An unconditionally stable time integration for the dynamics of elastic beams and shells in finite motions

Abstract. This work presents a numerical framework for long dynamic simulations of structures made multiple thin shells undergoing large deformations. The C1-continuity requirement the Kirchhoff-Love theory is met in interior patches by cubic NURBS approximation functions with membrane locking avoided patch-wise reduced integration. A simple penalty approach coupling adjacent patches, applicable also to non-smooth interfaces and non-matching discretization adopted impose translational rotational continuity. time-stepping scheme proposed achieve energy conservation unconditional stability general nonlinear strain measures terms, like one shells. method modified mid-point rule internal forces evaluated using average value stress at step end-points an integral mean strain-displacement tangent operator over computed time integration points.