A finite element analysis of the large deflection behaviour of stiffen
ed plates using the isoparametric quadratic stiffened plate bending cl
ement is presented. The evaluation of fundamental equations of the sti
ffened plates is based on Mindlin's hypothesis. The large deflection e
quations are based on von Karman's theory. The solution algorithm for
the assembled nonlinear equilibrium equations is based on the Newton-R
aphson iteration technique. Numerical solutions are presented for rect
angular plates and skew stiffened plates.