Abstrct In this research, the performance of a high-order Finite Element Method and the Finite Cell Method are studied for the computation of nearly incompressible finite strain plasticity problems. These methods with high-order shape functions offer high convergence rates, the possibility to overcome locking and robustness against high mesh distortions. Moreover, the Finite Cell Method is a combination of the fictitious domain approach with the high-order Finite Element Method thus it provides easy mesh generation capabilities for highly complex geometries. The performance of these methods is numerically investigated based on computations of benchmark and applied problems. The results are also verified with a loworder Finite Element Method known as F-bar. It is recommended to use fixed meshes with moderate element size and study the convergence with varying the polynomial order of the shape functions. It is also demonstrated that the Finite Cell Method is an appropriate simulation tool for large plastic deformations of structures with complex geometries such as porous and cellular metals. Keywords: High-order finite element method, finite cell method, finite strain plasticity, incompressibility and volumetric locking, porous materials.
