  This paper investigates the applicability of the DK and DKM shell element
classes for the first time within the framework of the standard (and
sequential) finite-element-based limit analysis, which is a direct method used
for determining the plastic collapse (and post-collapse) behaviour of
structures. Despite these elements not being able to guarantee a strict upper
bound, it is shown that they exhibit a significantly lower discretization error
compared to the strict upper-bound formulated shell elements used in
literature. The higher numerical efficiency of quadrangle elements over
triangle elements is observed. The numerical results are also compared with the
MITC shell elements, which have been shown to converge only in the pure
membrane case.
