A modified extended finite element method approach for design sensitivity analysis

This paper describes a modified extended finite element method (XFEM) approach, which is designed to ease the challenge of an analytical design sensitivity analysis in the framework of structural optimisation. This novel formulation, furthermore labelled YFEM, combines the well‐known XFEM enhancement functions with a local sub‐meshing strategy using standard finite elements. It deviates slightly from the XFEM path only at one significant point but thus allows to use already derived residual vectors as well as stiffness and pseudo load matrices to assemble the desired information on cut elements without tedious and error‐prone re‐work of already performed derivations and implementations. The strategy is applied to sensitivity analysis of interface problems combining areas with different linear elastic material properties. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.