Explicit mixed strain–displacement finite elements for compressible and quasi-incompressible elasticity and plasticity

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1007/s00466-016-1305-zThis paper presents an explicit mixed finite element formulation to address compressible and quasi-incompressible problems in elasticity and plasticity. This implies that the numerical solution only involves diagonal systems of equations. The formulation uses independent and equal interpolation of displacements and strains, stabilized by variational subscales. A displacement sub-scale is introduced in order to stabilize the mean-stress field. Compared to the standard irreducible formulation, the proposed mixed formulation yields improved strain and stress fields. The paper investigates the effect of this enhancement on the accuracy in problems involving strain softening and localization leading to failure, using low order finite elements with linear continuous strain and displacement fields (P1P1 triangles in 2D and tetrahedra in 3D) in conjunction with associative frictional Mohr–Coulomb and Drucker–Prager plastic models. The performance of the strain/displacement formulation under compressible and nearly incompressible deformation patterns is assessed and compared to analytical solutions for plane stress and plane strain situations. Benchmark numerical examples show the capacity of the mixed formulation to predict correctly failure mechanisms with localized patterns of strain, virtually free from any dependence of the mesh directional bias. No auxiliary crack tracking technique is necessary.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Stabilized mixed explicit finite element formulation for compressible and nearly-incompressible solids

El presente estudio presenta una formulación mixta de elementos finitos capaz de abordar problemas quasiincompresibles en forma explícita. Esta formulación se aplica a elementos con interpolaciones independientes e iguales de desplazamientos y deformaciones, estabilizadas mediante subescalas variacionales (VMS). Como continuación del estudio presentado en la referencia [23] , en la que se introdujo la subescala de las deformaciones, en este trabajo se incluyen los efectos de la sub-escala de los desplazamientos, con el fin de estabilizar el campo de las presiones. La formulación evita la condición de Ladyzhenskaya-Babuska-Brezzi (LBB) y sólo requiere la resolución de un sistema diagonal de ecuaciones. En este artículo se tratan también los principales aspectos de implementación. Finalmente, ejemplos de validación numérica muestran el comportamiento de estos elementos en comparación con la formulación irreducible.This study presents a mixed finite element formulation able to address nearly-incompressible problems explicitly. This formulation is applied to elements with independent and equal interpolation of displacements and strains, stabilized by variational subscales (VMS). As a continuation of the study presented in reference [23], in which the strains sub-scale was introduced, in this work the effects of sub-scale displacements are included, in order to stabilize the pressure field. The formulation avoids the Ladyzhenskaya-Babuska-Brezzi (LBB) condition and only requires the solution of a diagonal system of equations. The main aspects of implementation are also discussed. Finally, numerical examples validate the behaviour of these elements compared with the irreductible formulation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Simulation of temperature and stress during and after RCC dams construction

The aim of this monograph is to verify the prediction of temperature and stress evolution of the finite element program COMET including the constitutive model using 1-D model. It includes the analysis of the Rialb RCC dam during and after its construction

A geometric approach to phase response curves and its numerical computation through the parameterization method

The final publication is available at link.springer.comThe phase response curve (PRC) is a tool used in neuroscience that measures the phase shift experienced by an oscillator due to a perturbation applied at different phases of the limit cycle. In this paper, we present a new approach to PRCs based on the parameterization method. The underlying idea relies on the construction of a periodic system whose corresponding stroboscopic map has an invariant curve. We demonstrate the relationship between the internal dynamics of this invariant curve and the PRC, which yields a method to numerically compute the PRCs. Moreover, we link the existence properties of this invariant curve as the amplitude of the perturbation is increased with changes in the PRC waveform and with the geometry of isochrons. The invariant curve and its dynamics will be computed by means of the parameterization method consisting of solving an invariance equation. We show that the method to compute the PRC can be extended beyond the breakdown of the curve by means of introducing a modified invariance equation. The method also computes the amplitude response functions (ARCs) which provide information on the displacement away from the oscillator due to the effects of the perturbation. Finally, we apply the method to several classical models in neuroscience to illustrate how the results herein extend the framework of computation and interpretation of the PRC and ARC for perturbations of large amplitude and not necessarily pulsatile.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft