A Discrete Nonlocal Formulation Using Local Constitutive Laws

Nonlocality is discussed in differential and discrete formulations. When modeling heterogeneous materials, a length scale must be introduced into the material description of the differential formulation. This happens since metrics is lost in performing the limit process. Avoiding the limit process, that is, using a discrete formulation, the length scale is intrinsically taken into account. Moreover, nonlocality seems to characterize global variables rather than material. This made it possible to move the length scale from constitutive to governing equations.