{"id":673,"date":"2020-09-28T14:35:40","date_gmt":"2020-09-28T21:35:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/?p=673"},"modified":"2025-04-22T23:24:37","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T06:24:37","slug":"115-rbe3-vs-rbe2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/2020\/09\/115-rbe3-vs-rbe2\/","title":{"rendered":"#115 Nastran Tips: When to Use RBE2 vs. RBE3 Elements"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>#115: RBE3 and RBE2<\/p>\n<p>RBE2 (Rigid Body Element Type 2):<br \/>\nRepresents an infinitely stiff connection.<br \/>\nAll connected nodes (slave nodes) follow the exact same translations and rotations as the master node.<br \/>\nThere is no relative motion between the master and slave nodes.<br \/>\nCommonly used for rigid body constraints, fixtures, or modeling lumped mass regions.<br \/>\nAdds stiffness to the model\u2014use with caution in flexible structure simulations.<\/p>\n<p>RBE3 (Rigid Body Element Type 3):<br \/>\nA weighted interpolation element for distributing loads or mass.<br \/>\nDoes not add stiffness to the structure.<br \/>\nAllows slave nodes to move independently; only the forces are distributed based on weights or geometry.<br \/>\nOften used for load transfer, interface averaging, and pressure-to-point load mapping.<br \/>\nGood for preserving local flexibility while enforcing consistent load transfer.<\/p>\n<p>Key Differences:<br \/>\nFeature         RBE2                            RBE3<br \/>\nStiffness   Adds infinite stiffness         Does not add stiffness<br \/>\nDisplacement    Slaves follow master exactly    Slaves can deform independently<br \/>\nUsage           Rigid connections               Load or mass distribution<br \/>\nStructural Use  Can be structural           Not a structural element<br \/>\nTypical Use Fixtures, rigid joints          Load mapping, averaging interfaces<\/p>\n<p>RBE2 is a rigid element which adds &#8220;infinite stiffness&#8221; to attached nodes which means both nodes to exactly the same displacements. There will be no relative displacement between the slaves.<br \/>\nRBE3 is an interpolation element used to distribute mass and loads depending on the length. RBE3&#8217;s aren&#8217;t really &#8220;rigid&#8221; and shouldn&#8217;t be used as structural elements. They are for distributing loads.<\/p>\n<p>RBE2 rigidly connects the master to the slave nodes. Basically, the slave nodes follow the same deformations as the master node.<br \/>\nRBE3 &#8220;flexibly&#8221; connects the master to the slave nodes. The master transmits a force to each slave node depending on its relative position to the master, thus allowing the slaves to deform differently compared to the master. Depending on the solver the force distribution may be weighted or altered based on DOFs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>#115: RBE3 and RBE2 RBE2 (Rigid Body Element Type 2): Represents an infinitely stiff connection. All connected nodes (slave nodes) follow the exact same translations and rotations as the master node. There is no relative motion between the master and slave nodes. Commonly used for rigid body constraints, fixtures, or modeling lumped mass regions. Adds [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[42,325,326],"class_list":["post-673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nastran","tag-nastran","tag-rbe2","tag-rbe3"],"modified_by":"gantovnik","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8bH0k-aR","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2124,"url":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/2024\/02\/413-1d-elements-in-hypermesh\/","url_meta":{"origin":673,"position":0},"title":"#413 1D elements in HyperMesh","author":"gantovnik","date":"2024-02-05","format":false,"excerpt":"Bar elements: Bar2 = Configuration 60 (1st order) elements with 2 nodes used to model axial, bending, and torsion behavior. Bar2 elements have a property reference, an orientation vector, offset vectors and ends A and B, and pin flags at ends A and B. Bar3 = Configuration 63 - 1D\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;fem&quot;","block_context":{"text":"fem","link":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/category\/fem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10486,"url":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/2025\/09\/464-difference-between-cbush-and-cbush1d-in-hypermesh\/","url_meta":{"origin":673,"position":1},"title":"#464 Difference Between CBUSH and CBUSH1D in HyperMesh","author":"gantovnik","date":"2025-09-30","format":false,"excerpt":"When working with connectors in HyperMesh \/ Nastran, you will often see two element types: CBUSH and CBUSH1D. While they sound similar, they serve slightly different purposes. CBUSH (General-Purpose Bushing Element) Type: 2-node element, each node has 6 DOF (12 total). Flexibility: Allows stiffness definition in all 6 directions (translation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;HyperMesh&quot;","block_context":{"text":"HyperMesh","link":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/category\/hypermesh\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Generated image","src":"https:\/\/sdmntpraustraliaeast.oaiusercontent.com\/files\/00000000-ebfc-61fa-8b58-b37a4b4c018b\/raw?se=2025-09-30T21%3A33%3A03Z&sp=r&sv=2024-08-04&sr=b&scid=fa3459b1-8b6d-5d9f-afff-30ef6a559619&skoid=8cb40e9f-389f-4cf6-afaa-e5bd4c7fd98c&sktid=a48cca56-e6da-484e-a814-9c849652bcb3&skt=2025-09-29T23%3A21%3A56Z&ske=2025-09-30T23%3A21%3A56Z&sks=b&skv=2024-08-04&sig=zsfkgTujIKv1NO97C10CMa7N1D5tSM2AO403bHULAqg%3D","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/sdmntpraustraliaeast.oaiusercontent.com\/files\/00000000-ebfc-61fa-8b58-b37a4b4c018b\/raw?se=2025-09-30T21%3A33%3A03Z&sp=r&sv=2024-08-04&sr=b&scid=fa3459b1-8b6d-5d9f-afff-30ef6a559619&skoid=8cb40e9f-389f-4cf6-afaa-e5bd4c7fd98c&sktid=a48cca56-e6da-484e-a814-9c849652bcb3&skt=2025-09-29T23%3A21%3A56Z&ske=2025-09-30T23%3A21%3A56Z&sks=b&skv=2024-08-04&sig=zsfkgTujIKv1NO97C10CMa7N1D5tSM2AO403bHULAqg%3D 1x, https:\/\/sdmntpraustraliaeast.oaiusercontent.com\/files\/00000000-ebfc-61fa-8b58-b37a4b4c018b\/raw?se=2025-09-30T21%3A33%3A03Z&sp=r&sv=2024-08-04&sr=b&scid=fa3459b1-8b6d-5d9f-afff-30ef6a559619&skoid=8cb40e9f-389f-4cf6-afaa-e5bd4c7fd98c&sktid=a48cca56-e6da-484e-a814-9c849652bcb3&skt=2025-09-29T23%3A21%3A56Z&ske=2025-09-30T23%3A21%3A56Z&sks=b&skv=2024-08-04&sig=zsfkgTujIKv1NO97C10CMa7N1D5tSM2AO403bHULAqg%3D 1.5x, https:\/\/sdmntpraustraliaeast.oaiusercontent.com\/files\/00000000-ebfc-61fa-8b58-b37a4b4c018b\/raw?se=2025-09-30T21%3A33%3A03Z&sp=r&sv=2024-08-04&sr=b&scid=fa3459b1-8b6d-5d9f-afff-30ef6a559619&skoid=8cb40e9f-389f-4cf6-afaa-e5bd4c7fd98c&sktid=a48cca56-e6da-484e-a814-9c849652bcb3&skt=2025-09-29T23%3A21%3A56Z&ske=2025-09-30T23%3A21%3A56Z&sks=b&skv=2024-08-04&sig=zsfkgTujIKv1NO97C10CMa7N1D5tSM2AO403bHULAqg%3D 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1573,"url":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/2022\/10\/210-parametric-curve-in-3d-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-3-2-2-3-2-2-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":673,"position":2},"title":"#303 Stress calculations in QUAD elements (Gaussian points and nodal points): Elemental stress, Nodal stress","author":"gantovnik","date":"2022-10-10","format":false,"excerpt":"For QUAD elements with shapes deviating significantly from perfect rectangle stresses are indeed most realistic at Gauss points. The primary purpose of using Gauss integration points is numerical integration. These points are chosen so that the results for a particular numerical integration scheme are the most accurate. (the Gauss Quadrature\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;fem&quot;","block_context":{"text":"fem","link":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/category\/fem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/ex303_2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/ex303_2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/ex303_2.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/ex303_2.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":640,"url":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/2020\/09\/101-how-to-determine-tension-compression-for-a-cbush-between-coincident-nodes\/","url_meta":{"origin":673,"position":3},"title":"#101: How to determine tension\/compression for a CBUSH between coincident nodes?","author":"gantovnik","date":"2020-09-25","format":false,"excerpt":"#101: How to determine tension\/compression for a CBUSH between coincident nodes? For the CBUSH element, when connecting coincident grids, the 'state' of the element, as far as tension\/compression can be confusing, since you cannot rely on the sign of the force. In other words, tension isn't always positive and compression\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;nastran&quot;","block_context":{"text":"nastran","link":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/category\/nastran\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":648,"url":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/2020\/09\/105-how-to-remove-offsets-defined-on-shell-and-beams\/","url_meta":{"origin":673,"position":4},"title":"#105: How to remove offsets defined on shell and beams?","author":"gantovnik","date":"2020-09-25","format":false,"excerpt":"#105: How to remove offsets defined on shell and beams? Method 1: Properties > Modify > GLOBAL Method 2: Utility > Property > Property Editor Property Words to Change: 4111 Plate Offset, Only Process If Exists: Check, Action: =, Value: 0 Offsets should not be used for the beam and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;nastran&quot;","block_context":{"text":"nastran","link":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/category\/nastran\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":660,"url":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/2020\/09\/109-how-to-output-the-stiffness-matrices-in-nastran\/","url_meta":{"origin":673,"position":5},"title":"#109: How to output the stiffness matrices in Nastran?","author":"gantovnik","date":"2020-09-28","format":false,"excerpt":"#109: How to output the stiffness matrices in Nastran? PARAM,EXTOUT,DMIGPCH The matrices will be printed in punch file *.pnch KAAX = boundary stiffness matrix PAX = boundary load matrix","rel":"","context":"In &quot;nastran&quot;","block_context":{"text":"nastran","link":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/category\/nastran\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=673"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/673\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9466,"href":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/673\/revisions\/9466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gantovnik.com\/bio-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}