Postbuckling performance of the TRIC natural mode triangular element for Isotropic and laminated composite shells Original Research Article

We present the computational performance and the achieved accuracy of the TRIC flat triangular shell element for nonlinear postbuckling analysis of arbitrary isotropic and composite shells. The element is based on the natural mode finite element method, which allows a convenient description of the current position of the structure. These natural modes are assigned to a convective coordinate system which follows the element during deformation within the framework of an Eulerian motion. With respect to this coordinate system the natural modes are additive. Numerical examples verify the accuracy, computational efficiency and the potential of the TRIC element in predicting the postbuckling behaviour of shells. Natural energy measures inform us about the energy allocation during nonlinear deformation and the interplay of the separate energy components.