MATEC Web of Conferences 192, 02046 (2018) https://doi.org/10.

1051/matecconf/201819202046
ICEAST 2018

An evaluation on the performance of two simple triangular

bending plate elements
Dian Rahmawati1, Imam Jauhari Maknun1, and Irwan Katili1,*
Universitas Indonesia, Civil Engineering Department, Kampus UI, Depok 16424, Indonesia.

Abstract. This paper will study and compare two different three-node triangular bending plate
elements with three degree of freedom per node, i.e. MITC3 and DKMT. Both elements, which were
developed based on Reissner-Mindlin plate theory and independent shear strain field, have simple
formulation and have already been used widely. In this paper, numerical tests for circular plate case are
conducted to verify the performance and show the convergence of these two triangular elements.

1 Introduction circular bending plate to compare and evaluate the

convergence of both elements.
In structural modelling, the use of triangular element
is interesting due to its simplicity and flexibility. Three-
2 Formulation of DKMT
node triangular element is mostly used for complex
configuration. However, research on triangular is not as The formulation of DKMT plate element is based on
much as quadrilateral element. In finite element analysis, Reissner-Mindlin hypothesis, which only require C0
many researches show that quadrilateral element have a continuity, and generated by assumed natural strain
good performance. As a result, many analyses prefer to concept. Transversal shear deformation for this element
use the quadrilateral element [1-10]. This condition is expressed with special interpolation called shear
should encourage researchers to develop study about projection method. The triangular element has three-
triangular element. degrees of freedom per node (Fig.1).
The challenge in finite element is how to generate a
simple and applicable element formulation to reduce the
computational cost, yet still has high accuracy and good
convergence.
MITC (Mixed Interpolation of Tensorial
Components) concept has been applied for triangular
element. MITC3, proposed by Lee and Bathe [11], is one
of the popular bending elements. There are quite a lot of
studies and developments of MITC3 [12-15]. This three- Fig. 1. Triangle element and the degrees of freedom
node triangular element has a simple and general
formulation. The behaviour of the element is isotropic, 2.1 Bending strain matrix
meaning that the stiffness matrix of the element does not
depend on the sequence of node numbering. The DKMT element was first published in 1993
Previously, Katili [16] proposed simple formulation [16]. DKMT element has 3 nodes with 3 degrees of
for triangular bending plate element. The element, called freedom each, which are: w (translation in the z
DKMT, is an extension of DKT (Discrete Kirchhoff direction), βx (rotation in the z-x plane) and βy (rotation in
Triangular) element [17] which is a simple, efficient and the z-y plane). Incomplete quadratic rotation fields for βx
reliable element for analysis of thin plates. In the case of and βy are considered in terms of rotations at the three
thin plate problem, the solution obtained with DKMT corners and a temporary variable at mid-side i-j (Fig.2).
element converged to that given by DKT element. The displacement function is given as:
3
The purpose of this paper is to compare formulation
w   N i wi
and performance of two triangular elements, i.e. MITC3 i 1
and DKMT. Both of them have simple formulation. At 3 6
(1)
the end of this paper, we conduct numerical studies for 
x  Ni x   Pk Ck s
i k
i 1 k 4

*
Corresponding author: [email protected]

© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
 MATEC Web of Conferences 192, 02046 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201819202046
ICEAST 2018

3 6  s4 
 C12 S12    x1 
  s5 
 C23   x2 

  S23  

y  Ni y   Pk Ck s
i k
   
 C S     ;    C 
S12   
 (8)
i 1 k 4 
 6s   31 31  
 1y  
 4
s   12  2y 
where: wi is the vertical displacement at node-i      
 s6   C31 S31   x3 
Ni is the shape function at node-i     
are the rotation in plane of z-x and z-y   C23 S23  
 s5   y3  
x i ,  y i

Fig. 3. Constant transverse shear strain along edge ij for

Fig. 2. Kinematic variable of corner node and temporary DKMT
variable at mid side i-j.
where:
Ni are the linear shape functions and Pk is the quadratic
x ji y ji
functions: Cij
 ; 
Sij ; 
Lij x 2ji  y 2ji (9)
Lij Lij
N1   ; N 2   ; N3   ;   1   
(2) x ji 
x j  xi ; y ji 
y j  yi
P4  4 ; P5  4 ; P6  4
Ck and Sk are the direction cosines of side i-j (Fig.2)
From eq. (7-9), we obtain:
    
 x x, x
(3)  x 

    y  


  y, y


 



 

  Bs  sn   (10)
     y 
 xy 
  
 x , y   y , x 

 s  s
T T
βx,x and βx,y denote the first derivatives of βx with respect with: s4 s5 s6
n n
to x and y, respectively.   S31 S   S12 S   S23 S 
The relation between curvature and nodal    23      31      12    (11)
  A1 A2   A2 A3   A3 A1  
displacement is expressed in the equation below.  Bs  
    C  C31   C12 
  Bb  un    Bb  s  (4)  23   C31   
C
  12   
C
  23   
      n  A2 A1   A3 A2   A1 A3  
T
where: un  un 
T
... wi  xi  yi ... where:
i 1,2,3
 ; A2 C23 S12  C12 S23
A1 C12 S31  C31 S12 ; A3 C31 S23  C23 S31
T T
s   n
sn  s4 s5 s6
From eq. (1-4), we obtain the expression of bending Katili [17] proposed the assumed independent
strain matrix, transverse shear strain along the side i-j expressed as:
  2 2  h2 

0 Ni , x 0
 (5) sk   k sk ; k    (12)
 Bb   ... 0 0 Ni , y ... 3  1    L2ij 
 
 
 
 0 Ni , y Ni , x  i 1,2,3 Where h is the thickness of element and  is the shear
 Pk , x Ck  (6) correction factor (usually  = 5/6).

 Bb   ... Pk , y Sk

... If (12) is applied on all sides of the element, the
   following matrix relation is obtained:
 
 Pk , y Ck  Pk , x Sk  k 4,5,6
 4 0 0
Ni,x , Pk,y , Ni,x and Pk,y denote the first derivatives of Ni 2 (13)
and Pk with respect to x and y, respectively.
 s  
n 
 A  s
n  ;  A     0
3
5 0 
 0 0 6 
2.2 Shear strain interpolation Substituting (13) into (12) we get:
 x 

Shear deformation field is approximated linear in
each element.


 
y 
 
  Bs   A  sn

  (14)

  3
 x    xi 
  If the assumed shear force and strains are constant on the

     Ni   (7)
side, then we obtain:

 y  i 1   yi 
  Lij
1 2 (15)
where:  x and  y are the shear deformations at nodes-i
i i
γs 
k Lij  γ s ds   k sk ;  s  w, s  s
3
0
Shear deformation is assumed constant along the Applying (15) on each side-ij, we obtain
edge of element (Fig.3). Shear deformation at node–i is
obtained from projection of constant shear deformation s    A 1  Au un 
n
where (16)
 s from the edge of element to element node.
k

2
 MATEC Web of Conferences 192, 02046 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201819202046
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(1  4 ) 0 0  1
 A   
2
0 (1  5 ) 0 
(17)
 At node 2 (=1,=0),  (1,
 0)
2
 (1, 0)   (1, 0)  
3
1
 0 0 (1  6 )   At node 3 (=0,=1),  (0,1)
 
2
 (0,1)   (0,1)  
 2 2 
 C12 S12 C12 S12 0 0 0 
(18)  Along edge 3-2,  (1, 0) 
 (0,1) leading to:
 L12 L12 
1 1

1
 Au   0
2
0 0 
2
L23
C23 S 23
2
L23
C23

S 23 
 2

 (1, 0)   (1, 0)

2

 (0,1)   (0,1) 
 2 2 
 C31 S31 0 0 0  C31 S31  Which gives: a2  b2 c
 L31 L31 
Then the eq. (22) becomes:
Substituting (16) into (4), we define the bending
  A  c  ;   B   c  (24)
curvatures as:
  Bb un   At point C (=1/2,=1/2):
(19)
 Bb   Bb    Bb   A 1  Au 
 
(C )
1
2
 
 C   C   and

Introducing (16) into (14) gives: 1  1   1 

   A  c     B   c  
   Bs un  (20)
(C )
2  2   2 
1 and we obtain the value of c,
 Bs  
Bs   A   Au  ;  A   A   A 
 (25)
c   B    A   C    C 
Substuting eq. (25) into (24), we obtain the expression,
3 Formulation of MITC3 
   A   B    A   C    C    (26)

     
3.1 Bending strain matrix of MITC3    B   A   C    C
 B
The displacement function is given as:  and  at tying points are average value of two
3 3 3
(21)
w
  Ni wi ; 
x  Ni  xi ; 
y  Ni  yi points at node.
1 1
   
i 1 i 1 i 1
The relation between curvature and nodal  A
 1  2 ;  B
 1  3
2 2 (27)
displacement can be expressed in the equation below. 1 1
  Bbun  ;  Bb   Bb  (22)  C 
 2 2  3  ;  C 
 2 2  3 
Transverse shear strain field in parametric space:
3.2 Shear strain interpolation   
  w,  
   w2  w1   
   (28)
     

 
   w ,
      w
 3  w1  
The key of MITC3 [11] technique is the use of
appropriate assumed strain interpolation and the proper Then, from (26-28) we get the expression of shear strain
choice of tying points to relate the displacement in parametric space:
interpolation and strain interpolation, which is done   
 
separately.     Bs  un 
  
  (29)
 2
 Bs   1  1    2 1  0  0

   2 2
  1    0 0  2  1
Transverse shear strain field in Cartesian system:
 x 
    
  (30)

  
   j 


  y   
 
Fig. 4. Tying points Where [j] is the invers of Jacobian matrix.
Introducing (29) into (30), we obtain:
For MITC3, tying points [11-13] are chosen in the  x 
 
mid-points (Fig.4) of sides 1-2, 1-3, and 2-3. Distribution 
  
   Bs un  ;  B
s   j   Bs 
  (31)
of  is assumed constant along  direction and  is  y
 
Mentioned by Jeon et al. in the article [14], MITC3 uses
assumed constant along  : three-points Hammer integration to compute shear
1
  a1  a2  ;   b1  b2  ;  
2
   (23)   stiffness.

We obtain the values of  , ,  at the tying points 4 Numerical Analysis

A, B, and C.
To study the convergence behaviour of MITC3 and
 At point A (=0), we obtain that a1   A . DKMT elements, a circular plate problem is analysed.
 
 At point B (=0), we obtain that b1   B . Because of symmetry, only a quarter of circular plate as
  presents in (Fig.5) is evaluated. Two different boundary

3
MATEC Web of Conferences 192, 02046 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201819202046
ICEAST 2018

conditions, i.e. a case of simply supported and a case of

clamped supported in perimeter edge, are used with
number of element (NELT) of 6, 24, 96, and 384.

Fig. 7. Convergence of wc for clamped case

5 Conclusion
Fig. 5. Circular plate with number of element NELT=24. R = We observe that both elements have good
5; h = 0.1, 1, 2; E = 10.92; Poisson’s ratio = 0.3; and uniform convergence towards the exact solution. DKMT element
load fz = 1. gives very good results and converges faster than MITC3
element. This is due to the quadratic interpolation
Table 1 presents the displacements at the centre of
functions for the rotations used in DKMT.
circle (wc) for soft simply supported case, whereas Table
2 shows the results for clamped boundary condition. Fig.
The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support
6 and Fig. 7 show the convergence of wc of both
from Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education
elements.
(LPDP).
Table 1. wc for simply supported boundary condition

R/h NELT MITC3 DKMT Exact [16] References

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