A sandwich bar element for geometric nonlinear thermo-elastic analysis

Abstract

This contribution deals with a two-node straight sandwich composite bar element with constant double symmetric rectangular cross-sectional area. This new bar element (based on the non-linear second-order theory) is intended to perform the non-incremental full geometric non-linear analysis. Stiffness matrix of this composite bar contains transfer constants, which accurately describe polynomial uniaxial variation of the material thermo-physical properties. In the numerical experiments the weak coupled thermo-structural geometric non-linear problem was solved. Obtained results were compared with several analyses made by ANSYS programme. Findings show good accuracy of this new finite element. The results obtained with this element do not depend on the element mesh density.