Large Deformation Plate Element for Multibody Applications

摘要

In this investigation, a method for the finite rotation and large deformation analysis of plates is presented. The method, which is based on the absolute nodal coordinate formulation, leads to an isoparametric plate element capable of representing exact rigid body motion. In this method, continuity conditions on all the displacement gradients are imposed. Therefore, non- smoothness of the plate mid-surface at the nodal points is avoided. Unlike other existing finite element formulations that lead to a highly nonlinear inertial forces for three-dimensional elements, the proposed formulation leads to a constant mass matrix, and as a result, the centrifugal and Coriolis forces are identically equal to zero. Furthermore, the method relaxes some of the assumptions used in the classical and Mindlin plate theories. By using a general continuum mechanics approach a relatively simple expression for the elastic forces is obtained. By developing such an isoparametric plate element the development of three-dimensional shell elements becomes straightforward. Numerical results are presented in order to demonstrate the use of the proposed method in the large rotating and deformation analysis of plates.