Modeling and identification of elastic-plastic systems using the distributed-element model

A modeling technique is proposed for a class of distributed-element models, which is able to account for the multi-axial Bauschinger effect without any additional kinematic hardening rules. The parameters associated with each of the elements in the model are specified by introducing an appropriate strength distribution function so as to make the model parsimonious in parameters regardless of the number of elements introduced in the model. Validity of the proposed modeling technique, in both modeling and identification of elastic-plastic systems, is demonstrated by biaxial tension-torsion applications using experimental results from the literature.