Simple and effective elements based upon Timoshenko–Mindlin shell theory Original Research Article

The simple and effective mixed models are developed for the analysis of multilayered anisotropic Timoshenko–Mindlin-type shells. The effects of the transverse shear and transverse normal strains, and laminated anisotropic material response are included. The precise representation of rigid body motions in the displacement patterns of curved shell elements is considered. This consideration requires the development of the strain–displacement equations of the Timoshenko–Mindlin-type theory with regard to their consistency with the rigid body motions. The fundamental unknowns consist of six displacements and eleven strains of the face surfaces of the shell, and 11 stress resultants. The element characteristic arrays are obtained by using the Hu–Washizu mixed variational principle. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the high accuracy and effectiveness of the developed mixed models and to compare their performance with other finite-element models reported in the literature.