Simulation of tension fields with in-plane rotational degrees of freedom

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel multigrid approach for the geometric non-linear simulation of tension fields on the basis of a three-node membrane finite element. The element possesses, in addition to the nodal displacement degrees of freedom, an in-plane rotational degree of freedom inside the element domain that controls the direction of the tension field. This rotational degree of freedom allows the enforcement of continuity and tension field boundary conditions on the basis of a coarser mesh with varying size. © The Author(s) 2010. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com.