Multidimensional Analysis of Plates with Irregularities Using Higher-Order Finite Elements Based on Lobatto Shape Functions

Direct modeling and simulation of engineering problems with various irregularities are computationally very inefficient and in some cases impossible, even in these days of massively parallel computational systems. As a result, in recent times, a number of schemes have been put forward to tract such problems in a computationally efficient manner. Needless to say, such schemes are still going through evolutionary stages. This paper addresses direct solution based on the selective use of different dimensional models at different regions of the problem domain. For the multidimensional approach, a higher-order transition element is developed to connect the different element types where two- and three-dimensional laminated elements based on higher-order subparametric concept are considered. Modeling simplicity and calculation efficiency of the multidimensional approach are shown for the analysis of cantilever plates with stepped section and patch-repaired plates.