Integration schemes for von-Mises plasticity based on exponential maps: numerical investigations and theoretical considerations

We consider three different exponential map algorithms for associative von-Mises plasticity with linear isotropic and kinematic hardening. The first scheme is based on a different formulation of the time continuous plasticity model, which automatically grants the yield consistency of the method in the numerical solution. The second one is the quadratically accurate but non-yield consistent method already proposed in Auricchio and Beirao da Veiga (Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng 2003; 56: 1375-1396). The third method is an improved version of the second one, in which the yield consistency condition is enforced a posteriori. We also compare the performance of the three methods with the classical radial return map algorithm. We develop extensive numerical tests which clearly show the main advantages and disadvantages of the three methods.