Application of radial basis functions to the problem of elasto-plastic torsion of prismatic bars

This paper demonstrates the use of a well-known meshless method, radial basis functions (RBF), to solve the torsion of a prismatic bar having a rectangular/square cross-section. First part of the analysis deals with the elastic solution of the problem formulated using the RBF technique. The result is used in verifying the feasibility of the approach and, subsequently, as an initial guess for the iterative procedure utilized in the analysis of the elasto-plastic torsional behavior of the bar. Verification of the results is made using finite difference method (FDM), method of fundamental solutions (MFS) and the exact elastic solution.