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Deformation of soft polymeric materials often involves complex nonlinear or transient mechanical behaviors. This is due to the dynamic behaviors of polymer chains at the molecular level within the polymer network. In this paper, we present a computational formulation to describe the transient behavior (e.g., viscoelasticity) of soft polymer networks with dynamic bonds undergoing large to extreme deformation. This formulation is based on an Eulerian description of kinematics and a theoretical framework that directly connects the molecular-level kinetics of dynamic bonds to the macroscopic mechanical behavior of the material. An extended finite element method is used to discretize the field variables and the governing equations in an axisymmetric domain. In addition to validating the framework, this model is used to study how the chain dynamics affect the macroscopic response of material as they undergo a combination of flow and elasticity. The problems of cavitation rheology and polymer indentation under extreme deformation are investigated in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-analytical models have been developed to analyze the contact of inhomogeneous materials based on the equivalent inclusion method. It is important to pursue a higher efficiency in numerical implementation of the semi-analytical models. This paper reports the development of a dual-grid computational scheme for further improving the efficiency of the current semi-analytical modeling. Parametric studies show that the new method can save at least 50% of the execution time with respect to the original algorithm in a considerably wide range of conditions. The new method is applied to investigate the influence of inhomogeneities on contact pressure distributions. Data regression is performed to obtain the amplitudes of contact pressure disturbances as a function of inhomogeneitys elastic modulus, size and location. Then, a criterion is developed based on the values of contact pressure disturbances to determine the circumstances in which the coupling between inhomogeneities and surface contact be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a general framework for modeling dynamic large deformation contact-impact problems based on the phantom-node extended finite element method. The large sliding penalty contact formulation is presented based on a master-slave approach which is implemented within the phantom-node X-FEM and an explicit central difference scheme is used to model the inertial effects. The method is compared with conventional contact X-FEM; advantages, limitations and implementational aspects are also addressed. Several numerical examples are presented to show the robustness and accuracy of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) models that accounts for discrete micro-twin nucleation-propagation have been recently developed for studying complex deformation behavior of hexagonal close-packed (HCP) materials (Cheng and Ghosh in Int J Plast 67:148-170, 2015, J Mech Phys Solids 99:512-538, 2016). A major difficulty with conducting high fidelity, image-based CPFE simulations of polycrystalline microstructures with explicit twin formation is the prohibitively high demands on computing time. High strain localization within fast propagating twin bands requires very fine simulation time steps and leads to enormous computational cost. To mitigate this shortcoming and improve the simulation efficiency, this paper proposes a multi-time-domain subcycling algorithm. It is based on adaptive partitioning of the evolving computational domain into twinned and untwinned domains. Based on the local deformation-rate, the algorithm accelerates simulations by adopting different time steps for each sub-domain. The sub-domains are coupled back after coarse time increments using a predictor-corrector algorithm at the interface. The subcycling-augmented CPFEM is validated with a comprehensive set of numerical tests. Significant speed-up is observed with this novel algorithm without any loss of accuracy that is advantageous for predicting twinning in polycrystalline microstructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The numerical simulation of contact problems is nowadays a standard procedure in many engineering applications. The contact constraints are usually formulated using either the Lagrange multiplier, the penalty approach or variants of both methodologies. The aim of this paper is to introduce a new scheme that is based on a space filling mesh in which the contacting bodies can move and interact. To be able to account for the contact constraints, the property of the medium, that imbeds the bodies coming into contact, has to change with respect to the movements of the bodies. Within this approach the medium will be formulated as an isotropic/anisotropic material with changing characteristics and directions. In this paper we will derive a new finite element formulation that is based on the above mentioned ideas. The formulation is presented for large deformation analysis and frictionless contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel numerical methods, known as Meshless Methods or Meshfree Methods and, in a wider perspective, Partition of Unity Methods, promise to overcome most of disadvantages of the traditional finite element techniques. The absence of a mesh makes meshfree methods very attractive for those problems involving large deformations, moving boundaries and crack propagation. However, meshfree methods still have significant limitations that prevent their acceptance among researchers and engineers, namely the computational costs. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of computational techniques to speed-up the computation of the shape functions in the Reproducing Kernel Particle Method and Moving Least Squares, with particular focus on their bottlenecks, like the neighbour search, the inversion of the moment matrix and the assembly of the stiffness matrix. The paper presents numerous computational solutions aimed at a considerable reduction of the computational times: the use of kd-trees for the neighbour search, sparse indexing of the nodes-points connectivity and, most importantly, the explicit and vectorized inversion of the moment matrix without using loops and numerical routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive finite element procedures automatically refine, coarsen, or relocate elements in a finite element mesh to obtain a solution with a specified accuracy. Although a significant amount of research has been devoted to adaptive finite element analysis, this method has not been widely applied to nonlinear geotechnical problems due to their complexity. In this paper, the h-adaptive finite element technique is employed to solve some complex geotechnical problems involving material nonlinearity and large deformations. The key components of h-adaptivity including robust mesh generation algorithms, error estimators and remapping procedures are discussed. This paper includes a brief literature review as well as formulation and implementation details of the h-adaptive technique. Finally, the method is used to solve some classical geotechnical problems and results are provided to illustrate the performance of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to detect damage (stiffness degradation) of laminated composite plates from noisy impact response data. The combined finite element method (FEM) with five degrees of freedom (DOF) and the advanced noise filtering algorithm described in this paper may allow us not only to detect the deteriorated elements but also to find their locations and the extents. A first order shear deformation theory (FSDT) is used to predict the structural behavior and to detect damage of laminated composite plates. The filtering procedure is designed by means of a wavelet decomposition together with a selection of the measuring points, and the optimization criterion is constructed on an estimate of the probability of detection using genetic algorithms. All these techniques are applied for the first time to composites. The effects of filtered noise associated with the uncertainty of measurements due to the complex nature of composites are considered for different layup sequences, number of layers, and length–thickness ratios. Several numerical results show that the noise filtering system is computationally efficient in identifying stiffness degradation for complex structures such as laminated composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to derive goal-oriented a posteriori error estimators for the error obtained while approximately evaluating the nonlinear J-integral as a fracture criterion in linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) using the finite element method. Such error estimators are based on the well-established technique of solving an auxiliary dual problem. In a straightforward fashion, the solution to the discretized dual problem is sought in the same FE-space as the solution to the original (primal) problem, i.e. on the same mesh, although it merely acts as a weight of the discretization error only. In this paper, we follow the strategy recently proposed by Korotov et al. [J Numer Math 11:33–59, 2003; Comp Lett (in press)] and derive goal-oriented error estimators of the averaging type, where the discrete dual solution is computed on a different mesh than the primal solution. On doing so, the FE-solutions to the primal and the dual problems need to be transferred from one mesh to the other. The necessary algorithms are briefly explained and finally some illustrative numerical examples are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a purely phenomenological formulation and finite element numerical implementation for quasi-incompressible transversely isotropic and orthotropic materials is presented. The stored energy is composed of distinct anisotropic equilibrated and non-equilibrated parts. The nonequilibrated strains are obtained from the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient. The procedure can be considered as an extension of the Reese and Govindjee framework to anisotropic materials and reduces to such formulation for isotropic materials. The stress-point algorithmic implementation is based on an elastic-predictor viscous-corrector algorithm similar to that employed in plasticity. The consistent tangent moduli for the general anisotropic case are also derived. Numerical examples explain the procedure to obtain the material parameters, show the quadratic convergence of the algorithm and usefulness in multiaxial loading. One example also highlights the importance of prescribing a complete set of stress-strain curves in orthotropic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new numerical integration technique for 3D contact finite element implementations, focusing on a remedy for the inaccurate integration due to discontinuities at the boundary of contact surfaces. The method is based on the adaptive refinement of the integration domain along the boundary of the contact surface, and is accordingly denoted RBQ for refined boundary quadrature. It can be used for common element types of any order, e.g. Lagrange, NURBS, or T-Spline elements. In terms of both computational speed and accuracy, RBQ exhibits great advantages over a naive increase of the number of quadrature points. Also, the RBQ method is shown to remain accurate for large deformations. Furthermore, since the sharp boundary of the contact surface is determined, it can be used for various purposes like the accurate post-processing of the contact pressure. Several examples are presented to illustrate the new technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mortar finite element methods provide a very convenient and powerful discretization framework for geometrically nonlinear applications in computational contact mechanics, because they allow for a variationally consistent treatment of contact conditions (mesh tying, non-penetration, frictionless or frictional sliding) despite the fact that the underlying contact surface meshes are non-matching and possibly also geometrically non-conforming. However, one of the major issues with regard to mortar methods is the design of adequate numerical integration schemes for the resulting interface coupling terms, i.e. curve integrals for 2D contact problems and surface integrals for 3D contact problems. The way how mortar integration is performed crucially influences the accuracy of the overall numerical procedure as well as the computational efficiency of contact evaluation. Basically, two different types of mortar integration schemes, which will be termed as segment-based integration and element-based integration here, can be found predominantly in the literature. While almost the entire existing literature focuses on either of the two mentioned mortar integration schemes without questioning this choice, the intention of this paper is to provide a comprehensive and unbiased comparison. The theoretical aspects covered here include the choice of integration rule, the treatment of boundaries of the contact zone, higher-order interpolation and frictional sliding. Moreover, a new hybrid scheme is proposed, which beneficially combines the advantages of segment-based and element-based mortar integration. Several numerical examples are presented for a detailed and critical evaluation of the overall performance of the different schemes within several well-known benchmark problems of computational contact mechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a framework for coupling transient electromagnetic (EM) and dynamic mechanical (ME) fields to predict the evolution of electrical and magnetic fields and their fluxes in a vibrating substrate undergoing finite deformation. To achieve coupling between fields the governing equations are solved in the time domain. A Lagrangian description is invoked, in which the coupling scheme maps Maxwell's equations from spatial to material coordinates in the reference configuration. Physical variables in the Maxwell's equations are written in terms of a scalar potential and vector potentials. Non-uniqueness in the reduced set of equations is overcome through the introduction of a gauge condition. Selected features of the code are validated using existing solutions in the literature, as well as comparison with results of simulations with commercial software. Subsequently, two coupled simulations featuring EM fields excited by steady-state and transient electric current source in dynamically vibrating conducting media are studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a new contact finite element for beams with circular cross-sections is presented. The element is an enhancement of the previously formulated point-wise beam-to-beam contact finite elements to be used in cases when beams get in contact at very acute angles. In such situation, if beam deformations in the vicinity of the contact zone are taken into account, the contact is not point-wise but it extends to a certain area. To cover such a case in a more realistic way, two additional pairs of contact points are introduced to accompany the original single pair of contact points. The central pair is determined using the orthogonality conditions for the beam axes and the positions of two extra points are defined on one beam axis by a shift of the local co-ordinate. This shift depends on beams geometry and the current angle between tangent vectors at the central contact point. The appropriate kinematic variables for normal contact together with their finite element approximation are derived. Basing on the weak form for normal contact and its linearisation, the tangent stiffness matrix and the residual vector are derived. The new element is tested using author’s computer programs and comparisons with the point-wise contact elements are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently an enriched contact finite element formulation has been developed that substantially increases the accuracy of contact computations while keeping the additional numerical effort at a minimum reported by Sauer (Int J Numer Meth Eng, 87: 593-616, ). Two enrich-ment strategies were proposed, one based on local p-refinement using Lagrange interpolation and one based on Hermite interpolation that produces C-smoothness on the contact surface. Both classes, which were initially considered for the frictionless Signorini problem, are extended here to friction and contact between deformable bodies. For this, a symmetric contact formulation is used that allows the unbiased treatment of both contact partners. This paper also proposes a post-processing scheme for contact quantities like the contact pressure. The scheme, which provides a more accurate representation than the raw data, is based on an averaging procedure that is inspired by mortar formulations. The properties of the enrichment strategies and the corresponding post-processing scheme are illustrated by several numerical examples considering sliding and peeling contact in the presence of large deformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work is to study potential benefits of solving crystal plasticity finite element method (CPFEM) implicit simulations using the Jacobian-Free Newton-Krylov (JFNK) technique. Implicit implementations of CPFEM are usually solved using Newton's method. However, the inherent non-linearity in the flow rule model that characterizes the crystal slip system deformation on occasions would require considerable effort to form the exact analytical Jacobian needed by Newton's method. In this paper we present an alternative using JFNK. As it does not require an exact Jacobian, JFNK can potentially decrease development time. JFNK approximates the effect of the Jacobian through finite differences of the residual vector, allowing modified formulations to be studied with relative ease. We show that the JFNK solution is identical to that obtained using Newton's method and produces quadratic convergence. We also find that preconditioning the JFNK solution with the elastic tensor provides the best computational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a numerical model is developed for the fully coupled analysis of deforming porous media containing weak discontinuities which interact with the flow of two immiscible, compressible wetting and non-wetting pore fluids. The governing equations involving the coupled solid skeleton deformation and two-phase fluid flow in partially saturated porous media are derived within the framework of the generalized Biot theory. The solid phase displacement, the wetting phase pressure and the capillary pressure are taken as the primary variables of the three-phase formulation. The other variables are incorporated into the model via the experimentally determined functions that specify the relationship between the hydraulic properties of the porous medium, i.e. saturation, permeability and capillary pressure. The spatial discretization by making use of the extended finite element method (XFEM) and the time domain discretization by employing the generalized Newmark scheme yield the final system of fully coupled non-linear equations, which is solved using an iterative solution procedure. Numerical convergence analysis is carried out to study the approximation error and convergence rate of several enrichment strategies for bimaterial multiphase problems exhibiting a weak discontinuity in the displacement field across the material interface. It is confirmed that the problems which arise in the blending elements can have a significant effect on the accuracy and convergence rate of the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a quasi-static multiscale computational model with its verification and rational applications to mechanical behavior predictions of asphaltic roadways that are subject to viscoelastic deformation and fracture damage. The multiscale model is based on continuum thermo-mechanics and is implemented using a finite element formulation. Two length scales (global and local) are two-way coupled in the model framework by linking a homogenized global scale to a heterogeneous local scale representative volume element. With the unique multiscaling and the use of the finite element technique, it is possible to take into account the effect of material heterogeneity, viscoelasticity, and anisotropic damage accumulation in the small scale on the overall performance of larger scale structures. Along with the theoretical model formulation, two example problems are shown: one to verify the model and its computational benefits through comparisons with analytical solutions and single-scale simulation results, and the other to demonstrate the applicability of the approach to model general roadway structures where material viscoelasticity and cohesive zone fracture are involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a polygonal-FEM technique is presented in modeling of arbitrary interfaces in large deformations. The method is used to model the internal interfaces and arbitrary geometries using a uniform non-conformal mesh. The technique is applied to capture discontinuous deformations in the non-conformal elements, which are cut by the interface in a uniform regular mesh. In this approach, a uniform non-conformal mesh is decomposed into sub-elements that conform to the internal interfaces. The geometry of interface is used to produce various triangular, quadrilateral and pentagonal elements at the intersection of interface with regular FE mesh, in which the extra degrees-of-freedom are defined along the interface. The level set method is employed to describe the material geometry on the background mesh. The technique is used to extrude any arbitrary geometry from an initial background mesh and model under different external effects. An important feature of the technique is the decomposition of the uniform non-conformal mesh to the polygonal-FEM mesh, which is conformed to the material interfaces. Finally, several numerical examples are analyzed to demonstrate the efficiency of proposed technique in modeling arbitrary interfaces in large deformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pin connections and plastic hinges produce non-smooth displacement fields in beam structures. By using an appropriate extended finite element method (XFEM), non-smooth solutions can be obtained by regular coarse meshes, which do not necessarily conform to pins or plastic hinges. In this paper, a two-dimensional co-rotational beam element with XFEM formulation to simulate pin connections and plastic hinges is presented. Enrichments for the rotation and the deflection approximations are embedded in a co-rotational frame to capture the non-smoothness in both small and large deformations. Numerical examples on pin connections and plastic hinges demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of the present formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to provide a general procedure to extract the constitutive parameters of a plasticity model starting from displacement measurements and using the Virtual Fields Method. This is a classical inverse problem which has been already investigated in the literature, however several new features are developed here. First of all the procedure applies to a general three-dimensional displacement field which leads to large plastic deformations, no assumptions are made such as plane stress or plane strain although only pressure-independent plasticity is considered. Moreover the equilibrium equation is written in terms of the deviatoric stress tensor that can be directly computed from the strain field without iterations. Thanks to this, the identification routine is much faster compared to other inverse methods such as finite element updating. The proposed method can be a valid tool to study complex phenomena which involve severe plastic deformation and where the state of stress is completely triaxial, e.g. strain localization or necking occurrence. The procedure has been validated using a three dimensional displacement field obtained from a simulated experiment. The main potentialities as well as a first sensitivity study on the influence of measurement errors are illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the development of a hybrid-mixed finite element formulation for the quasi-static geometrically exact analysis of three-dimensional framed structures with linear elastic behavior. The formulation is based on a modified principle of stationary total complementary energy, involving, as independent variables, the generalized vectors of stress-resultants and displacements and, in addition, a set of Lagrange multipliers defined on the element boundaries. The finite element discretization scheme adopted within the framework of the proposed formulation leads to numerical solutions that strongly satisfy the equilibrium differential equations in the elements, as well as the equilibrium boundary conditions. This formulation consists, therefore, in a true equilibrium formulation for large displacements and rotations in space. Furthermore, this formulation is objective, as it ensures invariance of the strain measures under superposed rigid body rotations, and is not affected by the so-called shear-locking phenomenon. Also, the proposed formulation produces numerical solutions which are independent of the path of deformation. To validate and assess the accuracy of the proposed formulation, some benchmark problems are analyzed and their solutions compared with those obtained using the standard two-node displacement/ rotation-based formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of continuum mechanics, a rate dependent directional damage model for fibred materials with application to soft biological tissues is presented. The structural model is formulated using the concept of internal variables that provides a very general description of materials involving irreversible effects. Continuum damage mechanics is used to describe the softening behavior of soft tissues under large deformation. To account for the rate dependency and to regularize the localization problems associated with strain-softening, a viscous damage mechanism is presented in this paper in decoupled form for matrix and fibers. The numerical implementation in the context of the finite element method is discussed in detail. In order to show the performance of the constitutive model and its algorithmic counterpart some simple examples are included. Results show that the model is able to capture the typical stress-strain behavior observed in fibrous soft tissues and appear to confirm the soundness of the proposed formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to construct a computationally effective curved triangular finite element for geometrically nonlinear analysis of elastic shear deformable shells fabricated from functionally graded materials. The focus is on the concise finite-element formulation under the demand of accuracy-simplicity trade-off. To this end, a nonconventional approach based on the invariants of the natural strains of fibers parallel to the element edges is used. The approach allows one to obtain algorithmic formulas for computing the stiffness matrix, gradient, and Hessian of the total strain energy of the finite element. Transverse shear deformation effects are taken into account using the first order shear deformation theory with the shear correction factor dependent on the material property distribution across the shell thickness. The performance of the proposed finite element is demonstrated using problems of functionally graded plates and shells under mechanical and thermal loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a large displacement and finite rotation thin-walled beam element previously developed by the authors, which accounts for cross-section deformation, is extended by including finite relative rotations of the beam walls in the in-plane kinematic description of the cross-sections. The inclusion of these relative rotations is motivated by the fact that it enables a simple and meaningful representation of the cross-section in-plane distortion and allows for a co-rotational description of the wall 'local-plate' behavior, which leads to a computationally efficient numerical implementation. The present extension preserves all features of the original formulation, namely the geometrically exact description of the beam mid-surface and the allowance for arbitrary cross-section deformation modes complying with Kirchhoff's assumption. The efficiency of the resulting beam finite element is demonstrated by means of numerical examples, which include comparisons with solutions obtained by means of the previous beam finite element and standard shell finite elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an accurate and efficient C-type third-order global-local model incorporating effects of the transverse normal strain is proposed to study the thermal/mechanical behaviors of thick multilayer cross-ply plates. Transverse displacement is assumed to be a linear distribution through the thickness direction, for which the normal strain could be readily computed. Based on the interlaminar continuity conditions of in-plane displacement and transverse shear stresses, layer-dependent variables could be reduced. Employing shear stress free condition at the upper and the lower surfaces, derivatives of transverse displacement are eliminated from the displacement field, so that C interpolation functions are only required for the finite element implementation. As a result, the number of variables is independent of the number of layers of the laminate. To assess the proposed model, the classical quadratic eight-node isoparametric element is used for the interpolation of all the displacement parameters defined at each nodal point on the composite plate. Comparing with various existing composite plate models, it is found that simple C finite elements with non-zero normal strain could produce accurate deformations and stresses of thick multilayer composite plates subjected to thermal and mechanical loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we address the application of recovery procedures in advanced problems in structural mechanics. The attention is focused on the recovery by compatibility in patches procedure (RCP) and shear deformable plate structures. The formulation of RCP procedure is extended to shear deformable plate problems (Reissner-Mindlin theory) and is applied to recover stresses from mixed and hybrid stress finite elements. These elements offer new possibilities, for recovery procedures in general, which deserve to be discussed. A comprehensive investigation on which finite element solution can be used as input for the recovery procedures is given through standard benchmark problems, obtained for several values of the thickness on structured and unstructured meshes. The numerical results confirm the effectiveness of the recovery procedure extended to plates problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this paper is to present an algorithm and the solution to the nonlinear plasticity problems with random parameters. This methodology is based on the finite element method covering physical and geometrical nonlinearities and, on the other hand, on the generalized nth order stochastic perturbation method. The perturbation approach resulting from the Taylor series expansion with uncertain parameters is provided in two different ways: (i) via the straightforward differentiation of the initial incremental equation and (ii) using the modified response surface method. This methodology is illustrated with the analysis of the elasto-plastic plane truss with random Young’s modulus leading to the determination of the probabilistic moments by the hybrid stochastic symbolic-finite element method computations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While frame-invariant solutions for arbitrarily large rotational deformations have been reported through the orthogonal matrix parametrization, derivation of such solutions purely through a rotation vector parametrization, which uses only three parameters and provides a parsimonious storage of rotations, is novel and constitutes the subject of this paper. In particular, we employ interpolations of relative rotations and a new rotation vector update for a strain-objective finite element formulation in the material framework. We show that the update provides either the desired rotation vector or its complement. This rules out an additive interpolation of total rotation vectors at the nodes. Hence, interpolations of relative rotation vectors are used. Through numerical examples, we show that combining the proposed update with interpolations of relative rotations yields frame-invariant and path-independent numerical solutions. Advantages of the present approach vis-a-vis the updated Lagrangian formulation are also analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delamination is typically modelled using cohesive zone models. In this paper, it is shown that the validity of most models is limited to small displacements and/or deformations at the interface and the surrounding bulk materials. A large displacement formulation (LDF) is proposed that overcomes issues of the classical formulation with large displacements and deformations at the interface. Subsequently, a 3D cohesive zone element with this LDF is introduced and its numerical implementation is elaborated. Then, a 3D FEM model is proposed and the determination of several model parameters is substantiated. Finally, the implementation is validated by comparing numerical results with experimental observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of biotissue–bubble interactions and the stresses induced in the tissue is needed to identify potential mechanisms of tissue damage, such as vessel rupture, by acoustically excited bubbles. Interactions between acoustically excited bubbles and nearby rigid structures have been studied effectively using the boundary element method. However, if the nearby structure is a biotissue, structure deformations will affect the bubble response. In this paper a coupled finite element and boundary element code, developed to investigate the interactions between an acoustically excited bubble and a deformable structure, is presented. In particular, this model was developed to investigate the response of bubbles within deformable tubes. This code is validated by comparison to other simulation and experimental results and employed to obtain the response of an acoustically excited bubble centered within a tube. General characteristics of bubble–tube interactions and stresses induced in the tube wall are described by considering typical simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the formulation for a highly adaptable hexahedral shell finite element is presented in this paper. A basic 18-node isoparametric hexahedral element is adopted as the basis of the formulation. Potential strategies to alleviate transverse shear, trapezoidal, thickness and membrane locking are investigated, in several combinations, using a wide variety of geometrically linear benchmarks. The most promising approach is further assessed using geometrically non-linear shell and plate problems. The recommended ANS-formulation performs well against an extensive range of benchmarks, and continues to be accurate at an aspect ratio of 1:10,000. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]