Nonlinearities

Physical nonlinearities in the mechanical behavior of structures may be classified in different groups:

• Large deformations, potentially leading to large strains
• Instabilities such as snap-through or bifurcation buckling of slender beams or thin shells
• Non-linear material behavior, e.g., large-strain deformation of rubber or yielding of metals
• Changing contact conditions

An example problem including all three abovementioned types of non-linearities is the simulation of leveling of thin metal strips.

Treating non-linear systems numerically is costly. Most of the time, solutions can only be achieved by dividing the loading history into many small increments. Choosing the wrong analysis procedure can prevent the detection of dangerous buckling phenomena. CAE Simulation & Solutions has gathered extensive experience in treating complex nonlinear problems with the Finite Element Method.

See Industries section for english examples and references.