Shell Structures Modeling, Efficiency and Sensitivity

Ekkehard Ramm, University of Stuttgart, Germany ramm@ibb.uni-stuttgart.de Shells are optimal structures with an excellent performance but maybe also extremely sensitive when certain design rules are violated (the prima donna of structures). These positive and negative features of shell structures are consequences of curvature and geometrical anisotropy; they are inherent physical characteristics and do not depend on any kind of shell formulation or discretization. It is obvious that this specific mechanical behaviour carries over to any numerical scheme; this is in particular true for the sensitivity issue [1]. The first part of the contribution focuses on general principles rather than on specific derivations. After briefly recapitulating the principle characteristics of shell structures the contribution first concentrates on current tendencies and developments of shell formulations and modeling [2]. Although the development of shell formulations and elements have been often declared dead it is vivid as ever. Here we will address the contrary philosophies of classical formulations base on shell assumptions on the one hand and over-discretization by using simply solid elements as often done in practice on the other hand, the revival of Kirchhoff-Love formulations, for example in the context of isogeometric analyses (NURBS), subdivision formulations and also rotation-free finite elements, the tendency towards continuum- or solid-shell elements still utilizing shell-like assumptions but incorporating the three-dimensionality, the conflict between low order and high order (p-version) formulations, the innumerable number of composite and layered shell formulation and elements, the conditioning problem and a physically motivated preconditioner.

The second part addresses shell problems in a different computational environment underlined by several numerical examples. Since the initial geometry for the prima donna is a key parameter structural optimization and formfinding principles for shells and membranes are discussed. Next we will mention typical buckling problems and the interaction between fluids and thin-walled structures. Finally some remarks on a dynamic contact formulation for shell structures are given. References [1] E. Ramm and W.A. Wall. Shell structures a sensitive interrelation between physics and numerics. Int. J. Num. Meth. Engng, 2004; 60, 381-427. [2] M. Bischoff, W.A. Wall, K.-U. Bletzinger, E. Ramm. Models and Finite Elements for Thinwalled Structures. In Encyclopedia of Computational Mechanics (Eds. E. Stein, R. de Borst and T.J.R. Hughes). Vol.2: Solids and Structures, 59-137, J. Wiley & Sons Ltd., Chichester, 2004.