| Abstract: | A new kind of finite element is presented in this paper which is designed to work efficiently for bodies that are either prismatic or ‘quasi-prismatic’ in shape. Quasi-prismatic shapes are those which can be obtained from prismatic shapes by mere distortion. The element which is formulated in this paper may be coupled with other types of three-dimensional elements to allow the modelling of structures which are only partially prismatic or which have prismatic shapes within them. The element allows for a variety of boundary conditions, yet yields meshes which are easy to generate. The performance of this element is evaluated by numerical experiments that compare its results with analytical solutions for a thick cylinder problem and a curved beam problem. The element has also been demonstrated on a turbine blade model. |
