Eight-node Reissner-Mindlin plate element based on boundary interpolation using Timoshenko beam function

• Published in: International journal for numerical methods in engineering Vol. 69; no. 7; pp. 1345 - 1373
• Main Authors: Zhang, Hexin, Kuang, J. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 12.02.2007; Wiley
• Subjects: Boundary element method; Computational techniques; eight-node element; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Interpolation; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical methods in physics; Mathematical models; Mindlin plates; Patch tests; Physics; Reissner-Mindlin plate element; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics; Thick plates; Timoshenko beam function; Timoshenko beams; Finite element method; eight-node element; Reissner Mindlin model; thick plates; Timoshenko beam function; Timoshenko beam; Reissner-Mindlin plate element; Thick plate; Modeling; Numerical convergence; Boundary element method
• ISSN: 0029-5981; 1097-0207
• DOI: 10.1002/nme.1809

A new eight‐node Reissner–Mindlin plate element is developed with a special interpolation within the element. This special interpolation is an extension of the element boundary interpolation that employs Timoshenko beam function for the boundary segment interpolation. The element function can effectively capture the structural behaviours of thick plates and achieve high precision in the analysis of thick plates. Patch tests and numerical investigations are conducted. It can be seen that the proposed element successfully passes all the patch tests. The results of the numerical investigation show that the proposed element is free of the shear locking phenomenon and possesses a higher accuracy in the analyses, as compared to the earlier research in the literature. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.