ERROR BOUNDS AND ADAPTIVE REFINEMENT FOR REISSNER-MINDLIN PLATES

José Paulo Moitinho de Almeida, Orlando J.B. Almeida Pereira, Maria José Q R Duarte

Key words: Adaptive Modeling, Dual Analysis, Model Verification, Error Bounds, Reissner-Mindlin Plates

Abstract. Equilibrium finite elements models have been used, together with compatible formulations, for error estimation and adaptive refinement in 2D and 3D elasticity problems. This approach is based on the fact that, from these solutions, bounds of the error of the outputs (global or local) can be obtained. Regarding the application of these techniques to Reissner-Mindlin plates, we discuss in particular the influence of the existence of a boundary layer in a soft simply supported plate.