A shell element is a type of finite element used in structural analysis that is specifically designed to represent thin-walled structures. These elements can accurately model the behavior of surfaces subjected to loads and are crucial for analyzing structures like beams, plates, and shells where one dimension is significantly smaller than the other two. The unique aspect of shell elements lies in their ability to capture bending, stretching, and membrane actions, which are essential for understanding how these structures respond under various loading conditions.
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