On the computation of plate assemblies using realistic 3D joint model: a non-intrusive approach

Abstract

Most large engineering structures are described as assemblies of plates and shells and they are computed as such using adhoc Finite Element packages. In fact their computation in 3D would be much too costly. In this framework, the connections between the parts are often modeled by means of simplified tying models. In order to improve the reliability of such simulations, we propose to apply a non-intrusive technique so as to virtually substitute the simplified connectors by a precise 3D nonlinear model, without modifying the global plate model. Moreover each computation can be conducted on independent optimized software. After a description of the method, examples are used to analyze its performance, and to draw some conclusions on the validity and limitation of both the modeling of junction by rigid connectors and the use of submodeling techniques for the estimation of the carrying capacity of bolted plates.

A non-intrusive global/local approach applied to phase-field modeling of brittle fracture

“…Recently, the framework has been also extended to ductile (elasto-plastic) fracture [17][18][19][20][21][22], pressurized fracture in elastic and porous media [23,24], fracture in films [25] and shells [26][27][28], and multi-field fracture [29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36]. Non-intrusive global/local approaches have also been applied to a quite large number of situations: the computation of the propagation of cracks in a sound model using the extended finite element method (XFEM) [37], the computation of assembly of plates introducing realistic non-linear 3D modeling of connectors [38], the extension to non-linear domain decomposition methods [39] and to explicit dynamics [40,41] with an application to the prediction of delamination under impact using Abaqus [42]. Alternative strategies can be derived from the Partition of Unity Method [43,44].…”

Multiscale analysis of complex aeronautical structures using robust non-intrusive coupling

“…The non-intrusive coupling strategy seems to be well-established nowadays in the FEbased computational mechanics community (see, e.g., [10,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][32][33][34]). …”

“…This raises additional implementation issues. A framework for the proper non-intrusive coupling of a global plate model with local solid elements has been proposed in [18,19], but this one relies on a complex procedure involving the definition of a cumbersome buffer zone. On top of that, it has to be underlined that, according to our knowledge, the simulation of a complex fully non-planar shell/solid coupling model by means of a non-intrusive procedure have not been carried out yet.…”

“…The replacement of part of a global model by a more detailed local model can be carried out exactly and non-intrusively: the global model is never modified; only interface displacements and reaction forces are exchanged. This strategy has been successfully applied in many domains (see, e.g., [15,16] for crack propagation, [17] for taking localized uncertainties into account, [18,19] for non-intrusive plate/3D coupling, [20] for non-linear domain decomposition and [21,22] for transient dynamics analysis). It is of interest to note at this stage that this methodology has some similarities with certain superposition-based multiscale methods that have been proposed long before the concept of non-intrusiveness was introduced (see, e.g, [23] for an overview).…”

Non-invasive global–local coupling as a Schwarz domain decomposition method: acceleration and generalization

“…This philosophy was successfully applied in many different contexts like: the introduction of local plasticity and geometrical refinements [1], the computation of the propagation of cracks in a sound model [9], the evaluation of stochastic effects with deterministic computations [10], the taking into account of the exact geometry of connectors in an assembly of plates [11]. In [12] the method was used in order to implement a nonlinear domain decomposition method [13][14][15][16] in a non-invasive manner with Code_aster.…”