Nine node finite element for analysis of geometrically non-linear shells

A nine node finite element is presented for the analysis of thin shell structures undergoing large deflection. The finite element formulation is based on the concept of degenerate solid shell element and the Hellinger-Reissner principle with independent strain. Three versions of assumed independent strain are selected to suppress spurious kinematic modes. One version leads to a finite element model which is kinematically stable at element level while the other two give globally stable models. Numerical tests indicate that the finite element model which is stable at element level may reveal the locking effect in certain cases. However, the other two models are free of locking.