Large Nonlinear Random Responses of Spatially Non-Homogeneous Stochastic Shell Structures

Abstract

This paper is concerned with large nonlinear random response analysis of spatially non-homogeneous stochastic shell structures under transient excitations. The latter are treated as nonstationary random excitation processes. The emphases are on (i) spatially non-homogeneous and homogeneous stochastic shell structures with large spatial variations, (ii) large nonlinear responses with finite strains and finite rotations, and (iii) intensive nonstationary random disturbances. The shell structures are approximated by the lower order mixed or hybrid strain based triangular shell finite elements developed earlier by the author and his associate. The nonstationary random nonlinear responses are evaluated by a procedure that consists of the stochastic central difference method, time co-ordinate transformation, and modified adaptive time scheme. Computationally, the procedure is very efficient compared with those entirely and partially based on Monte Carlo simulation, and is free from the limitations associated with those employing perturbation approximation techniques, such as the so-called stochastic finite element or probabilistic finite element method.