New development in extended finite element modeling of large elasto-plastic deformations

This paper presents new achievements in the extended finite element modeling of large elasto-plastic deformation in solid problems. The computational technique is presented based on the extended finite element method (X-FEM) coupled with the Lagrangian formulation in order to model arbitrary interfaces in large deformations. In X-FEM, the material interfaces are represented independently of element boundaries, and the process is accomplished by partitioning the domain with some triangular sub-elements whose Gauss points are used for integration of the domain of elements. The large elasto-plastic deformation formulation is employed within the X-FEM framework to simulate the non-linear behavior of materials. The interface between two bodies is modeled by using the X-FEM technique and applying the Heaviside- and level-set-based enrichment functions. Finally, several numerical examples are analyzed, including arbitrary material interfaces, to demonstrate the efficiency of the X-FEM technique in large plasticity deformations. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.