Conforming approximations for Kirchhoff plates and shells

Finite element interpolations of arbitrary polynomial degree which are exactly and minimally C 1 continuous across interelement boundaries are studied. A perspective view of the techniques proposed by other authors is presented and some new possibilities are considered. The problem is discussed with reference to the plate and shell finite element approximations, based on the principle of minimum potential energy. The approach also permits identification of sufficient conditions for guaranteeing full rank of stiffness matrices based on modified principles of potential energy. The results of this analysis can be used to investigate the linear dependencies among nodal variables which also occur in the formulation of other fourth‐order problems.