A practicable and locking-free laminated shallow shell triangular element of varying and adaptable curvature (Q1913194)

We describe simple triangular finite element analysis of laminated composite structures by presenting a three-node (18 degrees of freedom) multilayered anisotropic shallow shell triangular element. The triangular edges are represented by cubic polynomials thus allowing for linear curvatures which during the course of a geometrically nonlinear deformation are automatically modified (by the natural modes) so that the element adapts to the new shell geometry. The formulation is based on kinematical and geometrical arguments in combination with subtle physical lumping principles and on basic assumptions of shallow shell theory -- all elements of our ARTE shallow shell formulation which is specifically oriented towards finite element analysis. A full laminated cylinder with 1504 degrees of freedom is studied to show the potential of the present element in the analysis of real-type practical structures.