State update algorithm for associative elastic-plastic pressure-insensitive materials by incremental energy minimization

This work presents a new state update algorithm for small-strain associative elastic-plastic constitutive models, treating in a unified manner a wide class of deviatoric yield functions with linear or nonlinear strain-hardening. The algorithm is based on an incremental energy minimization approach, in the framework of generalized standard materials with convex free energy and dissipation potential. An efficient method for the computation of the latter, its gradient and its Hessian is provided, using Haigh-Westergaard stress invariants. Numerical results on a single material point loading history and finite element simulations are reported to prove the effectiveness and the versatility of the method. Its merit turns out to be complementary to the classical return map strategy, because no convergence difficulties arise if the stress is close to high curvature points of the yield surface.