A higher order transversely deformable shell-type spectral finite element for dynamic analysis of isotropic structures

This paper deals with certain aspects related to the dynamic behaviour of isotropic shell-like structures analysed by the use of a higher order transversely deformable shell-type spectral finite element newly formulated and the approach known as the Time-domain Spectral Finite Element Method (TD-SFEM). Although recently this spectral approach is reported in the literature as a very powerful numerical tool used to solve various wave propagation problems, its properties make it also very well suited to solve static and dynamic modal problems. The robustness and effectiveness of the current spectral approach has been successfully demonstrated by the authors in the case of thin-walled spherical shell structures through a series of numerical tests comprising the analysis of natural frequencies and modes of vibration of an isotropic spherical shell as well as the wave propagation analysis in the case of the same spherical shell and a half-pipe shell-like structure.