Coupled boundary and finite element analysis of a special class of two-dimensional problems of the theory of elasticity

For special problems of the theory of elasticity, coupled boundary and finite element analysis may be a useful alternative to either finite element or boundary element analysis. Herein, we propose a new mode of coupled analysis which is based on combining the linear theory of elasticity with Timoshenko’s shell theory [D(imension)-adaptive model]. For the sake of simplicity, the paper is restricted to the investigation of two-dimensional (plane strain) problems. A special type of boundary conditions is proposed for linking the parts of the cross-section of a cylindrical structure, which are treated by different theories. The boundary of the part of the cross-section, which is described by the equations of the theory of elasticity, is discretized by means of boundary elements. The remaining part of the cross-section, which is described by the equations of the Timoshenko’s shell theory, is discretized by means of finite elements. The numerical investigation demonstrates the special features of the proposed hybrid model and of the respective coupling technique.