows NT 3.5, 4.0

Intel	386+	Linux 2.0.36

Silicon Graphics	R4K, R5K R8K, R10K	IRIX 6.2, 6.5 IRIX64 6.4, 6.5

Sun SPARC	SuperSPARC UltraSPARC	Solaris 2.5.1, 2.6, 7 Solaris 2.5.1, 2.6, 7