An Efficient Strategy for Solving Structural Nonlinear Equations by Combining the Orthogonal Residual Method and Normal Flow Technique

This paper presents a new procedure for solving structural nonlinear problems by combining the orthogonal residual method (ORM) and normal flow technique (NFT). The perpendicularity condition to the Davidenko flow, introduced by the NFT, which must be satisfied during the iterative process, overcome the difficulties, i.e. the poor convergence and inefficiency of the ORM close to the limit points, particularly the displacement limit points (snap-back behavior). Basically, the idea of the proposed strategy is to adjust the load parameter, which is treated as a variable in the nonlinear incremental-iterative solution process, assuming that the unbalanced forces (residual forces) must be orthogonal to the incremental displacements. This constraint is used together with the NFT perpendicularity condition. The proposed procedure is tested, and its efficiency is corroborated through the analyses of slender shallow and nonshallow arches and an L-frame since they exhibit highly nonlinear behaviors under certain loading conditions. It is concluded that the proposed procedure can overcome the numerical instability problems in the neighborhood of critical points when using only the conventional OR process, and the procedure compares favorably with the arc-length method, minimum residual displacement method, and generalized displacement control method.