State update algorithm for isotropic elastoplasticity by incremental energy minimization

Abstract

SummaryAn original state update algorithm for the numerical integration of rate independent small strain elastoplastic constitutive models, treating in a unified manner a wide class of yield functions depending on all three stress invariants, is proposed. The algorithm is based on an incremental energy minimization approach, in the framework of generalized standard materials with convex free‐energy and dissipation potential. Under the assumption of isotropic material behavior, implying coaxiality of trial stress, increment of plastic strain, and updated stress, the problem is reduced from dimension six to three. Then, exploiting the cylindrical tensor basis associated with Haigh–Westergaard coordinates, the problem is recast in terms of two nested scalar equations. The proposed algorithm (i) exhibits global convergence even for yield functions with difficult features, such as not being defined on the whole stress space, or implying high‐curvature points of the yield domain, and (ii) requires no matrix inversion. After the tensor reconstruction of the unknowns, a simple expression for the algorithmic consistent material tangent is derived. The algorithm is validated by comparison with benchmark semi‐analytic solutions. Numerical results on single material points and finite element simulations are reported for assessing its accuracy, robustness, and efficiency. A Matlab implementation is provided as supplementary material. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.