A locking-free immersed finite element method for planar elasticity interface problems

This article proposes a nonconforming immersed finite element (IFE) method for solving planar elasticity interface problems with structured (or Cartesian) meshes even if the material interface has a nontrivial geometry. IFE functions developed in this article are applicable to arbitrary configurations of elasticity materials and interface locations. Optimal approximation capability is observed for this new IFE space. The displacement Galerkin method based on this IFE space is robust (locking-free). Numerical experiments are presented to demonstrate that the IFE solution converges optimally for both compressible and nearly incompressible materials. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.