A three-node C0 ANS element for geometrically non-linear structural analysis Original Research Article

A three-node macro triangular element is proposed for geometrically non-linear analysis of plates and shells. This study concentrates on not only improving the performance of the element by reducing the locking effect but also retaining the geometrical advantages of three-node triangular element in pre-processing. The assumed natural strain (ANS) formulation is adopted to suppress the locking effect. The macro element strategy improves the elementʹs accuracy and enhances the effectiveness of ANS formulation by incorporating three sub-triangles. The resulting element configuration fits on the conventional three-node triangular mesh after condensing out the virtual center node. Numerical tests evaluate the element for geometrically non-linear analysis of plates and shells. The results demonstrate that the present element significantly improves the accuracy in non-linear analysis.