An Assessment of the Cosserat Continuum through the Finite Element Simulation of a Strain Localisation Problem

Abstract

As a panacea for serious limitations exhibited by classical continuum models in the post-instability region, the generalization of standard J2-elastoplasticity within the Cosserat continuum is introduced. Constitutive equations are briefly reviewed and a computational framework is modified to accomodate for additional degrees of freedom. Consistent linearization of the field equations is performed which leads to a fully implicit scheme which preserves asymptotic quadratic convergence of the Newton-Raphson method. Through the finite element simulation of the slope localisation problem for an elasto-plastic softening material the Cosserat continuum model is critically assessed against the classical continuum model.