determining strain and stress field from point displacements

[ggcdn]

Situation: I'm running dynamic (earthquake) analysis for tall buildings. Floor slabs are modeled as elastic shell elements with a nonuniform distribution of nodes (ie not a perfect grid). Because of the limitations of the analysis software, I only have access to the initial coordinates, time history of nodal displacements and the shell properties.

What I would like to do is process this data in MATLAB to make a strain field, and eventually a stress field of the slab, for in-plane (membrane) actions. And then, if I can get that working, I would try to make a little program that I can draw section cuts to determine forces.

Does anyone know of any good references to do this initial step of creating a strain field from discrete displacement data? Ideally, something that explains it in a computational way, rather than theoretical/math notation.

 

[IDS]

I recommend:

https://www.wiley.com/en-au/Programming+the+Finite+Element+Method,+5th+Edition-p-9781119973348

It includes theory and Fortran code for plate elements. It's more focussed on Geotech applications, but it should be possible to extract code for your purposes.

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[ggcdn]

Thanks IDS, I was able to get a copy of it through my local library.

 

[IDS]

Must be a good library. You would probably be lucky to find it in a university library here!

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/