The present study provides an overview of modeling and discretization aspectsin ¯nite element analysis of thin-walled structures. Shell formulationsbased upon derivation from three-dimensional continuum mechanics, the directapproach, and the degenerated solid concept are compared, highlightingconditions for their equivalence. Rather than individually describing theinnumerable contributions to theories and ¯nite element formulations forplates and shells, the essential decisions in modeling and discretization,along with their consequences, are discussed. It is hoped that this approachcomprises a good amount of the existing literature by including most conceptsin a generic format. The contribution focuses on non-linear ¯nite elementformulations for large displacements and rotations in the context of elasto-statics.Although application to dynamics and problems involving material non-linearitiesis straightforward these subjects are not taken into account explicitly.     «

The present study provides an overview of modeling and discretization aspectsin ¯nite element analysis of thin-walled structures. Shell formulationsbased upon derivation from three-dimensional continuum mechanics, the directapproach, and the degenerated solid concept are compared, highlightingconditions for their equivalence. Rather than individually describing theinnumerable contributions to theories and ¯nite element formulations forplates and shells, the essential decisions in modeling and di...     »