Shape design sensitivity analysis of viscoplastic structures (Q1912139)

Design sensitivity analysis of nonlinear viscoplastic structures is developed in the continuum form starting from Hamilton's principle. Constitutive models based on internal variable theory are incorporated in response analysis. Such models are described by a set of first order nonlinear differential equations with respect to time, and some of them allow development of the yield surface. The direct variation method is employed to obtain the sensitivity of the response. Discretization of the analysis and sensitivity equations, and computer implementation aspects are discussed. The discretized equations are implemented into a computer program, and two numerical examples are solved to demonstrate the theory.