Coursecode: wb1402B
Coursename: Plates and Shells B

DUT creditpoints: 2
ECTS creditpoints: 3
Subfaculty of Mechanical Engineering and Marine Technology
Lecturer(s): Dr.ir. F. van Keulen Tel.: 015-2786515
Catalog data:
Thin-walled structures, shells, plates, finite element method, numerical methods, mixed variational principles, mesh generation, error estimators, adaptive techniques		 Course year: 3, 4, 5
Period: 0/0/0/2/2
Hours p/w: 2
Other hours:
Assessment: Oral
Assessm.period(s): By appointm. (all through the year)
(see academic calendar)
Prerequisites: wb1304, wb1305, wb1402A + wb1408 (last two not necessarily)
Follow up:
Detailed description of topics:
Several plate theories and their restrictions will be reviewed. The focus will be on their range of applicability and the effects of inhomogeneous material as a consequence of laminated or sandwich types of plates.
The discussion of finite elements for plates and shells will set out with a summary of criteria to be fulfilled by arbitrary finite elements. A sketch will be given which shows the difficulties to be dealt with when formulating plate and shell elements.
Often, plate and shell elements are formulated on the basis of mixed and hybrid variational principles. Some of these principles will be presented and demonstrated by means of a few simple examples.
Several geometrically linear plate bending elements will be discussed and compared. Elements formulated on the basis of a displacement approach as well as based on mixed/hybrid formulations will be studied.
The next stop will be the discussion of linear shell elements. Both facet and curved elements will be presented. In addition the convergence to thin-shell theory will be addressed.
As many thin-walled structures behave geometrically nonlinear, geometrically nonlinear shell elements are investigated. Elements restricted to moderate rotations, as well as elements applicable to finite rotations will be considered.
Several other aspects will be discussed briefly. These are:
  • modelling of physically nonlinear plates and shells
  • condition of the governing equations
  • pressure and other distributed loads.
Course material:
Handouts
References from literature:
Remarks (specific information about assesment, entry requirements, etc.):
Examination by appointment.
Goals:
Many practical structures and/or their components can be characterized as thin-walled ones.
Numerical structural analysis is generally more complicated as compared to the analysis of arbitrary solid structures. The present course attempts to give the student a better insight into the numerical techniques that are at present available for analysing thin-walled structures. Moreover, this course yields a better understanding of the formulation of special finite elements and their restrictions.
Computer use:
Students are asked to develop some finite element software. They should perform implementation and testing as well.
Laboratory project(s): No
Design content:
Thin-walled structures are among the most frequently used structures. Typical examples range from packaging up to all kinds of aeronautical applications. Techniques to mould these structures during the design stage is therefore of crucial importance.
Percentage of design: 30%