Comparison of implicit and explicit finite element methods for dynamic problems

The finite element software ABAQUS offers several algorithms for dynamic analysis. The direct integration methods include the implicit and the explicit methods which can be used for linear and nonlinear problems. The performance of these two methods are compared for several dynamic problems including the impact of an elastic bar and a cylindrical disk on a rigid wall. The advantages of the implicit method for small wavefront problems and the explicit method for short transient problems are verified.