DIRECT APPLICATION OF CONSTRAINTS TO SYMMETRICAL ALGEBRAIC SYSTEMS

Constraints arise naturally in the context of rigid inclusions, incompressibility, inextensible fibres and deformed finite elements. Typical methods for handling constraints in the governing matrix equation include Lagrange multipliers, penalty weights and elimination of variables. Each procedure has a particular undesirable feature. Proposed here is an approach in which each constraint is handled directly and sequentially through a modification of the rows and columns of the governing matrix and force vector. Positive definiteness, symmetry and the dimensions of the matrix remain unchanged; Elementary examples involving both the static and dynamic response of a bar are given to illustrate the procedure.