Efficient placement of rigid supports using finite element models

The correct design of flexible and rigid supports improves the performance of structures, by reducing deflections or increasing natural frequencies. The optimisation of the location of rigid supports is difficult because the support reduces the number of modelled degrees of freedom. This paper introduces efficient methods for the analysis of models where the support occurs within the element. This allows a single relatively coarse element mesh to be used, while still providing accurate predictions of the effect of the support on the structure’s static and dynamic response.