# How to show shell thickness from LS-DYNA file

**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-shell-thickness-from-ls-dyna-file/2201
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Created:** [July 11, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-shell-thickness-from-ls-dyna-file/2201 "2019-07-11T17:32:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![hsvalladares](https://discourse.paraview.org/user_avatar/discourse.paraview.org/hsvalladares/32/1696_2.png) [@hsvalladares](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/hsvalladares)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-shell-thickness-from-ls-dyna-file/2201/1 "2019-07-11T17:32:22Z")

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Hi,

I am modeling a sandwich composite in LS-DYNA using shell and solid elements and I would like to know if there is any way to show the thickness of the shell elements in ParaView. Please see the attached figure.

 ![Sandwich%20composite](https://discourse.paraview.org/uploads/default/original/2X/9/994eb9745919d67e94284bcf2e71832ded5ba2bd.png)

Any help is appreciated,

Homero

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### Author: ![utkarsh.ayachit](https://discourse.paraview.org/user_avatar/discourse.paraview.org/utkarsh.ayachit/32/39_2.png) [@utkarsh.ayachit](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/utkarsh.ayachit)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2019, 5:33pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-shell-thickness-from-ls-dyna-file/2201/2 "2019-07-11T17:33:55Z")

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do you have a sample dataset? that may make this easier.

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![hsvalladares](https://discourse.paraview.org/user_avatar/discourse.paraview.org/hsvalladares/32/1696_2.png) [@hsvalladares](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/hsvalladares)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-shell-thickness-from-ls-dyna-file/2201/3 "2019-07-11T18:20:41Z")

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Hi Utkarsh,

This is the model I want to show the thickness of the shell elements:

**ParaView**

 ![image.png](https://discourse.paraview.org/uploads/default/original/2X/6/6e025e47cc881f4660feb9df35d530113964828c.png)

This is how I want to visualize the model (generated by **LS-PrePost** ):

 ![image.png](https://discourse.paraview.org/uploads/default/original/2X/f/f4a4df8820eb97444e8f2f69a2ee863d897afa4f.png)

This is the link to the files (too big to be added to the ParaView website).

[![](https://discourse.paraview.org/uploads/default/original/1X/bcec071d2daf94f074e0d45f573498975b42d6b0.png) composite\_model.zip](https://drive.google.com/file/d/19W2tu4zps8hYINF1m2Y5MF8F8irT6Pm3/view?usp=drive_web)

Also, how I can generate **isometric views** of the model (without rotating the model manually (with the mouse))? LS-PrePost has this option to generate default iso views.

![image.png](https://discourse.paraview.org/uploads/default/original/2X/c/c4ad8904cf8731efa65e97b52743cbf1b7e86bdc.png)

I just discovered ParaView and I am really excited about its capabilities.

Thanks for your help,

Homero