Material Models for Structural Mechanics

The Structural Mechanics Module without any add-on modules provides the Linear Elastic material with Viscoelasticity and Thermal Expansion modeling capabilities. It also provides access to piezoelectric and magnetostrictive materials.

If you have the optional products Nonlinear Structural Materials Module or Geomechanics Module, many other classes of nonlinear materials are also available. These models can be modified and extended, and custom material models can be defined.

You can also add a material model which you have coded yourself and made available as a binary library file using an External Stress-Strain Relation.

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Modeling Piezoelectric Problems

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Modeling Magnetostrictive Materials

In the COMSOL Multiphysics Reference Manual:

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Working with External Materials

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External Material

In Table 2-6 and Table 2-7 you can find an overview of the families of materials, and their applicability in the various structural mechanics interfaces.

Table 2-6: Material Models in the Physics Interfaces on Domains and Boundaries
Material Model	Solid Mechanics	Elastic Waves, Time Explicit	Shell/Plate	Layered Shell	Membrane
Linear Elastic Material	X	—	X	X	X
Layered Linear Elastic Material	—	—	X	—	X
Section Stiffness	—	—	X	—	—
Elastic Waves, Time Explicit Model	—	X	—	—	—
Nonlinear Elastic Material	X	—	—	—	X
Hyperelastic Material	X	—	—	X	X
Layered Hyperelastic Material	—	—	X	—	—
Shape Memory Alloy	X	—	—	—	—
Piezoelectric Material	X	—	—	X	—
Piezomagnetic Material	X	—	—	—	—
Viscoelasticity	X	—	X	X	X
Plasticity	X	—	X	X	X
Soil Plasticity	X	—	—	—	—
Creep	X	—	X	X	X
Elastoplastic Soil Material	X	—	—	—	—
Viscoplasticity	X	—	X	X	X
Porous Plasticity	X	—	—	—	—
Concrete	X	—	—	—	—
Rocks	X	—	—	—	—
Damage	X	—	—	—	—
External Stress-Strain Relation	X	—	—	—	X
Rigid Material	X	—	X	X	—

Table 2-7: Material Models in the Physics Interfaces on Edges
Material Model	Beam	Pipe Mechanics	Truss
Linear Elastic Material	X	—	X
Fluid and Pipe Materials	—	X	—
Section Stiffness	X	—	—
Plasticity	—	—	X
Rigid Material	X	X	—
Spring-Damper Material	—	—	X

Many of the material models can be augmented by effects like thermal expansion, hygroscopic swelling, initial stresses and strains, external stress, and activation.