A three-dimensional B-spline boundary element

The paper deals with the boundary element discretization of three-dimensional structural problems. A model, based on the management of the boundary by macro-elements, the use of a B-spline quadratic description of the boundary variables and a systematic use of analytical integration, is presented. By referring to rectangular piece-wise solids, the results of the analytical integration are given in a general form, utilizable for any order polynomial shape functions. The discretization process has been designed with the aim of obtaining an accurate evaluation of the stress field. Two numerical tests, which can be compared with analytical and refined finite element solutions, have been selected to check the performance of the model. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.