Analysis of stiffened shell for ships and ocean structures by finite element method

Static analysis of stiffened shells has been carried out using an eight-noded isoparametric element for the shell and a three-noded curved beam element for the stiffener. A same displacement function is used for the shell and the stiffener elements. A modified technique has been followed to analyse the shell, which is an improvement over the degenerated shell concept. The stiffness matrix of the curved beam element is generated irrespective of its position and orientation within the shell element. The stiffness matrix of the stiffener is then transferred to all the nodes of the shell element. Numerical examples of stiffened shells with concentric and eccentric stiffeners have been analysed and the results presented together with those available in published literature. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.