Simulation of special loading conditions by means of non-linear constraints imposed through Lagrange multipliers

This paper discusses the necessity and handling of non-linear constraint equations to describe the behaviour of properties of the loading system such as, e.g. smooth free-rotating loading platens. An exact, non-linear formulation for a smooth loading platen is derived and its incorporation into the equilibrium equations is presented. For this purpose, the Lagrange multiplier method is used. The solution of the equilibrium equations by means of a Newton-Raphson algorithm is also outlined. The proposed approach is validated on a patch of two finite elements and applied to a compression-bending test on a pre-notched specimen. It is observed that use of a linearized approximation of the boundary constraint can lead to errors in the description of the motion of the constrained nodes. Thus, the non-linear formulation is preferable. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.