The Simplest 3- and 4-Noded Fully-Parameterized ANCF Plate Elements

In this research, the simplest kinematical models of triangular and rectangular plate finite elements using the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) are presented. The ANCF is the finite-element large-displacement-and-rotation approach, which uses the inertial-frame nodal position vectors and their derivatives (slopes) only, without employing any rotation parameters or their equivalent. As a consequence, the kinematics of the elements becomes linear, simplifying the inertia part of the equations of motion, which is also linear. In contrary, due to the need for employing the Green-Lagrange strain tensor, the elastic forces normally appear in a more complicated highly-nonlinear manner than in other large-rotation formulations. In this research, to reduce the computational burden, two new plate elements are proposed that are the simplest possible triangular and rectangular elements in the fully-parameterized ANCF: they employ transverse slopes only, without using longitudinal slopes.