A SIMPLE AND EFFICIENT MIXED HARMONIC ELEMENT FOR SHELLS OF REVOLUTION

A simple and efficient three-noded mixed harmonic axisymmetric element for shells of revolution under nonsymmetric loading is developed. The present element considering shear strain is based on a modified mixed variational principle in which the independent unknowns are only the quantities prescribable at the shell edges. The non-symmetric variatio ns of the displacements and stress resultants in the circumferential d irection are decomposed in terms of Fourier series. The stress resulta nts are eliminated on the element level so that the standard stiffness equations are obtained. The importance of consistent stress parameter s is addressed and the efficiency of the present consistent mixed elem ent is shown. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.