THE RIGID BODY ELEMENT (RIGI)

Figure 1: RIGI elements with 1, 2 3 or 4 nodes

Definition
The rigid body element has two functions. The first one is to introduce rigid links between the

nodes. The rigid body element has a number of nodes varying from 1 to 4. Node N1 is placed at the
body center of mass and is the master node. The second function is to introduce a local mass and
inertia tensor on the master node (this can also be done with .MASS).
The kinetic energy is evaluated exactly using the expression:

where
= translation velocity of center of mass;
= angular velocity in body axes (x1, y1, z1);
m and J = mass and inertia tensor of the body in body axes (x1, y1, z1), respectively.
Some options on the rotational degrees of freedom of the slave nodes are available:
option 1: boolean identification of the rotational degree of freedom,
option 2: Lagrange multipliers between the master degree of freedom and the slave degree of
freedom,
option 3: the rotations of the slave nodes are free.
The element has a 2-D and a 3-D version. The choice is made automatically by the software
according to the structural elements.

Degrees of freedom
The element is defined by the node(s) N1, (N2, N3, N4) attached to the element.
3-D analysis
Degrees of freedom
X, Y, Z
y1 , y2 , y3
X, Y, Z

Nodes
N1
N1
N2 to N4

Components
1, 2, 3
4, 5, 6
1, 2, 3

[y1 , y2 , y3]

N2 to N4

4, 5, 6

i = 1, 3*NNOD-3
or 1,6*NNOD-6

Internal
degrees of
freedom

Meaning
Nodal position vector of master node
Nodal rotation vector of master node
Nodal position vector of slave nodes
Nodal rotation vector of slave nodes
(optional)
Lagrange multipliers

2-D analysis
Degrees of freedom
X, Y
y3
X, Y
[ y3]

Nodes
N1
N1
N2 to N4
N2 to N4

Components
1, 2
6
1, 2
6

Meaning
Nodal position vector of master node
Nodal rotation vector of master node
Nodal position vector of slave nodes
Nodal rotation vector of slave nodes

(optional)
i

i = 1, 2*NNOD-2
or 1,3*NNOD-3

Internal
degrees of freedom

Lagrange multipliers

NNOD is the number of nodes of the rigid body

The constraints expressing equality between the components of the rotation vectors at the slave
nodes and at the master node are imposed either by Boolean identification or Lagrange multipliers.
The Boolean identification is cheaper because the number of unknowns is reduced by the
elimination of the slave rotational unknowns but the drawback is that the reaction torque cannot be
obtained. On the other hand, the use of Lagrange multipliers to express equality conditions between
the master node and the slave nodes allows the access to the reaction torque. In this case, the
element number of degrees of freedom is increased by the number of Lagrange multipliers and the
number of slave nodes rotational unknowns. If Boolean identification is used, no local axes (.AXL)
can be put on the nodes of the rigid bodies.

Properties
The mass, and the moments and products of inertia with respect to the body axes must be
specified by the .MCC command:
Parameters: MASS MIXX MIYY MIZZ MIXY MIXZ MIYZ
The user has to introduce the values which are used in the mass matrix. It means that for MIXY
MIXZ MIYZ, the user has to introduce the inertia product with respect to the two axes and change
the sign. Whereas, in the .MASS command, the user has to introduce the true inertia product.
The element can be massless.
The orientation of the body axes x1 and y1 is defined through the general procedure to define
axes. These axes are specified by means of the .MCC command.
Parameters: FRM1 EL1 PHI THET PSI AXE1 AXE2 V11 V12 V13 V21 V22 V23
If FRM1 is defined, the master node is used for point P in the .FRAME description. If no
specification is made, the initial orientation adopted corresponds to structural axes. The body axes
rotate with the master node.
An acceleration can be applied via the .MCC command. Its components are specified with respect
to the structural frame.
Parameters: FX FY FZ
The input values represent an acceleration, the forces will equal the product of the mass and its
values.
Damping proportional to the mass matrix can be introduced via the .MCC command (in this case,
there are damping forces for a rigid body motion).
Parameter: BETA

Thermal effect
Time variation of the temperature can be taken into account. The temperature of the rigid body is
assumed uniform and is taken equal to the mean value of the nodal temperatures (see .CLT
command) of the slave nodes.
The thermal expansion coefficient can be introduced either by the .MCC command:
Parameter: ALPH
or like for the structural elements by giving a material number by the .AEL MAT command. In this
case, the thermal expansion coefficient can depend on the temperature and the thermal strain is
computed like for structural elements, taking into account an initial and a reference temperature.

Relaxing some slave dof

By default all dof of the slave nodes are rigidly constrained to the master node. It is possible to relax
some constraints. In this case, the user has to define which dof are constrained.
Parameters: CM FRM2
The CM parameter can be introduced by the .MCC command. It gives the component numbers of the
constrained dof (integer 1 to 6 with no embedded blanks). The dof refer to axes linked to the master
node. These axes are parallel to the body axes (default) or the axes defined by FRM2. If FRM2 is
specified, the second node of the rigid body element is used for point P in the .FRAME description.
As an example, CM 2356 is equivalent to cylindrical joints between the master node and the slave
nodes; the joint axes go through the slave nodes and are parallel to the first axis. In case CM is used,
no mass can be linked to the element. A .MASS command must be used.

Option on the rotations

By default (OPT 1), there is a Boolean identification between the rotations of the master node and
the slave nodes. With OPT 2, there are Lagrange multipliers between the rotations of the master
node and the slave nodes (this is equivalent to CM 123456). With OPT 3, the rotations of the
slave nodes are free (this is equivalent to CM 123).
Parameter: OPT

Remark concerning the use

A large number of rigid body elements may be defined using the .RBE macro-command.

Post-processing
For rigid body elements having more than one node and provided that their storage has been
requested using .SAI ARCHIVE ELEMENT - COMP ..., the loads applied by a node on the
other nodes of the element can be accessed. The component number to be specified is the following:
Information Description for OPT 1 or OPT 3

Component Number
1 to 3

Forces by node N1 in structural axes FXN1, FYN1, FZN1

4 to 6

Total torque with respect to N1 in structural axes TX, TY, TZ

7 to 9

Forces by node N2 in structural axes FXN2, FYN2, FZN2

10 to 12

Forces by node N3 in structural axes FXN3, FYN3, FZN3

13 to 15

Forces by node N4 in structural axes FXN4, FYN4, FZN4

6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 1 to 6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 3

Forces by node N1 in rigid body local axes Fx1N1, Fy1N1, Fz1N1

6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 4 to 6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 6

Total torque with respect to N1 in rigid body local axes Tx1, Ty1,
Tz1

6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 7 to 6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 9

Forces by node N2 in rigid body local axes Fx1N2, Fy1N2, Fz1N2

6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 10 to 6 + 3*(NNOD-1) +
12

Forces by node N3 in rigid body local axes Fx1N3, Fy1N3, Fz1N3

6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 13 to 6 + 3*(NNOD-1) +
15

Forces by node N4 in rigid body local axes Fx1N4, Fy1N4, Fz1N4

With OPT 2, one has the same kind of logic but with 6 values for every node. So it is possible to
get the torque applied by a node with respect to itself on the other nodes of the element.
Information Description for
Component Number

OPT 2

1 to 3

Forces by node N1 in structural axes FXN1, FYN1 , FZN1

4 to 6

Torques with respect to N1 in structural axes TXN1, TYN1, TZN1

7 to 9

Forces by node N2 in structural axes FXN2, FYN2, FZN2

10 to 12

Torques with respect to N2 in structural axes TXN2, TYN2, TZN2

13 to 15

Forces by node N3 in structural axes FXN3, FYN3, FZN3

16 to 18

Torques with respect to N3 in structural axes TXN3, TYN3, TZN3

19 to 21

Forces by node N4 in structural axes FXN4, FYN4, FZN4

22 to 24

Torques with respect to N4 in structural axes TXN4, TYN4, TZN4

6*NNOD + 1 to 6*NNOD + 3 Forces by node N in rigid body local axes F N1, F N1 , F N1

1
x1
y1
z1
N1
N1
6*NNOD + 4 to 6*NNOD + 6 Torques with respect to node N1 in rigid body local axes Tx1 , Ty1 ,
Tz1N1

6*NNOD + 7 to 6*NNOD + 9 Forces by node N in rigid body local axes F N2, F N2 , F N2

2
x1
y1
z1
6*NNOD + 10 to 6*NNOD +
12
6*NNOD + 13 to 6*NNOD +
15
6*NNOD + 16 to 6*NNOD +
18
6*NNOD + 19 to 6*NNOD +
21
6*NNOD + 22 to 6*NNOD +
24

Torques with respect to node N2 in rigid body local axes Tx1N2, Ty1N2,
Tz1N2

Forces by node N3 in rigid body local axes Fx1N3, Fy1N3 , Fz1N3

Torques with respect to node N3 in rigid body local axes Tx1N3, Ty1N3,
Tz1N3

Forces by node N4 in rigid body local axes Fx1N4, Fy1N4 , Fz1N4

Torques with respect to node N4 in rigid body local axes Tx1N4, Ty1N4,
Tz1N4

In printing, depending on the TENS parameter of .MCC:

Parameter: TENS
TENS 0 (default): the forces and the torques applied by the nodes of the rigid body expressed in
structural axes (X,Y,Z) are printed.
TENS 1: the same values are printed with, in addition, their components in rigid body axes (x1,
y1, z1).

Linear analysis
Available but the mass and inertia parameters are not taken into account. The .MASS command
should be used in order to introduce a local mass.

Examples
Complete examples with rigid body elements are described in the Mechanisms examples page.

Parameters list

THE RIGID BODY ELEMENT (RIGI)

Figure 1: RIGI elements with 1, 2 3 or 4 nodes

Definition
The rigid body element has two functions. The first one is to introduce rigid links between the
nodes. The rigid body element has a number of nodes varying from 1 to 4. Node N1 is placed at the
body center of mass and is the master node. The second function is to introduce a local mass and
inertia tensor on the master node (this can also be done with .MASS).
The kinetic energy is evaluated exactly using the expression:

where
= translation velocity of center of mass;
= angular velocity in body axes (x1, y1, z1);
m and J = mass and inertia tensor of the body in body axes (x1, y1, z1), respectively.
Some options on the rotational degrees of freedom of the slave nodes are available:
option 1: boolean identification of the rotational degree of freedom,
option 2: Lagrange multipliers between the master degree of freedom and the slave degree of
freedom,
option 3: the rotations of the slave nodes are free.
The element has a 2-D and a 3-D version. The choice is made automatically by the software
according to the structural elements.

Degrees of freedom
The element is defined by the node(s) N1, (N2, N3, N4) attached to the element.
3-D analysis
Degrees of freedom
X, Y, Z
y1 , y2 , y3
X, Y, Z

Nodes
N1
N1
N2 to N4

Components
1, 2, 3
4, 5, 6
1, 2, 3

[y1 , y2 , y3]

N2 to N4

4, 5, 6

i = 1, 3*NNOD-3
or 1,6*NNOD-6

Internal
degrees of
freedom

Meaning
Nodal position vector of master node
Nodal rotation vector of master node
Nodal position vector of slave nodes
Nodal rotation vector of slave nodes
(optional)
Lagrange multipliers

2-D analysis
Degrees of freedom
X, Y
y3

Nodes
N1
N1

Components
1, 2
6

Meaning
Nodal position vector of master node
Nodal rotation vector of master node

X, Y

N2 to N4

1, 2

[ y3]

N2 to N4

i = 1, 2*NNOD-2
or 1,3*NNOD-3

Nodal position vector of slave nodes

Nodal rotation vector of slave nodes
(optional)

Internal
degrees of freedom

Lagrange multipliers

NNOD is the number of nodes of the rigid body

The constraints expressing equality between the components of the rotation vectors at the slave
nodes and at the master node are imposed either by Boolean identification or Lagrange multipliers.
The Boolean identification is cheaper because the number of unknowns is reduced by the
elimination of the slave rotational unknowns but the drawback is that the reaction torque cannot be
obtained. On the other hand, the use of Lagrange multipliers to express equality conditions between
the master node and the slave nodes allows the access to the reaction torque. In this case, the
element number of degrees of freedom is increased by the number of Lagrange multipliers and the
number of slave nodes rotational unknowns. If Boolean identification is used, no local axes (.AXL)
can be put on the nodes of the rigid bodies.

Properties
The mass, and the moments and products of inertia with respect to the body axes must be
specified by the .MCC command:
Parameters: MASS MIXX MIYY MIZZ MIXY MIXZ MIYZ
The user has to introduce the values which are used in the mass matrix. It means that for MIXY
MIXZ MIYZ, the user has to introduce the inertia product with respect to the two axes and change
the sign. Whereas, in the .MASS command, the user has to introduce the true inertia product.
The element can be massless.
The orientation of the body axes x1 and y1 is defined through the general procedure to define
axes. These axes are specified by means of the .MCC command.
Parameters: FRM1 EL1 PHI THET PSI AXE1 AXE2 V11 V12 V13 V21 V22 V23
If FRM1 is defined, the master node is used for point P in the .FRAME description. If no
specification is made, the initial orientation adopted corresponds to structural axes. The body axes
rotate with the master node.
An acceleration can be applied via the .MCC command. Its components are specified with respect
to the structural frame.
Parameters: FX FY FZ
The input values represent an acceleration, the forces will equal the product of the mass and its
values.
Damping proportional to the mass matrix can be introduced via the .MCC command (in this case,
there are damping forces for a rigid body motion).
Parameter: BETA

Thermal effect
Time variation of the temperature can be taken into account. The temperature of the rigid body is
assumed uniform and is taken equal to the mean value of the nodal temperatures (see .CLT
command) of the slave nodes.
The thermal expansion coefficient can be introduced either by the .MCC command:
Parameter: ALPH
or like for the structural elements by giving a material number by the .AEL MAT command. In this
case, the thermal expansion coefficient can depend on the temperature and the thermal strain is
computed like for structural elements, taking into account an initial and a reference temperature.

Relaxing some slave dof

By default all dof of the slave nodes are rigidly constrained to the master node. It is possible to relax
some constraints. In this case, the user has to define which dof are constrained.
Parameters: CM FRM2
The CM parameter can be introduced by the .MCC command. It gives the component numbers of the
constrained dof (integer 1 to 6 with no embedded blanks). The dof refer to axes linked to the master
node. These axes are parallel to the body axes (default) or the axes defined by FRM2. If FRM2 is
specified, the second node of the rigid body element is used for point P in the .FRAME description.
As an example, CM 2356 is equivalent to cylindrical joints between the master node and the slave
nodes; the joint axes go through the slave nodes and are parallel to the first axis. In case CM is used,
no mass can be linked to the element. A .MASS command must be used.

Option on the rotations

By default (OPT 1), there is a Boolean identification between the rotations of the master node and
the slave nodes. With OPT 2, there are Lagrange multipliers between the rotations of the master
node and the slave nodes (this is equivalent to CM 123456). With OPT 3, the rotations of the
slave nodes are free (this is equivalent to CM 123).
Parameter: OPT

Remark concerning the use

A large number of rigid body elements may be defined using the .RBE macro-command.

Post-processing
For rigid body elements having more than one node and provided that their storage has been
requested using .SAI ARCHIVE ELEMENT - COMP ..., the loads applied by a node on the
other nodes of the element can be accessed. The component number to be specified is the following:
Information Description for OPT 1 or OPT 3

Component Number
1 to 3

Forces by node N1 in structural axes FXN1, FYN1, FZN1

4 to 6

Total torque with respect to N1 in structural axes TX, TY, TZ

7 to 9

Forces by node N2 in structural axes FXN2, FYN2, FZN2

10 to 12

Forces by node N3 in structural axes FXN3, FYN3, FZN3

13 to 15

Forces by node N4 in structural axes FXN4, FYN4, FZN4

6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 1 to 6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 3

Forces by node N1 in rigid body local axes Fx1N1, Fy1N1, Fz1N1

6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 4 to 6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 6

Total torque with respect to N1 in rigid body local axes Tx1, Ty1,
Tz1

6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 7 to 6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 9

Forces by node N2 in rigid body local axes Fx1N2, Fy1N2, Fz1N2

6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 10 to 6 + 3*(NNOD-1) +
12

Forces by node N3 in rigid body local axes Fx1N3, Fy1N3, Fz1N3

6 + 3*(NNOD-1) + 13 to 6 + 3*(NNOD-1) +
15

Forces by node N4 in rigid body local axes Fx1N4, Fy1N4, Fz1N4

With OPT 2, one has the same kind of logic but with 6 values for every node. So it is possible to
get the torque applied by a node with respect to itself on the other nodes of the element.
Information Description for
Component Number

OPT 2

1 to 3

Forces by node N1 in structural axes FXN1, FYN1 , FZN1

4 to 6

Torques with respect to N1 in structural axes TXN1, TYN1, TZN1

7 to 9

Forces by node N2 in structural axes FXN2, FYN2, FZN2

10 to 12

Torques with respect to N2 in structural axes TXN2, TYN2, TZN2

13 to 15

Forces by node N3 in structural axes FXN3, FYN3, FZN3

16 to 18

Torques with respect to N3 in structural axes TXN3, TYN3, TZN3

19 to 21

Forces by node N4 in structural axes FXN4, FYN4, FZN4

22 to 24

Torques with respect to N4 in structural axes TXN4, TYN4, TZN4

6*NNOD + 1 to 6*NNOD + 3 Forces by node N in rigid body local axes F N1, F N1 , F N1

1
x1
y1
z1
N1
N1
6*NNOD + 4 to 6*NNOD + 6 Torques with respect to node N1 in rigid body local axes Tx1 , Ty1 ,
Tz1N1

6*NNOD + 7 to 6*NNOD + 9 Forces by node N in rigid body local axes F N2, F N2 , F N2

2
x1
y1
z1
6*NNOD + 10 to 6*NNOD +
12
6*NNOD + 13 to 6*NNOD +
15
6*NNOD + 16 to 6*NNOD +
18
6*NNOD + 19 to 6*NNOD +
21
6*NNOD + 22 to 6*NNOD +
24

Torques with respect to node N2 in rigid body local axes Tx1N2, Ty1N2,
Tz1N2

Forces by node N3 in rigid body local axes Fx1N3, Fy1N3 , Fz1N3

Torques with respect to node N3 in rigid body local axes Tx1N3, Ty1N3,
Tz1N3

Forces by node N4 in rigid body local axes Fx1N4, Fy1N4 , Fz1N4

Torques with respect to node N4 in rigid body local axes Tx1N4, Ty1N4,
Tz1N4

In printing, depending on the TENS parameter of .MCC:

Parameter: TENS
TENS 0 (default): the forces and the torques applied by the nodes of the rigid body expressed in
structural axes (X,Y,Z) are printed.
TENS 1: the same values are printed with, in addition, their components in rigid body axes (x1,
y1, z1).

Linear analysis
Available but the mass and inertia parameters are not taken into account. The .MASS command
should be used in order to introduce a local mass.

Examples
Complete examples with rigid body elements are described in the Mechanisms examples page.

Parameters list