Numerical Analysis of Cyclic Plasticity using the Boundary Integral Equation Method

Abstract

Reliability criteria for the design of engineering components and structures subjected to complex service conditions often include their resistance to fatigue failure. Low cycle fatigue may be part of the design criteria and a major drawback in life predictions has been the inaccuracy in relating nominal loads to local stresses and strains, particularly if local plastic deformation occurs. Finite element methods (FEM) are mostly being used for such problems and the cyclic plastic analyses usually require large amounts of computer time. The boundary element method (BEM) is less used and it is being explored for this class of non-linear problems. In this paper a computational procedure is presented for the solution of such problems in planar bodies subjected to arbitrary loading histories. Linear and non-linear constitutive relations are used in the calculations.