The performance of a reformulated four-node plate bending element in moderately thick to very thin plate applications

Abstract

This paper analyzes the behavior of a reformulated four-node Mindlin plate bending element in thin to very thin and in moderately thick element applications. The shear locking mechanism is rejected with the proposed formulation whereas machine-related locking remains the only problem potentially developed in thin element applications of the reformulated element. The solution to the machine locking problem may be achieved with the implementation of a simple technique rendering the element completely locking-free. In moderately thick element applications, the reformulated four-node plate bending element is shown to exhibit an excellent performance in accordance with Mindlin-Reissner theory. This performance, if coupled with an analogous behavior of the element in modeling boundary layers developing in thin plate applications (a work to appear soon), renders the reformulated four-node Mindlin plate bending element one of the most reliable and robust, yet simple, Mindlin C 0 plate bending elements.