Orthotropic rotation-free basic thin shell triangle

Published in Computational Mechanics Vol. 44 (3), pp. 363-375, 2009
doi: 10.1007/s00466-009-0370-y

Abstract

A methodology for the geometrically nonlinear analysis of orthotropic shells using a rotation-free shell triangular element is developed. The method is based on the computation of the strain and stress fields in the principal fiber orientation of the material. Details of the definition of the fiber orientation in a mesh of triangles and of the general formulation of the orthotropic rotation-free element are given. The accuracy of the formulation is demonstrated in examples of application.