A coupling of multi-zone curved Galerkin BEM with finite elements for independently modelled sub-domains with non-matching nodes in elasticity

When the different parts of a structure are modelled independently by BEM or FEM methods, it is sometimes necessary to put the parts together without remeshing of the nodes along the part interfaces. Frequently the nodes do not match along the interface. In this work, the symmetric Galerkin multi-zone curved boundary element is a fully symmetric formulation and is the method used for the boundary element part. For BEM–FEM coupling it is then necessary to interpolate the tractions in-between the non-matching nodes for the FEM part. Finally, the coupling is achieved by transforming the finite element domains to equivalent boundary element domains in a block symmetric formulation. This system is then coupled with a boundary element domain with non-matching nodes in-between