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4.1.4 Quadratic Tetrahedral Elements
FEBio implements a 10-node quadratic tetrahedral element. It has four corner nodes and six nodes located at the midpoint of the edges. The shape functions in terms area coordinates are given below. The area coordinates relate to the isoparametric coordinates as follows. The shape functions follow. The following integration rules are implemented for this element type.
4-point Gauss rule | |||
r | s | t | w |
0.58541020 | 0.13819660 | 0.13819660 | 0.041666667 |
0.13819660 | 0.58541020 | 0.13819660 | 0.041666667 |
0.13819660 | 0.13819660 | 0.58541020 | 0.041666667 |
0.13819660 | 0.13819660 | 0.13819660 | 0.041666667 |
8-point Gauss rule | |||
r | s | t | w |
0.01583591 | 0.328054697 | 0.328054697 | 0.023087995 |
0.328054697 | 0.01583591 | 0.328054697 | 0.023087995 |
0.328054697 | 0.328054697 | 0.01583591 | 0.023087995 |
0.328054697 | 0.328054697 | 0.328054697 | 0.023087995 |
0.679143178 | 0.106952274 | 0.106952274 | 0.018578672 |
0.106952274 | 0.679143178 | 0.106952274 | 0.018578672 |
0.106952274 | 0.106952274 | 0.679143178 | 0.018578672 |
0.106952274 | 0.106952274 | 0.106952274 | 0.018578672 |
11-point Gauss-Lobatto rule | |||
r | s | t | w |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0.002777778 |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0.002777778 |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0.002777778 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0.002777778 |
0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0.011111111 |
0.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.011111111 |
0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.011111111 |
0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.011111111 |
0.5 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.011111111 |
0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.011111111 |
0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.088888889 |
FEBio also implements a 15-node quadratic tetrahedral element.

Quadratic tetrahedral elements available in FEBio. Left, a 10-node quadratic tet. Right, a 15-node quadratic tet.
The following integration rules are implemented for this element type.
8-point Gauss rule [A] [A] Note that weights sum up to one and not to the volume of the tet in the natural coordinate system (i.e. 1/6). | |||
r | s | t | w |
0.0158359099 | 0.3280546970 | 0.3280546970 | 0.138527967 |
0.3280546970 | 0.0158359099 | 0.3280546970 | 0.138527967 |
0.3280546970 | 0.3280546970 | 0.0158359099 | 0.138527967 |
0.3280546970 | 0.3280546970 | 0.3280546970 | 0.138527967 |
0.6791431780 | 0.1069522740 | 0.1069522740 | 0.111472033 |
0.1069522740 | 0.6791431780 | 0.1069522740 | 0.111472033 |
0.1069522740 | 0.1069522740 | 0.6791431780 | 0.111472033 |
0.1069522740 | 0.1069522740 | 0.1069522740 | 0.111472033 |
11-point Gauss rule | |||
r | s | t | w |
0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | -0.01315555556 |
0.071428571428571 | 0.071428571428571 | 0.071428571428571 | 0.007622222222 |
0.785714285714286 | 0.071428571428571 | 0.071428571428571 | 0.007622222222 |
0.071428571428571 | 0.785714285714286 | 0.071428571428571 | 0.007622222222 |
0.071428571428571 | 0.071428571428571 | 0.785714285714286 | 0.007622222222 |
0.399403576166799 | 0.100596423833201 | 0.100596423833201 | 0.024888888889 |
0.100596423833201 | 0.399403576166799 | 0.100596423833201 | 0.024888888889 |
0.100596423833201 | 0.100596423833201 | 0.399403576166799 | 0.024888888889 |
0.399403576166799 | 0.399403576166799 | 0.100596423833201 | 0.024888888889 |
0.399403576166799 | 0.100596423833201 | 0.399403576166799 | 0.024888888889 |
0.100596423833201 | 0.399403576166799 | 0.399403576166799 | 0.024888888889 |
15-point Gauss rule | |||
r | s | t | w |
0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.030283678097089 |
0.333333333333333 | 0.333333333333333 | 0.333333333333333 | 0.006026785714286 |
0.000000000000000 | 0.333333333333333 | 0.333333333333333 | 0.006026785714286 |
0.333333333333333 | 0.000000000000000 | 0.333333333333333 | 0.006026785714286 |
0.333333333333333 | 0.333333333333333 | 0.000000000000000 | 0.006026785714286 |
0.090909090909091 | 0.090909090909091 | 0.090909090909091 | 0.011645249086029 |
0.727272727272727 | 0.090909090909091 | 0.090909090909091 | 0.011645249086029 |
0.090909090909091 | 0.727272727272727 | 0.090909090909091 | 0.011645249086029 |
0.090909090909091 | 0.090909090909091 | 0.727272727272727 | 0.011645249086029 |
0.433449846426336 | 0.066550153573664 | 0.066550153573664 | 0.010949141561386 |
0.066550153573664 | 0.433449846426336 | 0.066550153573664 | 0.010949141561386 |
0.066550153573664 | 0.066550153573664 | 0.433449846426336 | 0.010949141561386 |
0.066550153573664 | 0.433449846426336 | 0.433449846426336 | 0.010949141561386 |
0.433449846426336 | 0.066550153573664 | 0.433449846426336 | 0.010949141561386 |
0.433449846426336 | 0.433449846426336 | 0.066550153573664 | 0.010949141561386 |