An iterative plane stress integrated Transformation Field Analysis for Equivalent Homogeneous Medium characterization and localization — Application to structural holes.

Full-scale structure models of high-energy situations exhibited insufficient localization when connector elements were employed to model the assemblies. An alternative approach using a super-element featuring a hole was proposed and successful in mechanical fields localization. However this approach was restrained to linear problems. An extension to materially non-linear problems was thus looked for, and in particular perforated plate materially non-linear fields. An iterative plane stress integrated TFA method is thus developed to relocate the micro-scale elastic–plastic mechanical fields of a plate containing an extremely soft medium/a strong discontinuity: a hole. To this end, a RVE is defined and discretized, the accuracy of the localization relation is assessed, and a radial return algorithm is set-up to integrate the constitutive equation of the micro-scale problem. The results of the proposed TFA approach are compared to an analytical solution and to non-linear FEA. The results show that the localization of elastic–plastic perforated plate mechanical fields is accurate, provided that the method is iterative and that the hole is discretized in the RVE. It is foreseen that both the sequential and integrated TFA approaches will be combined to evaluate criteria in full-scale structure computations. [Display omitted] • Fostering iterative integrated TFA approach for elastic–plastic fields localization. • Localization of elastic–plastic fields accurate provided the method is iterative. • Successful application to structural holes with high plastic strains and gradients. • RVE dimensions/discretization based on standards and comparison to Kirsch solution. • Localization accuracy assessed w/r to (linear) Kirsch solution and (non-linear) FEA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]