ANALYSIS OF SHELLS AND FOLDED PLATE STRUCTURES BY DIFFERENT DISPLACEMENT FUNCTIONS

Abstract

<p> The finite element displacement method with triangular plate elements, is used in the present research program to establish an analytical approach for the analysis of shells and folded plate structures. The Tocher, Rawtani and Cowper displacement functions are used in this analysis and the theoretical displections u, v and w are found to compare satisfactorily with the experimental results. </p> <p> Owing to the limited storage capacity of the computer, the method of tridigonalization is used, rather than the method of direct stiffness assembly. </p> <p> Special considerations for stiffness assembly are necessary; (a) all the elements meeting at a node lie in the same plane and (b) the nodal points lie on the fixed boundary. </p> <p> Experimental values obtained from experiments on an oblique, truncated, pyramid made of aluminum compared well with the theoretical results based on the same structure. </p>