A new class of variational problems arising in the modeling of elastic multi-structures (Q922047)

The modeling of junctions between elastic structures is an important practical problem. In this paper elastic multistructures whose substructures have different dimensions (three-dimensional bodies, two- dimensional plates and shells, one-dimensional rods) are analysed as a coupled pluri-dimensional problem. A three-dimensional elastic structure consisting of a three-dimensional portion connected to a thin plate is treated in detailed form. A limit problem is formulated to solve the variational equations of the above mentioned elastic multi-structure. The obtained numerical results are discussed and some computations are also analysed. The main result of the paper is a new variational formulation of multi-structures; by using this formulation the problem is simultaneously posed over a three-dimensional set and a two-dimensional set.