Coupling of FE and EFG using collocation approach

A collocation approach is introduced to couple the finite element (FE) and the element-free Galerkin (EFG) methods. The basic idea is to evaluate the real value of nodes at the interface between the FE and the EFG regions using the moving least square interpolant for EFG and then assign this value to the FE nodal set. This method appears versatile for coupling of FE and EFG and other meshless methods. It satisfies the linear consistency exactly. Numerical tests show that this method gives reasonably accurate results consistent with the theory. Numerical studies on the sensitivity of the results to the shape of integration cells and the size of the domain of influence are also carried out.