Viscoelastic two-dimensional structures using finite elements method

Axisymmetric circular thin plates' creep problem subjected only to bending made of linear or nonlinear viscoelastic materials are investigated in the scope of this study. Deflections, rotations and moments are calculated using finite element method for an axisymmetric thin circular plate made of linear elastic material subjected only to bending under the influence of stationary load. Quadratic isoparametric axisymmetric thin circular plate element is used as a finite element model. In the first chapter, after literature summary of viscoelasticity and the creep problem are given in order to illustrate the performance of the model in use. The results obtained from the classical theory and the SAP2000 commercial program are compared with obtained from finite element method in the second chapter. Viscoelasticity and its rheological models are pointed out in the third chapter and the rheological models used in this study are investigated. The method developed taking kelvin chain models into consideration in the state of relaxation functions are used for creep of viscoelastic thin circular plates is presented in chapter four. At the end of the section, a comparision made with a similar study in order to prove the validity of the developed method. The methodology given in the fourth chapter is applied to the various circular plate problems by the programs developed in MATLAB for this study in chapter five. Programs are presented in appendix. The conclusion is evaluated in the sixth chapter. Keywords: Viscoelasticity, viscoelastic material, relaxation functions, thin circular plates, finite elements method.