STEEL PLATE ANALYSIS BY FINITE ELEMENTS

THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE FINITE ELEMENT METHOD HAS BEEN GREATLY ENHANCED BY THE HIGH SPEED DIGITAL COMPUTER AND MATRIX METHODS IN STRUCTURAL MECHANICS. EXTENDED FINITE ELEMENT FORMULATION IS BEING CARRIED ON TO INCREASE THE POTENTIAL OF THE METHOD IN THE AREAS OF PLASTICITY, VIBRATION, AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRESS APPLICATIONS. THE BASIC FINITE FORMULATION IS REVIEWED. GENERAL EQUATION FORMULATIONS ARE PRESENTED. TO EXPRESS THE PROPERTIES IN MATRIX FORM, THE MATERIAL MAKING UP THE ELEMENT MUST BE ISOTROPIC AND HOMOGENEOUS. HOOKES LAW AND ST. VENANT COMPATIBILITY EQUATIONS APPLY UNDER SMALL DEFLECTION THEORY. IN TRIANGULAR FINITE ELEMENT REPRESENTATION, IT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED THAT FOR PROPER ACCURACY THE ELEMENT CONFIGURATION SHOULD RESEMBLE OR CLOSELY APPROXIMATE AN EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE. EXAMPLES ARE GIVEN OF SEVERAL TYPICAL STEEL PLATE PROBLEMS. MANY TYPES OF IRREGULAR PLATE CONFIGURATIONS MAY BE ANALYZED FOR AREAS OF HIGH STRESS CONCENTRATION USING THE FINITE ELEMENT APPROACH. BASIC ELEMENT STIFFNESS MATRICES AND SOLUTIONS MAY BE PROGRAMMED ON SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZE DIGITAL COMPUTERS. HOWEVER, WHEN TRYING TO EVALUATE IRREGULAR STRUCTURES USING FINE MESH SUBDIVISION, IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO USE LARGE CAPACITY COMPUTERS. INVESTIGATION HAS SHOWN THAT WITH REGULAR MESH MODELLING THE ELEMENT STIFFNESS EQUATIONS ARE IDENTICAL TO THOSE OF THE FINITE DIFFERENCE APPROACH AND, IN ADDITION, PROVIDE A MORE SYSTEMATIC METHOD FOR COMPUTER PROGRAMMING.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 6, No 4, PP 130-137, 12 FIG, 5 REF
• Authors:
  • Firkins, N L
• Publication Date: 1969-10

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Engineering J, Am Inst Steel Constr

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computer programs; Digital computers; Finite element method; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Matrices (Mathematics); Plasticity; Steel plates; Stiffness; Stresses; Vibration
• Uncontrolled Terms: Stress concentration
• Old TRIS Terms: Finite elements
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00209113
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 24 1970 12:00AM