In this chapter, we discuss the finite element analysis of several special types of structures: trusses, beams, frames, and plates. These types of structures are defined based on their geometric characteristics and mechanical behavior. From a geometric point of view, these structures can be viewed as objects with lower dimensions: line/curve segments and thin surfaces in the 3-D space. In finite element analysis, special types of elements were created to model the low-dimensional structures on both geometric and mechanics aspects. In this regard, these structural elements can be considered as reduced-order 3-D elasticity elements. The mathematical models and finite element formulations are derived based on such model reductions or simplifications. In this chapter, we demonstrate the finite element analysis procedures for these types of structures by solving three example problems. MATLAB codes for solving the example problems are also presented.
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