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This bibliography contains references to papers, conference proceedings, theses and books dealing with finite strip, finite prism and finite layer analysis of structures, materially and/or geometrically linear or non‐linear.

While calculating internal forces of a structure resulting from temperature it is necessary to know thermal conduction and what goes hand in hand to determine temperature distribution at various points of the analysed structures. Finite strip method (FSM) is very suitable for the analysis of thermal conduction, heating, heat and temperature distribution in engineering structures, especially rectangular of identical edge conditions. The paper presents several examples of FSM application for the analysis of conduction and heat and temperature distribution for various types of engineering structures which can appear, among others, while welding several joined elements with welds made at specified speed as linear and point welds. Bars, shields, square and rectangular plates, steel orthotropic plates, steel and combined girders (steel‐concrete), box girders subject to various loads connected with heat and temperature (loaded with temperature, non‐uniformly heated surface). The obtained results may be useful in engineering practice for determining actual temperature and load capacity in individual elements of the construction.

The finite strip method has been shown to apply to many problems in continuum mechanics. Within the constraints of the method, it has been shown to be superior to the finite element method in terms of data preparation, program complexity and execution time. The finite strip method has been recently extended to groundwater flow problems. The orthogonality of appropriately selected shape functions gives the finite strip method its computational efficiency. The uncoupling achieved from this orthogonality also produces a numerical method which is intrinsically parallel. Consequently, additional efficiencies can be obtained in a parallel environment. Numerical studies of the finite strip method to model a two‐dimensional groundwater flow problem demonstrate the accuracy of the solution and the superior performance of the numerical procedure in a parallel environment.

The purpose of this paper is to study and discuss the effects of the finite metallisation thickness and conductivity on the properties of microstrip lines.

Effective dielectric constant and attenuation constant of microstrip lines with finite metallization thickness and finite conductivity are analyzed by the method of lines. The experimental results are obtained by using Vector Network Analyzer and the 3680 V Universal Test Fixture of Anritsu.

The strip thickness has a great impact on the attenuation constant of the microstrip lines. The effects can be divided into three parts by the relationship between strip thickness (t) and skindepth (δ). When t<δ, the attenuation constant will decrease rapidly as the strip thickness increase. When δ < t<2δ, the attenuation constant still decrease rapidly as the strip thickness increase, but the slope of the curve will be smaller. When 2δ < t, the effects of the strip thickness will become insignificant and the attenuation constant still decrease slowly as the strip thickness increase.

This paper presents some useful principles about the effects of the finite metallization thickness and finite conductivity in microstrip lines. The reasons for these effects are discussed by analyzing the longitudinal electric field distribution in the strip. Finally, some experimental results are given to verify these principles.

This paper deals with structural shape optimization of vibrating prismatic shells and folded plates. The finite strip method is used to determine the natural frequencies and modal shapes based on Mindlin‐Reissner shell theory which allows for transverse shear deformation and rotatory inertia effects. An automated optimization procedure is adopted which integrates finite strip analysis, parametric cubic spline geometry definition, automatic mesh generation, sensitivity analysis and mathematical programming methods. The objective is to maximize the fundamental frequency by changing thickness and shape design variables defining the cross‐section of the structure, with a constraint that the total volume of the structure remains constant. A series of examples is presented to highlight various features of the optimization procedure as well as the accuracy and efficiency of finite strip method.

Gives a bibliographical review of the finite element methods (FEMs) applied for the linear and nonlinear, static and dynamic analyses of basic structural elements from the theoretical as well as practical points of view. The range of applications of FEMs in this area is wide and cannot be presented in a single paper; therefore aims to give the reader an encyclopaedic view on the subject. The bibliography at the end of the paper contains 2,025 references to papers, conference proceedings and theses/dissertations dealing with the analysis of beams, columns, rods, bars, cables, discs, blades, shafts, membranes, plates and shells that were published in 1992‐1995.

This paper presents a parametric study of the free vibrations of square plates with various thickness‐to‐span ratios and different boundary conditions. The numerical analysis of these problems has been undertaken using the finite element method. In particular, a nine‐noded, quadrilateral Mindlin plate element has been adopted. The effects of rotatory inertia and shear deformation are included in this model. Results obtained by the finite element analysis are compared with results from various sources. It is suggested that this study might be used to supplement existing benchmark tests.

A unified approach for the vibration analysis of curved or straight prismatic plates and bridges and axisymmetric shells using a finite strip method based in Reissner—Mindlin shell theory is presented. Details of obtaining all relevant strip matrices and vectors are given. It is also shown how the use of the simple linear two node strip with reduced integration leads to direct explicit forms of all relevant matrices. Examples of application which show the accuracy of the linear strip for free vibration analysis of structures are presented.

This paper deals with the buckling analysis of prismatic folded plate structures supported on diaphragms at two opposite edges. The analysis is carried out using variable thickness finite strips based on Mindlin‐Reissner assumptions which allow for transverse shear deformation effects. The theoretical formulation is presented for a family of C(0) strips and the accuracy and relative performance of the strips are examined. Results are presented for a series of problems including plates and stiffened panels. In a companion paper these accurate and inexpensive finite strips are used in the context of structural shape optimization.

The purpose of this paper is to develop and apply an exact finite strip (F‐a FSM) for the buckling and initial post‐buckling analyses of box section struts.

The Von‐Karman's equilibrium equation is solved exactly to obtain the buckling loads and deflection modes for the struts. The investigation is then extended to an initial post‐buckling study with the assumption that the deflected form immediately after the buckling is the same as that obtained for the buckling. Through the solution of the Von‐Karman's compatibility equation, the in‐plane displacement functions are developed in terms of the unknown coefficient. These in‐plane and out‐of‐plane deflected functions are then substituted in the total strain energy expressions and the theorem of minimum total potential energy is applied to solve for the unknown coefficient.

The F‐a FSM is applied to analyze the buckling and initial post‐buckling behavior of some representative box sections for which the results were also obtained through the application of a semi‐energy finite strip method (S‐e FSM). For a given degree of accuracy in the results, however, the F‐a FSM analysis requires less computational effort.

In the present F‐a FSM, only one of the calculated deflection modes is used for the initial post‐buckling study.

A very useful and computationally economical methodology is developed for the initial design of struts which encounter post‐buckling.

The originality of the paper is the fact that by incorporating a rigorous buckling solution into the Von‐Karman's compatibility equation, and solving it, a fairly efficient method for post‐buckling stiffness calculation is achieved.