Geometrically nonlinear static and dynamic analysis of composite laminates shells with a triangular finite element

Abstract

Geometrically nonlinear static and dynamic behaviour of laminate composite shells are analyzed in this work using the Finite Element Method (FEM). Triangular elements with three nodes and six degrees of freedom per node (three displacement and three rotation components) are used. For static analysis the nonlinear equilibrium equations are solved using the Generalized Displacement Control Method (GDCM) while the dynamic solution is performed using the classical Newmark Method with an Updated Lagrangean Formulation (ULF). The system of equations is solved using the Gradient Cojugate Method (GCM) and in nonlinear cases with finite rotations and displacements an iterativeincremental scheme is employed. Numerical examples are presented and compared with results obtained by other authors with different kind of elements and different schemes.