No label defined (Q4216632)

This work examines the nonlinear dynamics of flexible elastic shells undergoing large displacements, large rotations, and large motions. A continuum formulation is developed from the three-dimensional equations by employing standard assumptions of the first-order shear-deformation theory. Strain measures are defined by the Green-Lagrange strain tensor, which is supposed to be small. Large motions of the shell are described by a formulation based on rotation vectors. When the shell performs unconstrained motions governed only by initial conditions, the authors use a continuum dynamic formulation which includes the conservation of total linear and total angular momentum. If the shell model is conservative, this system becomes Hamiltonian, and the continuum dynamics formulation includes the conservation of total energy of the system. The authors employ a spatial discretization based on a four-node isoparametric element. The discrete weak form of equations of motion for the dynamic shell formulation represents a set of nonlinear equations with kinematics variables which are mid-surface nodal displacements and nodal rotational parameters. The solution of these equations is obtained by using the Newton-Raphson method. Numerical examples illustrate the performance of the described method.