| Structural Engineering and Mechanics Volume 52, Number 2, October25 2014, pages 221-238 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/sem.2014.52.2.221 | |
A curved shell finite element for the geometrically non-linear analysis of box-girder beams curved in plan | |
Ulku H. Calik-Karakose, Engin Orakdogen, Ahmet I. Saygun and Harm Askes
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| Abstract [Buy Article] | |
| A four-noded curved shell finite element for the geometrically non-linear analysis of beams curved in plan is introduced. The structure is conceived as a sequence of macro-elements (ME) having the form of transversal segments of identical topology where each slice is formed using a number of the curved shell elements which have 7 degrees of freedom (DOF) per node. A curved box-girder beam example is modelled using various meshes and linear analysis results are compared to the solutions of a well-known computer program SAP2000. Linear and non-linear analyses of the beam under increasing uniformly distributed loads are also carried out. In addition to box-girder beams, the proposed element can also be used in modelling open-section beams with curved or straight axes and circular plates under radial compression. Buckling loads of a circular plate example are obtained for coarse and successively refined meshes and results are compared with each other. The advantage of this element is that curved systems can be realistically modelled and satisfactory results can be obtained even by using coarse meshes. | |
| Key Words | |
| curved shell finite element; second-order effect; buckling | |
| Address | |
| Ulku H. Calik-Karakose, Engin Orakdogen, Ahmet I. Saygun: Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 34469 Maslak, İstanbul, Turkey Harm Askes: Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Frederick Mappin Building Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, U.K. | |
