A Finite Element Implementation of Knowles Stored-Energy Function: Theory, Coding and Applications
This paper contains the full way of implementing a user-defined hyperelastic constitutive model into the finite element method (FEM) through defining an appropriate elasticity tensor. The Knowles stored-energy potential has been chosen to illustrate the implementation, as this particular potential function proved to be very effective in modeling nonlinear elasticity within moderate deformations. Thus, the Knowles stored-energy potential allows for appropriate modeling of thermoplastics, resins, polymeric composites and living tissues, such as bone for example. The decoupling of volumetric and isochoric behavior within a hyperelastic constitutive equation has been extensively discussed. An analytical elasticity tensor, corresponding to the Knowles stored-energy potential, has been derived. To the best of author's knowledge, this tensor has not been presented in the literature yet. The way of deriving analytical elasticity tensors for hyperelastic materials has been discussed in detail. The analytical elasticity tensor may be further used to develop visco-hyperelastic, nonlinear viscoelastic or viscoplastic constitutive models. A FORTRAN 77 code has been written in order to implement the Knowles hyperelastic model into a FEM system. The performance of the developed code is examined using an exemplary problem.
The finite element implementation of 3D fractional viscoelastic constitutive models