General Analytic Solutions and Complementary Variational Principles for Large Deformation Nonsmooth Mechanics

Abstract

This paper presents a nonlinear dual transformation method and general complementary energy principle for solving large deformation theory of elastoplasticity governed by nonsmooth constitutive laws. It is shown that by using this method and principle, the nonconvex and nonsmooth total potential energy is dual to a smooth complementary energy functional, and fully nonlinear equilibrium equations in finite deformation problems can be converted into certain tensor equations. The algebraic relation between the first and the second Piola–Kirchhoff stresses are revealed. A closed form solution for general three-dimensional large deformation boundary value problems is obtained. The properties of this general solution are clarified by a triality extremum principle. This triality theory reveals an important phenomenon in nonconvex variational problems. Applications are illustrated by nonlinear, nonsmooth equilibrium problems in Hencky's plasticity, 3D cylindrical structures and post buckling analysis of elastoplastic bar with jumping and hardening effects. The idea and methods presented in this paper can be used and generalized to solve many nonlinear boundary value problems in finite deformation theory.