Engineering Computations: Volume 18 Issue 1/2

A fast contact detection algorithm insensitive to object sizes

Eric Perkins, John R. Williams

Presents a new contact detection algorithm based on double‐ended spatial sorting (DESS) that is insensitive to variations in object size. It was developed to address the problems…

Element‐free Galerkin method for contact problems in metal forming analysis

Guangyao Li, Ted Belytschko

The total Lagrangian formulation and implementation of the element‐free Galerkin method (EFG) is presented for the analysis of contact‐impact problems with large deformations and…

Modeling and simulation of the decohesion of particulate aggregates in a binding matrix

T.I. Zohdi, P. Wriggers

A model for the decohesion of aggregates of suspended particulate material in a binding matrix is developed. In the model cohesive zones which envelop each particle individually…

Identification of damage in beam and plate structures using parameter‐dependent frequency changes

K. Dems, Z. Mróz

Damage of a structure affects its stiffness properties and induces a shift in the free frequency spectrum. In the paper, an additional parameter is introduced, such as…

Refined explicit integration of elastoplastic models with automatic error control

Scott W. Sloan, Andrew J. Abbo, Daichao Sheng

Effective explicit algorithms for integrating complex elastoplastic constitutive models, such as those belonging to the Cam clay family, are described. These automatically divide…

A fully‐distributed parallel global search algorithm

Layne T. Watson, Chuck A. Baker

The n‐dimensional direct search algorithm, DIRECT, developed by Jones, Perttunen, and Stuckman has attracted recent attention from the multidisciplinary design optimization…

Towards an efficient meshless computational technique: the method of finite spheres

Suvranu De, Klaus‐Jürgen Bathe

Computational efficiency and reliability are clearly the most important requirements for the success of a meshless numerical technique. While the basic ideas of meshless…

The variational theory of complex rays for the calculation of medium‐frequency vibrations

P. Ladevèze, L. Arnaud, P. Rouch, C. Blanzé

A new approach called the “variational theory of complex rays” (VTCR) is developed for calculating the vibrations of weakly damped elastic structures in the medium‐frequency…

Analysis of shear flexible beams, using the meshless local Petrov‐Galerkin method, based on a locking‐free formulation

J.Y. Cho, S.N. Atluri

The problems of shear flexible beams are analyzed by the MLPG method based on a locking‐free weak formulation. In order for the weak formulation to be locking‐free, the numerical…

Some observations on embedded discontinuity models

R. de Borst, G.N. Wells, L.J. Sluys

The formulation of finite elements with incompatible discontinuous modes is examined rigorously. Both weak and strong discontinuities are considered. Starting from a careful…

Large‐strain elasto‐plastic shell analysis using low‐order elements

M.A. Crisfield, D. Tan

Describes two low‐order shell elements, one (quadrilateral) with 16 degrees‐of‐freedom; twelve translations and four rotations and another (triangular) with 12 degrees‐of‐freedom;…

Customizing the mass and geometric stiffness of plane beam elements by Fourier methods

Carlos A. Felippa

Teaches by example the application of finite element templates in constructing high performance elements. The example discusses the improvement of the mass and geometric stiffness…

Load paths and load flow in finite element analysis

D.W. Kelly, P. Hsu, M. Asudullah

A procedure for plotting load paths and load flow in structures from a finite element analysis is described. The load flow is indicated by pointing vectors and the load paths are…

Implicit integration of a generalized plasticity constitutive model for partially saturated soil

H.W. Zhang, O.M. Heeres, R. de Borst, B.A. Schrefler

Extends the stress update algorithm and the tangent operator recently proposed for generalized plasticity by De Borst and Heeres to the case of partially saturated soils, where on…