Nonlinear analysis of laminates through a mindlin-type shear deformable shallow shell element Original Research Article

This study presents a nonlinear analysis with application to a doubly curved shallow shell element free of ‘locking’. The ‘locking’ phenomenon is eliminated by explicitly determining the shear and membrane correction factors. The element formulation utilizes the Reissner-Mindlin and Marguerre theories. The analysis of thin and moderately thick composite shells undergoing large displacements and rotations is achieved by using the corotational form of an updated Lagrangian formulation. The validity of the analysis is established by correlating present results with various benchmark cases that involve large displacements and rotations, as well as elastic stability.