A SIMPLE AND EFFICIENT MIXED FINITE ELEMENT FOR AXISYMMETRIC SHELL ANALYSIS

An efficient, perhaps simplest, three-noded mixed finite element is proposed for axisymmetric shell analysis. The key feature in the present formulation is to start with a better variational principle in which the independent unknowns are only the quantities that can be prescribed at the shell edges. If the consistency for field approximations is satisfied, no other numerical consideration is necessary in the present element. Several examples confirm the satisfactory numerical behaviour of the present mixed element.