On the numerical integration of interface elements

Eigenmode analyses of the element stiffness matrices have been used to assess the impact of the applied integration scheme on the stress predictions of two- and three-dimensional plane interface elements. It is demonstrated that large stress gradients over the element and coupling of the individual node-sets of the interface element may result in an oscillatory type of response. For line elements and linear plane interface elements the performance can be improved by using either a nodal lumping scheme or Newton-Cotes or Lobatto integration schemes instead of the more traditional Gauss scheme. For quadratic interface elements the same holds true except for a nodal lumping scheme.