We present in this paper a simplified computational technique based on a refined global-local method, due to Noor et al. (1986) and Mao et al. (1991) among others, which separates the scale of the struc- ture modelled with large size…
We present in this paper a simplified computational technique based on a refined global-local method, due to Noor et al. (1986) and Mao et al. (1991) among others, which separates the scale of the struc- ture modelled with large size finite elements from the scale of the fracture process zone in which crack propa- gation and progressive cracking occurs, modelled with a dense finite element grid. The finite element solution is split into two parts: one for the coarse mesh in which the material behaves elastically, and another one for the fine grid where the material, in the examples, follows a non local damage model. This two levels method of analysis, also called "zoom technique" has been implemented in the finite element package CASTEM 2000 and numerical examples showed that the proposed method yields accurate solution with significant savings in computing time compared with a dense finite element mesh. Further this method is suitable for parallel com- putation.