Response of initial field to stiffness perturbation

Abstract

Response of initial elastic field to stiffness perturbation and its possible application is investigated. Virtual thermal softening is used to produce the stiffness reduction for demonstration. It is interpreted that the redistribution of the initial strain will be developed by the non-uniform temperature elevation, as which leads to the non-uniform reduction of the material stiffness. Therefore, the initial filed is related to the stiffness perturbation and incremental field in a matrix form after eliminating the thermal expansion effect.