Iterative solution of the incremental problem for elastic-plastic structures with associated flow laws

Abstract The classical approach to the incremental problem of elastic-plastic structures with elementary work-hardening constituents expressed in terms of an integral equation is converted into a new one free from conditions for the unknown incremental plastic strain. The paper applies some iterative methods of the integral equation theory and discusses the conditions of uniform convergence of the functions sequence that approximates to the incremental distribution of stresses. Lastly, it is shown that the iterative methods considered can be extended to the case of structures with work-softening constituents; a condition that usually accompanies the study of such systems coincides with a convergence condition of one of the iterative methods discussed.