Free Vibrations of Thin Shells with Isogeometric Approach

Abstract

Free vibration analysis of thin shells is carried out by using isogeometric approach. For this purpose, a thin shell element based on Kirchhoff-Love shell theory is developed. Non-uniform rational B-spline surface (NURBS) definition is introduced to represent the geometry of shell and also used to derive all terms required in the isogeometric element formulation. Gauss integration rule is used for stiffness and mass matrices. The present shell element is then applied to examine vibrational behaviours of thin plate and shell structures. From numerical results, it is found be that reliable natural frequencies and associated mode shapes of thin shell structures can be predicted by the present isogeometric shell element.