HIGHER-ORDER MITC GENERAL SHELL ELEMENTS

Two mixed-interpolated general shell finite elements for non-linear an alysis-a 9-node element and a 16-node element-are presented. The eleme nts are based on the Mixed Interpolation of Tensorial Components (MITC ) approach in which the covariant strain component fields for the in-p lane and shear actions are interpolated and tied to the also interpola ted displacement field. Both the 9-node element, referred to as the MI TC9 element, and the 16-node element, referred to as the MITC16 elemen t, are tested numerically and found to have high predictive capabiliti es.