Hybrid transfinite element methodology: Concepts formulations, and applicability for interdisciplinary thermal-structural modeling/analysis

Thermal-structural modeling and analysis is of considerable practical importance to designers who are concerned with the problems related to temperature-induced displacements and subsequent stresses, including the aspects of thermally induced structural dynamics. Flight vehicle structures that have significant aerothermal-structural interactions and that are typical of aerospace and large space structures, hypersonic cruise vehicles, etc., are some examples in the aerospace areas where these components/configurations commonly encounter thermal deformations and stresses. There are also various other engineering problems of practical importance in related mechanical, civil, and nuclear engineering fields where temperature effects on structures and materials is an important concern. The complexity and the interdisciplinary nature of thermal-structural mechanics for such problems significantly affects the response characteristics and makes the combined analysis challenging.;A "unified" computational approach for interdisciplinary thermal-structural mechanics/dynamics is described. The proposed approach is based on a hybrid methodology which combines the modeling versatility of contemporary finite elements in conjunction with transform methods and classical Bubnov-Galerkin schemes. Applicability of the proposed methodology for a class of transient nonlinear and linear thermal-structural mechanics/dynamics is herein demonstrated for thermally induced deformations and thermal-stress waves and thermal-structural dynamic applications. Characteristic features of the methodology are presented via generalized formulations and comparative samples of numerical test cases highlight the capabilities of the proposed concepts.