Numerical Analysis Applied to Nonlinear Problems

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe present paper shows the applicability of the Dual Boundary Element Method to analyze plastic, visco-plastic and creep behavior in fracture mechanics problems. Several models with a crack, including a square plate, a holed plate and a notched plate are analyzed. Special attention is taken when the discretization of the domain is done. In Fact, for the plasticity and viscoplasticity cases only the region susceptible to yielding was discretized, whereas, the creep case required the discretization of the whole domain. The proposed formulation is presented as an alternative technique to study this kind of non-linear problems. Results from the present formulation are compared to those of the well-established Finite Element Technique, and they are in good agreement. Important fracture mechanic parameters such as KI, KII, J- and C- integrals are also included. In general, the results, for the plastic, visco-plastic and creep cases, show that the highest stress concentrations are in the vicinity of the crack tip and they decrease as the distance from the crack tip is increased.