Plane four-node elements (without drilling rotation)

Abstract

In this chapter, we describe techniques used to derive plane (2D) four-node elements with translational degrees of freedom, but without drilling rotations. Such elements are relatively simple so can be used to test the concepts which are later incorporated into either the 3D or shell elements. The 2D elements can be directly used as a membrane part of the shell elements without drilling rotations, i.e. either in the shell elements with five dofs/node or in the “solid-shell” elements (without rotational dofs). However, the 2D elements are flat so for the warped shell elements, the formulation must be generalized as described in Sect. 14.