A Four-Node Tetrahedral Finite Element Based on Space Fiber Rotation Concept

Abstract

The paper presents a four-node tetrahedral solid finite element SFR4 with rotational degrees of freedom (DOFs) based on the Space Fiber Rotation (SFR) concept for modeling three-dimensional solid structures. This SFR concept is based on the idea that a 3D virtual fiber, after a spatial rotation, introduces an enhancement of the strain field tensor approximation. Full numerical integration is used to evaluate the element stiffness matrix. To demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the developed four-node tetrahedron solid element and to compare its performance with the classical four-node tetrahedral element, extensive numerical studies are presented.