NASTRAN, the NASA Structural Analysis System, is a powerful general purpose finite element analysis (FEA) program for use in computer-aided engineering. NASTRAN is a standard in the structural analysis field, providing the engineer with a wide range of modeling and analysis capabilities. Development of NASTRAN was initiated in the mid-1960's by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to provide an FEA capability for its aerospace research projects. Over the years, NASA has actively maintained and improved NASTRAN such that it remains a state-of-the-art structural analysis system.

NASTRAN applications include almost every kind of structure and construction. Structural and modeling elements are provided for the specific representation of the more common types of structural building blocks including rods, beams, shear panels, plates, and shells of revolution. More general types of building blocks can be treated by combining these simple elements or by using the "general" element capability. The substructuring capability allows (Read More)......