A direct modification method for strains due to non-conforming modes

This paper addresses an efficient modification method that eliminates the undesirable effects of strains due to various non-conforming modes so that the non-conforming element can pass the patch test unconditionally. The scheme is incorporated in the element formulation to establish new types of nonconforming hexahedral elements designated as NHx and NVHx for the regular element and variable node element, respectively. Non-conforming displacement modes are selectively added to the ordinary (conforming) element displacement assumptions to improve the bending behavior of the distorted solid element. To verify the validation of proposed direct modification method and the improvement of element behavior, several numerical tests are carded out. Test results show that the proposed method is effective and its applications to non-conforming solid elements guarantee for the element to pass the patch test.