Asymptotic deformation modes of benchmark problems suitable for evaluating shell elements (Q817306)

This paper finds its motivation in significant advances, but also in complications made apparent recently with regard to the definition of limiting cases for the analysis of asymptotic behavior of benchmark shell problems, e.g., the inhibited pure bending case and the non-inhibited pure bending case, which fail to model the mixed-mode deformation case. Here the author proposes a simple analytical approach for determining the asymptotic deformation modes of selected benchmark problems suitable for the evaluation of asymptotic behavior of shell elements. The various modes encountered with the asymptotic analysis of these shell problems are clearly defined in a very simple way, leading to explicit expressions for the corresponding characteristic asymptotes. These expressions may be used as benchmark characteristic asymptotes for membrane-dominated, bending-dominated and mixed membrane-bending mode shell problems. Among the considered benchmark problems, it is worth to mention the pinched cylinder with free ends, the pinched hemispherical shell, the cylindrical shell with free ends under normal periodic pressure, the hyperbolic paraboloid shell problem, the pinched cylinder with diaphragm supported ends and the Scordelis-Lo roof problem.