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I'm trying to implement nonzero Displacement Boundary Conditions in VegaFEM on a non-linear model, using the method outlined in §3.6.2 of University of Colorado's intro to FEM (modify $f = Ku$: set desired displacements in $u$ and eliminate rows and columns in $K$ by calculating forces and applying to $f$).

However it's not working as expected. I'm not sure exactly where in the solver source code I need to make the modifications to $f$, $K$ and $u$ but no matter where I do it the result is that either the model explodes or, if I make the displacements tiny, it seems to be having some influence in the correct direction (like an external force) but massively exaggerated and not anything resembling a 'boundary condition'.

I wonder if I'm being thrown off because I'm assuming that the "tangent stiffness matrix" in the VegaFEM integrator is just another name for the "stiffness matrix" in the Introduction to FEM notes. Is this assumption correct?

If so - VegaFEM computes internal forces and then adds external forces before passing the forces on to the solver. Does the $f$ in $f = Ku$ refer to the external forces or the internal forces?

edit clarified linear vs nonlinear, and what 'not working as expected' means.

edit The goal is effectively that I want to attach my rubber object to one or more virtual sticks which I can then drag around the simulation environment with the mouse.

I'm trying to implement nonzero Displacement Boundary Conditions in VegaFEM on a non-linear model, using the method outlined in §3.6.2 of University of Colorado's intro to FEM (modify $f = Ku$: set desired displacements in $u$ and eliminate rows and columns in $K$ by calculating forces and applying to $f$).

However it's not working as expected. I'm not sure exactly where in the solver source code I need to make the modifications to $f$, $K$ and $u$ but no matter where I do it the result is that either the model explodes or, if I make the displacements tiny, it seems to be having some influence in the correct direction (like an external force) but massively exaggerated and not anything resembling a 'boundary condition'.

I wonder if I'm being thrown off because I'm assuming that the "tangent stiffness matrix" in the VegaFEM integrator is just another name for the "stiffness matrix" in the Introduction to FEM notes. Is this assumption correct?

If so - VegaFEM computes internal forces and then adds external forces before passing the forces on to the solver. Does the $f$ in $f = Ku$ refer to the external forces or the internal forces?

edit clarified linear vs nonlinear, and what 'not working as expected' means.

edit The goal is effectively that I want to attach a highly elastic object to one or more virtual sticks which I can then drag around the simulation environment with the mouse in order to stretch the object. I'm currently simulating the boundary conditions (attachment to sticks) using PID controllers to apply external forces to the bound nodes, but this introduces another kind of elasticity that I'd rather avoid. Is there some other approach I should be considering?

I'm trying to implement nonzero Displacement Boundary Conditions in VegaFEM, using the method outlined in §3.6.2 of University of Colorado's intro to FEM (modify $f = Ku$: set desired displacements in $u$ and eliminate rows and columns in $K$ by calculating forces and applying to $f$).

However it's not working as expected. I wonder if I'm being thrown off because I'm assuming that the "tangent stiffness matrix" in the VegaFEM integrator is just another name for the "stiffness matrix" in the Introduction to FEM notes. Is this assumption correct?

If so - VegaFEM computes internal forces and then adds external forces before passing the forces on to the solver. Does the $f$ in $f = Ku$ refer to the external forces or the internal forces?

I'm trying to implement nonzero Displacement Boundary Conditions in VegaFEM on a non-linear model, using the method outlined in §3.6.2 of University of Colorado's intro to FEM (modify $f = Ku$: set desired displacements in $u$ and eliminate rows and columns in $K$ by calculating forces and applying to $f$).

However it's not working as expected. I'm not sure exactly where in the solver source code I need to make the modifications to $f$, $K$ and $u$ but no matter where I do it the result is that either the model explodes or, if I make the displacements tiny, it seems to be having some influence in the correct direction (like an external force) but massively exaggerated and not anything resembling a 'boundary condition'.

I wonder if I'm being thrown off because I'm assuming that the "tangent stiffness matrix" in the VegaFEM integrator is just another name for the "stiffness matrix" in the Introduction to FEM notes. Is this assumption correct?

If so - VegaFEM computes internal forces and then adds external forces before passing the forces on to the solver. Does the $f$ in $f = Ku$ refer to the external forces or the internal forces?

edit clarified linear vs nonlinear, and what 'not working as expected' means.

edit The goal is effectively that I want to attach my rubber object to one or more virtual sticks which I can then drag around the simulation environment with the mouse.