Use of higher-order Legendre polynomials for multilayered plate elements with node-dependent kinematics

In the present work, higher-order Legendre polynomials are adopted as shape functions of p-version plate finite elements (FEs) and used in combination with node-dependent kinematics (NDK) to construct computationally efficient global-local FE models for the analysis of multilayered plates. The use of higher-order Legendre polynomials enables the elements to accommodate the complex structural deformations with a fewer number of variables in the FE model. Derived from Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF), NDK can integrate plate kinematics based on Equivalent Single Layer (ESL) models and Layer-wise (LW) models to obtain global-local models using no ad hoc coupling. The combination of Legendre-type shape functions and NDK shows excellent rates of convergence, which can lead to FE models with high accuracy in the refined local area with a reduction in the computational efforts. The capabilities of the proposed approach are investigated through various numerical examples by comparing the solution accuracy versus the computational expenses.