SUMMARYProcedures for extending the useful scope of the finite difference method in solid mechanics applications are presented. The improvements centre around the introduction of the physical nature of the deformations into the equations used to formulate the approximate solution. This is accomplished by evaluating the coefficients of Taylor series expansions for the displacement approximations in terms of rigid body motions, strains and derivatives of strains. This procedure is demonstrated with plane stress applications. The ability to interpret the derivative approximations physically allows the fictitious nodes typical of the finite difference method to be rationally incorporated into the model as a means of enforcing traction boundary conditions. An example problem is solved using both regular and irregular meshes. The displacements and stresses compare well with finite element solutions.

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Procedures are developed that improve the applicability of the finite difference method to problems in solid mechanics. This is accomplished by formulating the coefficients of the Taylor series expansion used to approximate derivative quantities in terms of physically interpretable strain gradients. Improvements realized include modeling of boundary conditions that has intuitive appeal and the use of irregular grids in a natural manner. These developments are demonstrated for the analysis of plane stress problems with traction boundary conditions. The results compare well with finite element solutions. The approach suggests further generalization of the finite difference method.

SUMMARYThe causes of shear locking and other discretization errors are analysed using a physically interpretable notation. This analysis provides insights that allow the errors due to shear locking to be removed either directly or indirectly. St. Venant's principle is incorporated into the stiffness matrix to directly eliminate shear locking from bending elements. Rules-of-thumb are suggested by the same analysis that will insure the absence of errors due to shear locking at the cost of additional degrees of freedom. It is also shown that aspect ratio stiffening in membrane elements is partially due to the same modelling error that produces shear locking. The source of parasitic shear is also identified and a direct procedure for eliminating it is given. A two node Timoshenko beam element and a four node membrane element are fully developed in symbolic form. The procedure is directly applicable to plate bending elements.

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