This paper focuses on the development of nonlinear reduced order modeling techniques for the prediction of the response of complex structures exhibiting “large” deformations, i.e. a geometrically nonlinear behavior, and modeled within a commercial finite element code. The present investigation builds on a general methodology successfully validated in recent years on simpler beam and plate structures by:
(i) developing a novel identification strategy of the reduced order model parameters that enables the consideration of the large number of modes (> 50 say) that would be needed for complex structures, and
(ii) extending an automatic strategy for the selection of the basis functions used to represent accurately the displacement field.
The above novel developments are successfully validated on the nonlinear static response of a 9-bay panel structure modeled with 96,000 degrees of freedom within Nastran.
