Mixed methods and reduced integration for the circular arch problem

Volpi, M B

Mixed methods and reduced integration for the circular arch problem

Thesis / Dissertation

1991

Abstract

The boundary-value problem for linear elastic circular arches is studied. The governing equations are based on the Timoshenko-Reissner-Mindlin hypotheses. The problem is formulated in both the standard and mixed variational forms which include a parameter relating to the thickness of the arch. Existence and uniqueness of solutions to these equivalent problems is established and the corresponding discrete problems are studied. Finite element approximations to the mixed problem are shown to be stable and convergent, and selective reduced integration applied to the standard discrete problem renders it equivalent to the mixed problem. The results of numerical experiments are presented; these confirm the convergent behaviour of the mixed problem. For the standard problem with full integration convergence is suboptimal or nonexistent for small values of the thickness parameter, while for the mixed or selectively reduced integration problem the numerical rates of convergence coincide with those predicted by the theory.

Keywords

Mathematics and Applied Mathematics

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