An adaptive Strategy for the Multi-scale Analysis of Plate and Shell Structures with Elasto-plastic Material Behaviour

Abstract

Modelling of structures on different scales has been a popular subject in the past. Within such a strategy the structural behaviour is modeled on a macro-level, describing the structure itself, whereas the material behaviour is modeled on a micro-level. Here typically RVEs are used. The proper choice of boundary conditions for the RVE is a difficult task in case of shell structures. It should be mentioned that the correct calculation of material parameters on the macro level is crucial for any associated nonlinear analysis. Here, results have been presented for homogeneous and layered structures for composite materials in Gruttmann and Wagner (2013). In the present paper we will discuss the influence of material nonlinear behaviour, here the elasto-plastic behaviour, within the above described setting. Typically these calculations are very time consuming, even if the FE-model is parallelized. Thus we will discuss possibilities to change material models on the structural model during the loading process, starting with elastic material models without a second scale and switching to a two-scale approach, where necessary.