Efficient simulation of cables with anisotropic high‐order solid finite elements

Cables are slender structures with a complex geometry, that can undergo large deformations during their installation or in dynamic environments. In combination with their complex inner structure they pose a challenging problem for finite element simulations. In this article a simplified approach is presented to model cables by using an effective material and a homogeneous cross-section, which is anisotropic in the elastic and inelastic domain. For the high-order hierarchic shape functions with quasi-regional mapping, anisotropic ansatz spaces are applied in tension, torsion and bending simulations. The identification of material parameters is conducted based on experimental results for a tension and a torsion test using the particle swarm optimization algorithm. Finally, the identified parameters are validated for a combined load case with torsion and free bending, showing a promising approach regarding the simulation of cable structures.