6533b854fe1ef96bd12adeb0

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Minimum theorems for displacement and plastic strain rate histories in structural elastoplasticity

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The finite element method approach is used to obtain formulations of analysis problems relative to elastic-plastic structures when subjected to prescribed programmes of loads, and under the restrictive hypotheses:a) the yielding surfaces are piecewise linearized, andb) the plastic flow-laws are supposed to be of holonomic type within a single “finite” time interval. For mulations are given as linear complementarity problems and quadratic programming problems: one pair of formulations in terms of velocity and plastic multiplier rate histories, and another pair in terms of plastic multiplier rate histories only. The solutions are shown to be characterized by two minimum principles for displacement and plastic strain rate histories. After some general remarks about computational procedures, the paper is concluded with some suggestions for future developments.