On the relationship between mesh and stress field orientations in linear stability analyses of thin plates and shells
. Analysis of plate and shell structures may involve inclined principal stress fields. Such fields may cause buckling modes that are not orthogonal to the geometric axes. In such cases the finite element solution is sensitive to the mesh orientation. Studies show that rectangular elements subject to pure shear converge more slowly. Highly relevant to shell analysts modelling structures in global shear and torsion.
mesh orientation finite element analysis plate buckling shell buckling orthogonal helices helical meshing linear bifurcation analysis