Material nonlinearity for solid objects

The material nonlinearity and cracking behavior of a solid object may be modeled using nonlinear links. Links should be positioned between adjacent solid objects, and assigned nonlinear material relationships, such that their behavior reflects the kinematic and constitutive nonlinearity of the actual system. This approach is similar to that of a specialized Applied Element Method, except that iterations for modeling and analysis are done manually with the general finite-element capabilities of SAP2000.