Accurate computation of design derivatives for plates and shells under transient dynamic loads

Design sensitivities of Plates and shells under transient dynamic lends wit h constraints on displacements and stresses are likely to be highly erroneo us if proper care is not taken in selecting appropriate finite element mesh and time step size to be used iii! the analysis. An accurate value of desi gn derivative is assured if an optimal mesh coupled with a reasonably fine time step size is used The optimal mesh can be obtained iteratively and a n umber of examples are solved to demonstrate the importance of controlling d iscretization errors in space and time.