Refined geometrically nonlinear formulation of a thin-shell triangular finite element

A refined geometrically nonlinear formulation of a thin-shell finite element based on the Kirchhoff-Love hypotheses is considered. Strain relations, which adequately describe the deformation of the element with finite bending of its middle surface, are obtained by integrating the differential equation of a planar curve. For a triangular element with 15 degrees of freedom, a cost-effective algorithm is developed for calculating the coefficients of the first and second variations of the strain energy, which are used to formulate the conditions of equilibrium and stability of the discrete model of the shell. Accuracy and convergence of the finite-element solutions are studied using test problems of nonlinear deformation of elastic plates and shells. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 48, No. 5, pp. 160–172, September–October, 2007.     

On the formulation of the planar ANCF triangular finite elements

In this paper, new planar isoparametric triangular finite elements (FE) based on the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) are developed. The proposed ANCF elements have six coordinates per node: two position coordinates that define the absolute position vector of the node and four gradient coordinates that define vectors tangent to coordinate lines (parameters) at the same node. To shed light on the importance of the element geometry and to facilitate the development of some of the new elements presented in this paper, two different parametric definitions of the gradient vectors are used. The first parametrization, called area parameterization, is based on coordinate lines along the sides of the element in the reference configuration, while the second parameterization, called Cartesian parameterization, employs coordinate lines defined along the axes of the structure (body) coordinate system. The fundamental differences between the ANCF parameterizations used in this investigation and the parametrizations used for conventional finite elements are highlighted. The Cartesian parameterization serves as a unique standard for the triangular FE assembly. To this end, a transformation matrix that defines the relationship between the area and the Cartesian parameterizations is introduced for each element in order to allow for the use of standard FE assembly procedure and define the structure (body) inertia and elastic forces. Using Bezier geometry and a linear mapping, cubic displacement fields of the new ANCF triangular elements are systematically developed. Specifically, two new ANCF triangular finite elements are developed in this investigation, namely four-node mixed-coordinate and three-node ANCF triangles. The performance of the proposed new ANCF elements is evaluated by comparison with the conventional linear and quadratic triangular elements as well as previously developed ANCF rectangular and triangular elements. The results obtained in this investigation show that in the case of small and large deformations as well as finite rotations, all the elements considered can produce correct results, which are in a good agreement if appropriate mesh sizes are used.     

An efficient Galerkin meshfree formulation for shear deformable beam under finite deformation

This paper proposes a geometrically nonlinear total Lagrangian Galerkin meshfree formulation based on the stabilized conforming nodal integration for efficient analysis of shear deformable beam. The present nonlinear analysis encompasses the fully geometric nonlinearities due to large deflection, large deformation as well as finite rotation. The incremental equilibrium equation is obtained by the consistent linearization of the nonlinear variational equation. The Lagrangian meshfree shape function is utilized to discretize the variational equation. Subsequently to resolve the shear and membrane locking issues and accelerate the computation, the method of stabilized conforming nodal integration is systematically implemented through the Lagrangian gradient smoothing operation. Numerical results reveal that the present formulation is very effective.     

Evaluation of some shear deformable shell elements

The objective of this paper is to evaluate a number of shell elements. At the same time, a new element is presented that is inspired by the quadrilateral heterosis element, Q8H, and is designated herein as the triangular heterosis element, T6H. Both elements employ the selectively reduced integration method. The elements investigated in this study include ABAQUS’s three general-purpose shell elements, ANSYS’s six-noded triangular element, T6, and the high-performance MITC9 element available in ADINA. The assessment is carried out by subjecting the various elements to several benchmark problems. It is found that for regular meshes, Q8H out-performs other elements and is comparable to MITC9. The performance of T6H is shown to be comparable to that of T6 in most test cases, but superior when very thin shells are considered.     

A geometrically nonlinear analysis of rotational shells using B-spline function

In this paper, based on the nonlinear thin shell theory, a geometrically nonlinear formulation using the total Lagrangian approach for rotational shells, as well as rotational shells on the Winkler-type elastic foundation, is presented. The displacements of the middle surface are approached by a B-spline function. All nonlinear terms of membrane strains are reserved. Two cases in which the arc length as well as ordinate is used as the coordinate parameter along meridional direction are discussed at the same time.The project supported by National natural Science Foundation of China.     

Parametric vibrations of cylindrical shells subject to geometrically nonlinear deformation: multimode models

The nonlinear parametric vibrations of cylindrical shell are described by the Donnell–Mushtari–Vlasov equations. The motions are represented as a mode expansion. Discretization is performed using the Bubnov–Galerkin method. The describing-function method is used to study traveling waves and nonlinear normal modes in systems with and without dissipation     

Analysis of geometrically nonlinear plane frames incorporating shear deformations

The state of equilibrium of plane bars and frames is formulated with finite deflections and shear deformations taken into consideration. The derivation is based on continuum solid mechanics, with integration applied to the original undeformed length.     

Some geometrically nonlinear problems of deformation of inelastic plates and shallow shells

This paper considers geometrically nonlinear problems of deformation of elastoplastic shallow shells and viscoelastoplastic plates where it is required to find kinematic loads for a given time interval such that a shell (plate) acquires prescribed residual deflections after these loads are applied and then removed. For some constraints, the correctness of the corresponding formulations (uniqueness of the solution and its continuous dependence on the problem data) is shown and iterative solution methods are justified.Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 46, No. 2, pp. 151–157, March–April, 2005.     

Nonlinear resonance responses of geometrically imperfect shear deformable nanobeams including surface stress effects

In this work, a thorough investigation is presented into the nonlinear resonant dynamics of geometrically imperfect shear deformable nanobeams subjected to harmonic external excitation force in the transverse direction. To this end, the Gurtin–Murdoch surface elasticity theory together with Reddy’s third-order shear deformation beam theory is utilized to take into account the size-dependent behavior of nanobeams and the effects of transverse shear deformation and rotary inertia, respectively. The kinematic nonlinearity is considered using the von Kármán kinematic hypothesis. The geometric imperfection as a slight curvature is assumed as the mode shape associated with the first vibration mode. The weak form of geometrically nonlinear governing equations of motion is derived using the variational differential quadrature (VDQ) technique and Lagrange equations. Then, a multistep numerical scheme is employed to solve the obtained governing equations in order to study the nonlinear frequency–response and force–response curves of nanobeams. Comprehensive studies into the effects of initial imperfection and boundary condition as well as geometric parameters on the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of imperfect shear deformable nanobeams are carried out through numerical results. Finally, the importance of incorporating the surface stress effects via the Gurtin–Murdoch elasticity theory, is emphasized by comparing the nonlinear dynamic responses of the nanobeams with different thicknesses.     

Physically and geometrically nonlinear deformation of conical shells with an elliptic hole

The elastoplastic state of conical shells weakened by an elliptic hole and subjected to finite deflections is studied. The material of the shells is assumed to be isotropic and homogeneous; the load is constant internal pressure. The problem is formulated and a technique for numerical solution with allowance for physical and geometrical nonlinearities is proposed. The distribution of stresses, strains, and displacements along the hole boundary and in the zones of their concentration is studied. The solution obtained is compared with the solutions of the physically and geometrically nonlinear problems and a numerical solution of the linear elastic problem. The stress-strain state around an elliptic hole in a conical shell is analyzed considering both nonlinearities __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 44, No. 2, pp. 69–77, February 2008.     

Canonical equations in the geometrically nonlinear theory of thin anisotropic shells

The functional in the principle of minimum potential energy of layered anisotropic shells with a nonlinear relationship between strains and displacements is transformed into a canonical integral that coincides with the functional in the Reissner principle. Partial forms of the functional are derived for problem formulations where the dimension can be reduced with respect to one of the coordinates. The canonical system of equations is linearized and then normalized. The boundary-value problem is solved by the numerical discrete-orthogonalization method. An anisotropic spherical shell under external compression is analyzed for stability as an example     

Physically and geometrically nonlinear deformation of thin-walled conical shells with a curvilinear hole

The elastoplastic state of thin conical shells with a curvilinear (circular) hole is analyzed assuming finite deflections. The distribution of stresses, strains, and displacements along the hole boundary and in the zone of their concentration are studied. The stress-strain state around a circular hole in shells subject to internal pressure of prescribed intensity is analyzed taking into account two nonlinear factors __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 73–79, April 2007.     

Stress distribution in physically and geometrically nonlinear thin cylindrical shells with two holes

The elastoplastic state of thin cylindrical shells weakened by two circular holes is analyzed. The centers of the holes are on the directrix of the shell. The shells are made of an isotropic homogeneous material and subjected to internal pressure of given intensity. The distribution of stresses along the hole boundaries and over the zone where they concentrate (when the distance between the holes is small) is analyzed using approximate and numerical methods to solve doubly nonlinear boundary-value problems. The data obtained are compared with the solutions of the physically nonlinear (plastic strains taken into account) and geometrically nonlinear (finite deflections taken into account) problems and with the numerical solution of the linearly elastic problem. The stress-strain state near the two holes is analyzed depending on the distance between them and the nonlinearities accounted for __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 41, No. 11, pp. 88–95, November 2005.     

Determination of the axisymmetric geometrically nonlinear thermoviscoelastoplastic stress-strain state of shells of revolution

A method is developed for determining the axisymmetric thermoviscoelastoplastic stress-strain state of shells subjected to bending and torsion. The problem is solved in a geometrically nonlinear formulation with allowance for transverse shear. The geometrically nonlinear deformation of an annular plate, the thermoviscoelastoplastic deformation of a cylindrical shell, and the limiting state of a corrugated shell are studied as examples. S. P. Timoshenko Institute of Mechanics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev. Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 35, No. 12, pp. 40–48, December, 1999.     

Analytical formulas of solutions of geometrically nonlinear equations of axisymmetric plates and shallow shells

Starting from the step-by-step iterative method, the analytical formulas of solutions of the geometrically nonlinear equations of the axisymmetric plates and shallow shells, have been obtained. The uniform convergence of the iterative method, is used to prove the convergence of the analytical formulas of the exact solutions of the equations.