• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.393-417
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• 2015

In this paper an 8-node quadrilateral assumed stress hybrid Mindlin plate element with $39{\beta}$ is presented. The formulation is based on complementary energy principle. The proposed element is free of shear locking and is capable of passing all the patch tests, especially the non-zero constant shear enhanced patch test. To accomplish this purpose, special attention is devoted to selecting boundary displacement interpolation and stress approximation in domain. The arbitrary order Timoshenko beam function is successfully used to derive the boundary displacement interpolation. According to the equilibrium equations, an appropriate stress approximation is rationally derived. Particularly, in order to improve element's accuracy, the assumed stress field is derived by employing $39{\beta}$ rather than conventional $21{\beta}$. The resulting element can be adopted to analyze both moderately thick and thin plates, and the convergence for the very thin case can be ensured theoretically. Excellent element performance is demonstrated by a wide of experimental evaluations.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.88 no.1
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• pp.83-94
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• 2023

An accurate and highly efficient inverse element labelled iPCB is developed based on the inverse finite element method (iFEM) for real-time shape estimation of plane-curved structures (such as arch bridges) utilizing onboard strain data. This inverse problem, named shape sensing, is vital for the design of smart structures and structural health monitoring (SHM) procedures. The iPCB formulation is defined based on a least-squares variational principle that employs curved Timoshenko beam theory as its baseline. The accurate strain-displacement relationship considering tension-bending coupling is used to establish theoretical and measured section strains. The displacement fields of the isoparametric element iPCB are interpolated utilizing nonuniform rational B-spline (NURBS) basis functions, enabling exact geometric modelling even with a very coarse mesh density. The present formulation is completely free from membrane and shear locking. Numerical validation examples for different curved structures subjected to different loading conditions have been performed and have demonstrated the excellent prediction capability of iPCBs. The present formulation has also been shown to be practical and robust since relatively accurate predictions can be obtained even omitting the shear deformation contributions and considering polluted strain measures. The current element offers a promising tool for real-time shape estimation of plane-curved structures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.69 no.6
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• pp.615-626
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• 2019

The 3-noded metric Timoshenko beam element with an offset of the internal node from the element centre is used here to demonstrate the best-fit paradigm using function space formulation under locking and mesh distortion. The best-fit paradigm follows from the projection theorem describing finite element analysis which shows that the stresses computed by the displacement finite element procedure are the best approximation of the true stresses at an element level as well as global level. In this paper, closed form best-fit solutions are arrived for the 3-noded Timoshenko beam element through function space formulation by combining field consistency requirements and distortion effects for the element modelled in metric Cartesian coordinates. It is demonstrated through projection theorems how lock-free best-fit solutions are arrived even under mesh distortion by using a consistent definition for the shear strain field. It is shown how the field consistency enforced finite element solution differ from the best-fit solution by an extraneous response resulting from an additional spurious force vector. However, it can be observed that when the extraneous forces vanish fortuitously, the field consistent solution coincides with the best-fit strain solution.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.351-368
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• 2022

Recently, promising structural technologies like multi-function, ultra-load bearing capacity and tailored structures have been put up for discussions. Finite Element (FE) modelling is probably the best-known option capable of treating these superior properties and multi-domain behavior structures. However, advanced materials such as Functionally Graded Material (FGM) and nanocomposites suffer from problems resulting from variable material properties, reinforcement aggregation and mesh generation. Motivated by these factors, this research proposes a unified shape function for FGM, nanocomposites, graded nanocomposites, in addition to traditional isotropic and orthotropic structural materials. It depends not only on element length but also on the beam's material properties and geometric characteristics. The systematic mathematical theory and FE formulations are based on the Timoshenko beam theory for beam structure. Furthermore, the introduced element achieves C1 degree of continuity. The model is proved to be convergent and free-off shear locking. Moreover, numerical results for static and free vibration analysis support the model accuracy and capabilities by validation with different references. The proposed technique overcomes the issue of continuous properties modelling of these promising materials without discarding older ones. Therefore, introduced benchmark improvements on the FE old concept could be extended to help the development of new software features to confront the rapid progress of structural materials.