Improving the computational efficiency in finite element analysis of shells with uncertain properties (Q817350)

This work is concerned with improving the computational efficiency of the most time consuming tasks performed in Monte Carlo simulation-based finite element analysis (FEA) of shell structures with uncertain properties. For this purpose, the cost-effective TRIC shell element is used to ensure the formation of stiffness matrices in reasonable processing times; the solution of finite element equations is efficiently handled with hybrid schemes combining both iterative and direct solution; additional computational gains are achieved with the use of parallel computing through the straightforward partitioning of the overall Monte Carlo simulation process. The computational procedures are evaluated on a cluster of 16 networked PCs using three linear elastic test problems with uncertain material and/or geometric parameters: (a) the Scordelis-Lo shell (10 080 d.o.f.); (b) a pinched cylinder (19 800 d.o.f.), and (c) a three-dimensional steel building, which consists of I-shaped columns and beams discretized with shell elements (44 964 d.o.f.). The results demonstrate the reduction in overall computing time that can be achieved using the proposed techniques. The adoption of such advanced computational approaches allows simulation-based probabilistic or stochastic FEA of shells to be performed in affordable computing times, and therefore the method is important for structural engineering practice.