Two kinds of tube elements for transient thermal-structural analysis of large space structures

Two kinds of thin-walled tube elements are presented for transient thermal–structural analysis of large space structures by the finite element method. Not only the average temperature, but also the perturbation temperature in the cross-section of the tube is considered in the present elements. These two temperatures are decoupled in the deduction about the new elements and the non-linear analysis is restricted to solving the equations of average temperature. Therefore, the magnitude of the non-linear analysis can be reduced by the presented method. The main difference between the two kinds of thin-walled tube elements is in the shape functions of the temperature along the circumference of cross-section. Corresponding to the transient temperature field, quasistatic thermo-elastic analysis is also introduced. Three examples are shown and the effectiveness of the new elements is discussed