A dual reciprocity boundary element approach for the problems of large deflection of thin elastic plates

A new numerical method, which is based on the dual reciprocity boundary ele ment method, is developed for the large deflection of thin elastic plates w hose behaviour is governed by von Karman equations. In the proposed method, the nonlinear and coupled parts of von Karman equations are transformed to a set of boundary integrals, and only are the boundary discretized into el ements. Therefore, a 'pure' boundary element approach for the problems of l arge deflection of thin elastic plates can be achieved. On the other hand, benefiting from the present method, the plate stresses can be calculated di rectly without integral and singularity. Several examples are given to demo nstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the present method.