Automated static condensation method for local analysis of large finite element models

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce an efficient new model reduction method, named the automated static condensation method, which is developed for the local analysis of large finite element models. The algebraic multilevel substructuring procedure is modified appropriately, and then applied to the original static condensation method. The retained substructure, which is the local finite element model to be analyzed, is defined, and then the remaining part of the global model is automatically partitioned into many omitted substructures in an algebraic perspective. For an efficient condensation procedure, a substructural tree diagram and substructural sets are established. Using these, the omitted substructures are sequentially condensed into the retained substructure to construct the reduced model. Using several large practical engineering problems, the performance of the proposed method is demonstrated in terms of its solution accuracy and computational efficiency, compared to the original static condensation method and the superelement technique.