Abstract: A new type of meshfree method is developed by incorporating the generalized node which is originated from manifold method with the conventional meshfree method. The proposed method is termed as the generalized-node-based meshfree method. The fundamental theory together with numerical formulations is presented. When the zero-order displacement interpolation function of the generalized node is chosen, the proposed method will be reduced to the conventional meshfree method. Based on Biot’s consolidation equations, the numerical formulation for analysis of consolidation in soil mechanics are especially established by using the proposed method. The accuracy and rationality of the present analysis are verified by comparing the computational results with the solution obtained by FEM for an example.

Key words: meshfree method, generalized-node meshfree method, radial basis functions, Biot’s theory of consolidation