A stable algorithm for void growth and nucleation in transient, elasto-plastic analysis of plate bending

An algorithm for stable transient solutions was developed for a non-linear constitutive model for void growth and nucleation with elasto-plastic defor mation of plate structures under bending loads. The Gurson model was used f or void growth and plastic deformation. The constitutive model was incorpor ated into a plate element which includes both transverse shear and normal d eformations. Numerical examples were provided to test the algorithm and to show the effects of the transverse normal deformation and void on plastic s trains in plate structures.