A stabilized co‐rotational curved quadrilateral composite shell element

A new curved quadrilateral composite shell element using vectorial rotational variables is presented. An advanced co‐rotational framework defined by the two vectors generated by the four corner nodes is employed to extract pure element deformation from large displacement/rotation problems, and thus an element‐independent formulation is obtained. The present line of formulation differs from other co‐rotational formulations in that (i) all nodal variables are additive in an incremental solution procedure, (ii) the resulting element tangent stiffness is symmetric, and (iii) is updated using the total values of the nodal variables, making solving dynamic problems highly efficient. To overcome locking problems, uniformly reduced integration is used to compute the internal force vector and the element tangent stiffness matrix. A stabilized assumed strain procedure is employed to avoid spurious zero‐energy modes. Several examples involving composite plates and shells with large displacements and large rotations are presented to testify to the reliability, computational efficiency, and accuracy of the present formulation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An efficient co‐rotational formulation for curved triangular shell element

A 6‐node curved triangular shell element formulation based on a co‐rotational framework is proposed to solve large‐displacement and large‐rotation problems, in which part of the rigid‐body translations and all rigid‐body rotations in the global co‐ordinate system are excluded in calculating the element strain energy. Thus, an element‐independent formulation is achieved. Besides three translational displacement variables, two components of the mid‐surface normal vector at each node are defined as vectorial rotational variables; these two additional variables render all nodal variables additive in an incremental solution procedure. To alleviate the membrane and shear locking phenomena, the membrane strains and the out‐of‐plane shear strains are replaced with assumed strains in calculating the element strain energy. The strategy used in the mixed interpolation of tensorial components approach is employed in defining the assumed strains. The internal force vector and the element tangent stiffness matrix are obtained from calculating directly the first derivative and second derivative of the element strain energy with respect to the nodal variables, respectively. Different from most other existing co‐rotational element formulations, all nodal variables in the present curved triangular shell formulation are commutative in calculating the second derivative of the strain energy; as a result, the element tangent stiffness matrix is symmetric and is updated by using the total values of the nodal variables in an incremental solution procedure. Such update procedure is advantageous in solving dynamic problems. Finally, several elastic plate and shell problems are solved to demonstrate the reliability, efficiency, and convergence of the present formulation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Global format for energy–momentum based time integration in nonlinear dynamics

A global format is developed for momentum and energy consistent time integration of second‐order dynamic systems with general nonlinear stiffness. The algorithm is formulated by integrating the state‐space equations of motion over the time increment. The internal force is first represented in fourth‐order form consisting of the end‐point mean value plus a term containing the stiffness matrix increment. This form gives energy conservation for systems with internal energy as a quartic function of the displacement components. This representation is then extended to general energy conservation via a discrete gradient representation. The present procedure works directly with the internal force and the stiffness matrix at the time integration interval end‐points, and in contrast to previous energy‐conserving algorithms, it does not require any special form of the energy function nor use of mean value products at the element level or explicit use of a geometric stiffness matrix. An optional monotonic algorithmic damping, increasing with response frequency, is developed in terms of a single damping parameter. In the solution procedure, the velocity is eliminated and the nonlinear iterations are based on the displacement components alone. The procedure represents an energy consistent alternative to available collocation methods, with an equally simple implementation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A four‐node corotational quadrilateral elastoplastic shell element using vectorial rotational variables

A four‐node corotational quadrilateral elastoplastic shell element is presented. The local coordinate system of the element is defined by the two bisectors of the diagonal vectors generated from the four corner nodes and their cross product. This local coordinate system rotates rigidly with the element but does not deform with the element. As a result, the element rigid‐body rotations are excluded in calculating the local nodal variables from the global nodal variables. The two smallest components of each nodal orientation vector are defined as rotational variables, leading to the desired additive property for all nodal variables in a nonlinear incremental solution procedure. Different from other existing corotational finite‐element formulations, the resulting element tangent stiffness matrix is symmetric owing to the commutativity of the local nodal variables in calculating the second derivative of strains with respect to these variables. For elastoplastic analyses, the Maxwell–Huber–Hencky–von Mises yield criterion is employed, together with the backward‐Euler return‐mapping method, for the evaluation of the elastoplastic stress state; the consistent tangent modulus matrix is derived. To eliminate locking problems, we use the assumed strain method. Several elastic patch tests and elastoplastic plate/shell problems undergoing large deformation are solved to demonstrate the computational efficiency and accuracy of the proposed formulation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A reliable three‐node triangular plate element satisfying rigid body rule and incremental force equilibrium condition

Abstract

This paper proposes a simple method for deriving the geometric stiffness matrix (GSM) of a three‐node triangular plate element (TPE). It is found that when the GSM of the element is combined into the global one of the structure, this structural stiffness matrix becomes symmetric and satisfies both the rigid body rule and incremental force and moment equilibrium (IFE) conditions, which are basically two fundamental conditions for analysis of mechanics. The former condition has been widely used in the community of mechanics; while the latter one, to our best knowledge, has never been considered. Advantages with the GSM derived are that derivations only need simple matrix operations without cumbersome non‐linear virtual strain energy derivations and tedious numerical integrations and more appealingly, this derived GSM can be explicitly given for applications. In addition, based on IFE and the rigid body rule conditions, a reasonable GSM for the three‐node TPE must be asymmetric; however, an asymmetric matrix usually gives rise to tedious numerical calculation especially in geometrically nonlinear problems and further, greatly influences computation efficiency. Fortunately, the skew‐symmetric parts of the derived GSM can be canceled out once they are merged into the global stiffness matrix of the structure. In this regard, this structural stiffness matrix becomes a symmetric one and thus enhances its effectiveness. Finally, several examples are provided for validating the robustness of the derived GSM.     

A 9-node co-rotational quadrilateral shell element

A new 9-node co-rotational curved quadrilateral shell element formulation is presented in this paper. Different from other existing co-rotational element formulations: (1) Additive rotational nodal variables are utilized in the present formulation, they are two well-chosen components of the mid-surface normal vector at each node, and are additive in an incremental solution procedure; (2) the internal force vector and the element tangent stiffness matrix are respectively the first derivative and the second derivative of the element strain energy with respect to the nodal variables, furthermore, all nodal variables are commutative in calculating the second derivatives, resulting in symmetric element tangent stiffness matrices in the local and global coordinate systems; (3) the element tangent stiffness matrix is updated using the total values of the nodal variables in an incremental solution procedure, making it advantageous for solving dynamic problems. Finally, several examples are solved to verify the reliability and computational efficiency of the proposed element formulation.     

基于共旋法与稳定函数的几何非线性平面梁单元

建立一个准确、高效的几何非线性梁单元对于描述杆系结构的非线性行为至关重要。该文基于共旋坐标法和稳定函数提出了一种几何非线性平面梁单元。该单元在形成中把变形和刚体位移分开,局部坐标系内采用稳定函数以考虑单元P-δ效应的影响,从局部坐标系到结构坐标系的转换则采用共旋坐标法以及微分以考虑几何非线性,给出了几何非线性平面梁单元在结构坐标系下的全量平衡方程和切线刚度矩阵;在此基础上根据带铰梁端弯矩为零的受力特征,导出了能考虑梁端带铰的单元切线刚度矩阵表达式。通过多个典型算例验证了算法与程序的正确性、计算精度和效率。     

基于混合单元法的预应力混凝土梁非线性分析

利用共旋坐标法提出了一种预应力钢筋混凝土梁非线性分析的混合单元模型,在随转坐标系内,采用分层梁单元来模拟混凝土结构,带初应变的杆单元来模拟预应力钢筋,预应力钢筋杆元和混凝土梁元的变形协调则通过非线性刚臂来实现,通过刚臂单元两端节点位移和力的关系形成预应力钢筋对混合单元刚度矩阵的贡献,从而导出随转坐标系下预应力混凝土梁考虑材料非线性的切线刚度矩阵,几何非线性则由单元随转坐标系到结构坐标系的转换矩阵及其微分来体现,从而获得结构坐标系下混合单元模型的几何与材料双非线性切线刚度矩阵。数个钢筋混凝土及预应力钢筋混凝土梁非线性分析算例表明:所提出的混合单元模型能较好地分析预应力钢筋混凝土梁非线性性能,具有一定的实用价值。     

A two‐scale approximation of the Schur complement and its use for non‐intrusive coupling

This paper presents a two‐scale approximation of the Schur complement of a subdomain's stiffness matrix, obtained by combining local (i.e. element strips) and global (i.e. homogenized) contributions. This approximation is used in the context of a coupling strategy that is designed to embed local plasticity and geometric details into a small region of a large linear elastic structure; the strategy consists in creating a local model that contains the desired features of the concerned region and then substituting it into the global problem by the means of a non‐intrusive solver coupling technique adapted from domain decomposition methods. Using the two‐scale approximation of the Schur complement as a Robin condition on the local model enables to reach high efficiency. Examples include a large 3D problem provided by our industrial partner Snecma. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic analysis of framed structures with statistical uncertainties

The forced harmonic vibration analysis of portal frames consisting of viscously damped beams with spatial stochastic variation of mass and stiffness properties is considered. The analysis is based on the assembly of element stochastic dynamic stiffness matrices. The solution involves inversion of the global dynamic stiffness matrix, which, in this case, turns out to be a complex‐valued symmetric random matrix. Three alternative approximate procedures, namely, random eigenfunction expansion method, complex Neumann expansion method and combined analytical and simulation method are used to invert the matrix. The performance of these approximate procedures is evaluated using Monte Carlo simulation results. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sparse matrix factor modification in structural reanalysis

Structural reanalysis problems, such as in nonlinear finite element analysis or optimum design, involve progressive changes in the global stiffness matrix and its matrix factors. Although many studies have been devoted to the subject of matrix factor modification, most investigations have dealt with the problem separately from sparse matrix methods. This paper introduces a graph-theoretic model for the forward solution procedure which is applicable for identifying the modified entries of the matrix factors due to changes in the original matrix. Applications of this graph-theoretic model to existing refactorization methods are presented. The relation between substructuring and sparse matrix ordering strategies, and their effects on reanalysis are discussed. Modification of a sparse matrix associated with an n × n finite element grid ordered by the nested dissection scheme is analysed.     

A boundary condition in Padé series for frequency‐domain solution of wave propagation in unbounded domains

A boundary condition satisfying the radiation condition at infinity is frequently required in the numerical simulation of wave propagation in an unbounded domain. In a frequency domain analysis using finite elements, this boundary condition can be represented by the dynamic stiffness matrix of the unbounded domain defined on its boundary. A method for determining a Padé series of the dynamic stiffness matrix is proposed in this paper. This method starts from the scaled boundary finite‐element equation, which is a system of ordinary differential equations obtained by discretizing the boundary only. The coefficients of the Padé series are obtained directly from the ordinary differential equations, which are not actually solved for the dynamic stiffness matrix. The high rate of convergence of the Padé series with increasing order is demonstrated numerically. This technique is applicable to scalar waves and elastic vector waves propagating in anisotropic unbounded domains of irregular geometry. It can be combined seamlessly with standard finite elements. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Explicit finite element artificial boundary scheme for transient scalar waves in two‐dimensional unbounded waveguide

To simulate the transient scalar wave propagation in a two‐dimensional unbounded waveguide, an explicit finite element artificial boundary scheme is proposed, which couples the standard dynamic finite element method for complex near field and a high‐order accurate artificial boundary condition (ABC) for simple far field. An exact dynamic‐stiffness ABC that is global in space and time is constructed. A temporal localization method is developed, which consists of the rational function approximation in the frequency domain and the auxiliary variable realization into time domain. This method is applied to the dynamic‐stiffness ABC to result in a high‐order accurate ABC that is local in time but global in space. By discretizing the high‐order accurate ABC along artificial boundary and coupling the result with the standard lumped‐mass finite element equation of near field, a coupled dynamic equation is obtained, which is a symmetric system of purely second‐order ordinary differential equations in time with the diagonal mass and non‐diagonal damping matrices. A new explicit time integration algorithm in structural dynamics is used to solve this equation. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The geometric stiffness of thick shell triangular finite elements for large rotations

This paper is concerned with the development of the geometric stiffness matrix of thick shell finite elements for geometrically nonlinear analysis of the Newton type. A linear shell element that is comprised of the constant stress triangular membrane element and the triangular discrete Kirchhoff Mindlin theory (DKMT) plate element is ‘upgraded’ to become a geometrically nonlinear thick shell finite element. Perturbation methods are used to derive the geometric stiffness matrix from the gradient, in global coordinates, of the nodal force vector when stresses are kept fixed. The present approach follows earlier works associated with trusses, space frames and thin shells. It has the advantage of explicitness and clear physical insight. A special procedure, tailored to triangular elements is used to isolate pure rotations to enable stress recovery via linear elastic constitutive relations. Several examples are solved. The results compare well with those available in the literature. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一种利用模态测量数据修正刚度矩阵的新方法

模型修正即为利用模态测量数据修正存在但不准确的有限元模型。本文在假定有限元模型的质量矩阵与刚度矩阵均为对称非负定矩阵,并且质量矩阵是精确的情况下,提出了一种修正刚度矩阵的新方法。该方法借助于矩阵的Kronecker积与拉直算子,把需修正的变量分离出来直接对其进行修正运算,得到了满足特征方程与正交性条件的最逼近有限元刚度矩阵的唯一修正矩阵。该方法不仅保证了修正矩阵带状稀疏的特点,而且修正过程简单易行。数值例子验证了该方法的有效性。     

Corotational non‐linear analysis of thin plates and shells using a new shell element

A new three‐node triangular shell element is developed by combining the optimal membrane element and discrete Kirchhoff triangle (DKT) plate bending element, and is modified for laminated composite plates and shells so as to include the membrane‐bending coupling effect. Using appropriate shape functions for the bending and membrane modes of the element, the ‘inconsistent’ stress stiffness matrix is formulated and the tangent stiffness matrix is determined. Non‐linear analysis of thin‐walled structures with geometric non‐linearity is conducted using the corotational method. The new element is thoroughly tested by solving few popular benchmark problems. The results of the analysis are compared with those obtained using existing membrane elements. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

改进共旋坐标法的Timoshenko梁单元非线性分析

为提高空间Timoshenko梁单元非线性问题的计算精度,在共旋坐标法的基础上,提出了一种改进的Timoshenko梁单元几何非线性分析方法。利用虚功原理得到改进空间梁单元的刚度矩阵;使用有限质点法中的逆向运动思路计算单元局部坐标系下的刚体旋转矩阵;根据整体坐标系与局部坐标系之间旋转角度的转化以及微分关系,求得空间梁单元的切线刚度矩阵;编制了相应的有限元程序,对多个经典的大变形结构进行几何非线性分析。计算结果印证了该文所提出改进方法的正确性,同时与传统共旋坐标法相比,具有更高的精度。     

不可压缩材料分析的多变量元级消元法

本文提出求解不可压缩材料的多变量元级消元法。要点在于分单元变形余能为畸变和体变两部分,分别进行离散化,并且在单元级满足不可压缩条件。如此避免了用位移法求解时,静水压力不确定的困难,并且保证总刚的带形特性不受破坏。文中构造的平面杂交元在可压缩与不可压缩计算中均给出良好的数值结果。     

Passing of instability points by applying a stabilized Newton–Raphson scheme to a finite element formulation: Comparison to arc-length method

In the vicinity of limit and bifurcation points the global stiffness matrix of a finite element formulation becomes ill-conditioned and at the critical point singular. This disturbs the convergence behavior of the standard Newton–Raphson scheme as well as the arc-length method. The stabilization procedure suggested solves the numerical defects and is thus able to pass critical points. Bifurcation points are passed on the primary path. Branch switching to the secondary path is done automatically. The stabilization procedure and the imperfection force are derived based on the eigenvalues and -vectors of the structure.     

Direct imposition of essential boundary conditions and treatment of material discontinuities in the EFG method

A method for direct imposition of essential boundary condition and treatment of material discontinuity in element free galerkin (EFG) method is presented. By using the actual displacements at the nodes on the essential boundary and the material interface in each material domain, the stiffness matrix and load vector at an integral point have been rewritten and transformed. As a result, the proposed method yields a positive, symmetrical and banded global stiffness matrix like it is in finite element methods and has the advantages of stabilization and easy implementation as compared to the penalty method, the Lagrange method, and other methods. Numerical results indicate that the present method is effective and retains high rates of convergence for both displacements and energy.