Remeshing issues in the finite element analysis of metal forming problems

Abstract Finite-element analysis of large-strain problems involve severe mesh distortion in the course of modelling the material deformation. After some stage of deformation, the initial mesh becomes totally unacceptable from the accuracy point of view. At this stage, a proper remeshing and accurate transfer of state parameters to the new mesh has to be carried out to ensure proper process simulation. In this paper, the authors focus on the issues involved in the data transfer during remeshing. Large deformation elasto–plastic analysis using the Updated Lagrangian formulation is considered in this work. Two basic methods of transferring the smoothed old nodal data to the Gauss points of the new mesh are evaluated critically. The problem of violating the consistency condition that is associated with data transfer from the old mesh to the new mesh, and the effects of such violation, are discussed. A new method to transfer the contact gap information during remeshing with frictional contact boundary conditions is proposed.