A sub-stepping approach for elasto-plasticity with rotational hardening

Within the framework of the finite element method, this paper presents new algorithms implementing implicit stress integration and consistent tangent matrix calculations for an elasto-plastic model with rotational hardening. The sub-stepping technique is used for both the numerical integration of the constitutive relations and determination of the consistent tangent matrix in order to overcome the convergence difficulty arising from the complexity of the elasto-plastic model with rotational hardening. The integration of the constitutive relations and the computation of the consistent tangent matrix are incorporated into a unique procedure. Numerical tests are carried out and discussed to demonstrate the global accuracy and stability of the presented algorithms.