Author(s)

Y. Gu & W. Chen

Abstract

This study makes the first attempt to apply the singular boundary method (SBM), a meshless boundary collocation method, for the analysis of two-dimensional (2D) thin structural problems. The troublesome near-singular kernels, which are crucial in the applications of SBM to thin shapes, are dealt with efficiently by using a non-linear transformation technique. Promising SBM results with only a small number of elements are obtained for thin films and coatings with the thickness-to-length ratio is as small as 1E-9, which is sufficient for modeling most thin structures as used in smart materials and micro-electro-mechanical systems. The advantages, disadvantages and potential applications of the proposed method, as compared with the finite element (FEM) and boundary element (BEM) methods, are also discussed. Keywords: singular boundary method, meshless boundary collocation method, fundamental solutions, non-linear coordinate transformation, thin-walled structures.

Keywords

singular boundary method, meshless boundary collocation method, fundamental solutions, non-linear coordinate transformation, thin-walled structures