Further development of the reduced basis method for geometric nonlinear analysis (Q1081392)

The large number of displacement variables in a nonlinear structural analysis is replaced by a small number of generalized variables using the solution and correction vectors generated during an iterative step as the basis of transformation. For an elastic analysis, the entire calculation can be performed directly in the reduced solution space. A marginally less efficient procedure in which the residual forces are calculated from the full system of variables has also been formulated. This latter alternative will be suitable for problems with material nonlinearity as well. Examples are included to demonstrate and to compare the various procedures.