Linear elasticity

About: Linear elasticity is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 9080 publications have been published within this topic receiving 258684 citations.

A numerical method for computing the overall response of nonlinear composites with complex microstructure

Abstract: The local and overall responses of nonlinear composites are classically investigated by the Finite Element Method. We propose an alternate method based on Fourier series which avoids meshing and which makes direct use of microstructure images. It is based on the exact expression of the Green function of a linear elastic and homogeneous comparison material. First, the case of elastic nonhomogeneous constituents is considered and an iterative procedure is proposed to solve the Lippman-Schwinger equation which naturally arises in the problem. Then, the method is extended to non-linear constituents by a step-by-step integration in time. The accuracy of the method is assessed by varying the spatial resolution of the microstructures. The flexibility of the method allows it to serve for a large variety of microstructures. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.

Linear finite element methods for planar linear elasticity

Abstract: A linear nonconforming (conforming) displacement finite element method for the pure displacement (pure traction) problem in two-dimensional linear elasticity for a homogeneous isotropic elastic material is considered. In the case of a convex polygonal configuration domain, error estimates in the energy (L[sup 2]) norm are obtained. The convergence rate does not deteriorate for nearly incompressible material. Furthermore, the convergence analysis does not rely on the theory of saddle point problems. 22 refs.

Fracture Mechanics of an Elastic Softening Material like Concrete

Abstract: Concrete is modelled as a linear elastic softening material and introduced into fracture mechanics. A discrete crack is considered with softening zones at the crack tips. Following the approach of Dugdale/Barenblatt, closing stresses are applied to the crack faces in the softening zone. The stresses are described by a power function. Relations are worked out between the remote stress on a cracked plate, the tensile strength of the material and the size of the softening zone. The finite width of a plate is considered and so are various stress distributions of the softening zone. Experiments were performed to estabilish the stress-strain behaviour of concrete in deformation-controlled uniaxial tensile loading. Furthermore, it was investigated whether cyclic loading affects the static envelope curve. A qualitative model is presented which illustrates the effect of prepeak cyclic loading on deformation and stress distribution in a specimen. The results show that nonlinear fracture mechanics can be applied to concrete. The loadbearing capacity of a cracked plate can be predicted with reasonable accuracy. As appears from the experiments, the application of this approach to cyclic loading is very promising.

Aspects of the formulation and finite element implementation of large strain isotropic elasticity

Abstract: The paper presents a formulation of isotropic large strain elasticity and addresses some computational aspects of its finite element implementation. On the theoretical side, an Eulerian setting of isotropic elasticity is discussed exclusively in terms of the Finger tensor as a strain measure. Noval aspects are a direct representation of the Eulerian elastic moduli in terms of the Finger tensor and their rigorous decomposition into decoupled volumetric and isochoric contributions based on a multiplicative split of the Finger tensor into spherical and unimodular parts. The isochoric stress response is formulated in terms of the eigenvalues of the unimodular part of the Finger tensor. A constitutive algorithm for the computation of the stresses and tangent moduli for plane problems is developed and applied to a model problem of rubber elasticity. On the computational side, the implementation of the constitutive model in three possible finite element formulations is discussed. After pointing out algorithmic techniques for the treatment of incompressible elasticity, several numerical simulations are presented which show the performance of the proposed constitutive algorithm and the convergence behaviour of the different finite element fomulations for compressible and incompressible elasticity.