Development of Geometrically Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis Examples for Computational Structural Analysis

An undergraduate course named computational structural analysis becomes more significant in recent years because of its important role in industries and the recent innovation in computer technology. Typically, the course consists of introduction to finite element method, utilization of general purpose finite element software, and examples focusing on static and linear analyses on various structural members such as a beam, truss, frame, arch, and cable. However, in addition to the static and linear analyses, current industries ask graduates to acquire basic knowledge on structural dynamics and nonlinear analysis, which are not listed in the conventional syllabus of the computational structural analysis. Therefore, this study develops geometrically nonlinear examples, which can help students to easily capture the fundamental nonlinear theory, software manipulation, and problem solving skills. For the purpose, five different examples are found, developed for the analyses of cables and cable nets, which naturally have strong geometrical non-linearity. In the paper, these examples are presented, discussed, and finally compared for a better subject development.