Flexible translational joint analysis by meshless method

Element free Galerkin method (EFGM) is used to analyze a ¯exible translational joint. A moving constraint condition is a major concern for the translational joint analysis. It is shown that the EFGM is well suited for an analysis of ¯exible translational joint. Original shape function in the EFGM is modi®ed so that essential boundary conditions are imposed by the same way as that of ®nite element method (FEM). The modi®ed shape function possesses physical values at both ends of the element. The completeness of the modi®ed shape function is discussed. Employing the present modi®ed shape function makes easy to implement the moving constraint condition. Numerical examples for a static cantilever beam are presented for a comparison between the penalty method, the Lagrange multiplier method and the present one. As second example, a large deformation problem is solved for a comparison between the FEM and the EFGM. Finally, a simulation of ¯exible translational joint is show