Spatially mixed implicit–explicit schemes in hydro-mechanically coupled soil dynamics

Mixed implicit–explicit (IMEX) schemes combine elements of both implicit and explicit time integration methods. This allows to efficiently handle boundary value problems with severe differences in stiffness, such as often encountered in soil dynamics. A spatially mixed IMEX scheme, in which different parts of the computational domain may be treated implicitly or explicitly depending on their behaviour, is discussed in this work. Domain decomposition by means of a mortar contact discretisation is used for this purpose and multiple systems of equations are solved. The merits of the scheme in solving problems of soil dynamics are demonstrated, for which the governing equations are extended to hydro-mechanical coupling.