Nonlinear Structural Analysis and Thermal Analysis support 3D, 2D, and 1D properties. If your model contains solid geometry, Nonlinear Structural Analysis or Thermal Analysis automatically creates a 3D property when you enter the Nonlinear Structural Analysis or the Thermal Analysis workbench for the first time and assigns the property to the solid part. However, if your model contains surface or wireframe geometry, you must create a 2D or 1D property and assign it to the relevant part.

You can create solid, surface, or wireframe mesh properties in Nonlinear Structural Analysis and Thermal Analysis using the following tools:

3D Property: Creates a 3D solid mesh property and assigns it to a 3D part. A 3D property refers to the material assigned to the part.

2D Property: Creates a 2D surface mesh property globally and, if needed, locally. A 2D property refers to the material assigned to the part. In addition, a 2D property refers to the thickness of the part. You can use data mapping to define a varying thickness at specified locations of the part. See Data Mapping in the CATIA V5 Generative Structural Analysis User's Guide for more information.

1D Property: Creates 1D wireframe mesh properties globally and, if needed, locally. A 1D property refers to the material assigned to the part. A 1D property can also refer to the material orientation.

The following CATIA V5 beam types are supported by Nonlinear Structural Analysis and Thermal Analysis:

• Cylindrical beam

• Tubular beam

• Rectangular beam

• Thin box beam

• Thin U-beam

• Thin I-beam

• Thin T-beam

• Thin X-beam

• User-defined

The same beam section types are available for any beams that you specify in spot and seam welds. The CATIA V5 beam section types Thin U, Thin X, and User-defined cannot include material nonlinearity.

See 1D Property Section Type in the CATIA V5 Generative Structural Analysis User's Guide for a description of the parameters that define the beam cross-section geometry.