Consistency and correctness evaluation of shear deformable anisoparametric formulations

The ®rst two of the quartet, completeness, continuity, consistency and correctness conditions, required for the development of robust displacement based ®nite elements are well understood as far as the anisoparametric elements are concerned. When such elements are formulated (primarily for accuracy due to their improved consistent load and mass capabilities) by incorporating transverse shear deformation e€ect, it becomes necessary to study the next two of the quartetÐ(®eld) consistency and (variational) correctness aspects and to explore further their susceptibility for spurious e€ects such as locking, stress oscillations etc. Such a study on a typical anisoparametric element formulation is presented in this paper