Level set methods for the displacement of layered materials

Previous multi-layered folding models have struggled to describe the geometry of the interfaces between layers. In the level set method (LSM), a single function φ(x, y, t) can be used to encode all the information of a multi-layer material in which all layers are in contact and thus is a very natural way of dealing with the geometry. This paper shows the potential for the LSM (in multi-layer problems) by demonstrating that it can describe the geometry of multi-layer folding patterns including those with singularities. The method is then applied to describe the mechanics of the modelling of parallel folding in multi-layered structures.