A simple and efficient triangular finite element for plate bending

A simple and efficient triangular finite element is introduced for plate bending application. The element is a three-node triangular one with three basic degrees of freedom per node and two internal rotation degrees of freedom, using selective reduced integration. Numerical examples indicate that, despite its simplicity, the element is not only competitively accurate, but also useful as a thick/thin triangular plate bending element. It is also pointed out that this element using selective reduced integration is in fact a mixed element.