Open Access

ARTICLE

Further Developments in the MLPG Method for Beam Problems

by I. S. Raju¹, D. R. Phillips²

1 Senior Technologist, Structures and Materials Competency, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 23681, U.S.A.
2 Aerospace Engineer, Lockheed Martin Space Operations, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 23681, U.S.A.

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2003, 4(1), 141-160. https://doi.org/10.3970/cmes.2003.004.141

Abstract

An accurate and yet simple Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) formulation for analyzing beam problems is presented. In the formulation, simple weight functions are chosen as test functions as in the conventional MLPG method. Linear test functions are also chosen, leading to a variation of the MLPG method that is computationally efficient compared to the conventional implementation. The MLPG method is evaluated by applying the formulation to a variety of patch tests, thin beam problems, and problems with load discontinuities. The formulation successfully reproduces exact solutions to machine accuracy when higher order power and spline functions are chosen as test functions or when the linear test function is used, and when constructing the trial functions, the order of the basis function is properly balanced by the order of the weight function. For mixed boundary value problems, deflections, slopes, moments, and shear forces are calculated to the same accuracy by the MLPG method without the use of elaborate post-processing techniques. Problems with load discontinuities require special care -- when a reasonable number of nodes are used, the method yields very accurate results.

---