Review of energy conservation errors in finite element softwares caused by using energy-inconsistent objective stress rates

The paper briefly summarizes the theoretical derivation of the objective stress rates that are work-conjugate to various finite strain tensors, and then briefly reviews several practical examples demonstrating large errors that can be used by energy inconsistent stress rates. It is concluded that the software makers should switch to the Truesdell objective stress rate, which is work-conjugate to Green’s Lagrangian finite strain tensor. The Jaumann rate of Cauchy stress and the Green-Naghdi rate, currently used in most software, should be abandoned since they are not work-conjugate to any finite strain tensor. The Jaumann rate of Kirchhoff stress is work-conjugate to the Hencky logarithmic strain tensor but, because of an energy inconsistency in the work of initial stresses, can lead to severe errors in the cases of high natural orthotropy or strain-induced incremental orthotropy due to material damage. If the commercial softwares are not revised, the user still can make in the user’s implicit or explicit material subroutines (such as UMAT and VUMAT in ABAQUS) a simple transformation of the incremental constitutive relation to the Truesdell rate, and the commercial software then delivers energy consistent results. 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.