Accurate computation of design derivatives for plates and shells under transient dynamic loads

Abstract

Design sensitivities of plates and shells under transient dynamic loads with constraints on displacements and stresses are likely to be highly erroneous if proper care is not taken in selecting appropriate finite element mesh and time step size to be used in the analysis. An accurate value of design derivative is assured if an optimal mesh coupled with a reasonably fine time step size is used. The optimal mesh can be obtained iteratively and a number of examples are solved to demonstrate the importance of controlling discretization errors in space and time.