• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.497-504
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• 2012

Finite element analysis is to approximate a geometry model developed in computer-aided design(CAD) to a finite element model, thus the conventional shape design sensitivity analysis and optimization using the finite element method have some difficulties in the parameterization of geometry. However, isogeometric analysis is to build a geometry model and directly use the functions describing the geometry in analysis. Therefore, the geometric properties can be embedded in the NURBS basis functions and control points so that it has potential capability to overcome the aforementioned difficulties. In this study, the isogeometric structural analysis and shape design sensitivity analysis in the generalized curvilinear coordinate(GCC) systems are discussed for the curved geometry. Representing the higher order geometric information, such as normal, tangent and curvature, yields the isogeometric approach to be the best way for generating exact GCC systems from a given CAD geometry. The developed GCC isogeometric structural analysis and shape design sensitivity analysis are verified to show better accuracy and faster convergency by comparing with the results obtained from the conventional isogeometric method.