APPLICATION OF POLYGONAL FINITE ELEMENTS IN LINEAR ELASTICITY

Abstract

In this paper, a conforming polygonal finite element method is applied to problems in linear elasticity. Meshfree natural neighbor (Laplace) shape functions are used to construct conforming interpolating functions on any convex polygon. This provides greater flexibility to solve partial differential equations on complicated geometries. Closed-form expressions for Laplace shape functions on pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, and octagonal reference elements are derived. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy of the method in two-dimensional elastostatics.