Generalization of Plate Finite Elements for Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation

Abstract

We propose a way to generate new finite elements in the absolute nodalcoordinate formulation (ANCF) and use a generalization of displacementfields and degrees of freedom (d.o.f.) of ordinary finite elements usedin structural mechanics. Application of this approach to 16- and12-d.o.f. rectangle plate elements as well as to 9-d.o.f. triangleelement gives, accordingly, 48-, 36- and 27-d.o.f. ANCF plate elements.We perform a thorough study of a 48-d.o.f. Hermitian element. Its shapefunction set is a Cartesian product of sets of one-dimensional shapefunctions for beam elements. Arguments of the shape functions aredecoupled, that is why an explicit calculation of terms of equations ofmotion leads to single integration only. We develop several models ofelastic forces of different complexity with their Jacobian matrices.Convergence and accuracy of the finite element is demonstrated ingeometrically nonlinear static and dynamic test problems, as well as inlinear analysis of natural frequencies.