A conforming finite element with internal equilibrium for two-dimensional problems

A method is presented for the derivation of displacement fields which satisfy compatibility of normal slopes at inter-element boundaries and the condition of internal equilibrium. The displacement field is obtained by integrating the governing partial differential equation over the element, using the initial value approach. The method is applied to calculate the stiffness matrix of a triangular bending element with nine degrees of freedom. Comparison with published solutions based on various element models shows a high degree of accuracy and convergence of the method. The advantage of internal equilibrium is illustrated by an example involving slab-column interaction. The solution correlates satisfactorily with existing experimental results.