基于水平集方法的均布式柔性机构的拓扑优化设计

提出一种利用水平集方法进行均布武柔性机构设计的新方法.根据水平集边界表达方法中具有几何信息的特点,将图像分析中的二次能量函数引入到水平集模型中,以控制柔性机构拓扑优化设计结果的几何尺寸,得到等宽带状均布的柔性机构,较好地解决了传统柔性机构拓扑优化中容易出现单点铰链问题.应用半隐式的加性分裂算子(AOS)算法求解水平集方程,松弛了逆风格式中CFL(Courant-Frie drichs-Lewy)条件对时间步长的限制,提高了求解效率.通过一个典型的二维算例来验证方法的有效性.     

基于双向演化的局部水平集组合算法用于拓扑优化

本文基于双向渐进结构优化(BESO)方法和局部水平集方法(LLSM),提出局部水平集组合算法,在拓扑优化中实现双向演化。为改进LLSM的孔洞成核能力,新算法以所提离散水平集函数为节点设计变量,拓扑导数为灵敏度,按照BESO优化准则进行双向演化得到稳定拓扑解。然后通过迭代求解距离正则化方程(DRE)来组合LLSM获得最终拓扑。在LLSM中,DRE用来代替重生成步骤,并构造条件稳定差分格式求解DRE。最终给出典型实例验证所提算法的收敛性和数值稳定性。     

基于改进水平集结构拓扑优化方法的理论研究

通过水平集拓扑优化方法建立了以结构的刚度最大化为目标函数、以结构的体积为约束条件的优化问题数学模型;通过反应扩散方程来更新水平集函数,同时实现了结构的形状和拓扑优化。针对水平集拓扑优化方法在求解优化模型时出现的体积约束不收敛的问题,分析了问题产生的原因,提出了拉格朗日乘子的直接与间接控制方式来控制体积约束收敛的方法,并通过相关算例验证了两种方法的有效性。     

一种基于几何重构的Youngs-VOF耦合水平集追踪方法

针对界面追踪方法中拉格朗日方法和欧拉--拉格朗日方法计算效率低、不适用大变形、不能应用于三维数值计算模型等问题,研究了一种效率高、界面清晰、适用于三维模型的计算气液两相界面迁移特性的欧拉运动界面追踪方法,该方法将"米"状相邻单元Youngs方法用于运动界面重构,将Youngs-VOF和水平集通过几何方法耦合,提高运动界面精度,克服了VOF和水平集方法存在的缺陷,避免了利用高阶导数本身的稳定性去求解水平集对流方程和距离函数方程."米"状相邻单元Youngs方法避免了数值耗散、数值色散性以及非线性效应引起的捕捉界面模糊的情况.Youngs-VOF耦合水平集方法既保证了计算界面时的稳定性,与拉格朗日方法相比又提高了计算效率.利用Youngs-VOF耦合水平集方法与VOF方法对单个气泡在水中上升过程数值计算与实验对比并对经典剪切流场中圆形运动界面模型的数值计算,验证了Youngs-VOF耦合水平集方法的有效性并比VOF方法捕捉界面更清晰、锐利;通过对溃坝--自由表面流动过程数值计算并与实验进行对比,验证了Youngs-VOF耦合水平集方法的稳定性以及对三维数值模型的适用性.      

基于行消元回代法的多域边界元分析方法

提出了一种用多域边界元技术求解大型工程问题的新算法. 首先, 采用三步变量凝聚技术, 将由内部点、边界点和公共结点表述的每一子域的基本边界元代数方程表述成只有公共结点变量为未知量的代数方程, 然后, 根据公共结点的平衡方程和协调条件组集具有稀疏系数特征的总体系统方程组. 为了有效求解该系统方程组, 首次在边界元法中引进一种能有效求解大型非对称稀疏系数矩阵方程组的行消元回代法(REBSM), 该方法可在方程的每一行组形成时进行消元和回代, 当方程组组集完毕后即可得到方程的解, 不需要最后的回代过程. 因为一些项的重复计算在每一行的处理中合并掉, 因此REBSM要比传统的高斯消元法需要较少的内存, 而且计算速度具有数量级的提高, 可为边界元法求解大型工程问题提供有力的方程求解器.      

一种基于几何重构的Youngs-VOF耦合水平集追踪方法

针对界面追踪方法中拉格朗日方法和欧拉–拉格朗日方法计算效率低、不适用大变形、不能应用于三维数值计算模型等问题,研究了一种效率高、界面清晰、适用于三维模型的计算气液两相界面迁移特性的欧拉运动界面追踪方法,该方法将"米"状相邻单元Youngs方法用于运动界面重构,将Youngs-VOF和水平集通过几何方法耦合,提高运动界面精度,克服了VOF和水平集方法存在的缺陷,避免了利用高阶导数本身的稳定性去求解水平集对流方程和距离函数方程."米"状相邻单元Youngs方法避免了数值耗散、数值色散性以及非线性效应引起的捕捉界面模糊的情况. Youngs-VOF耦合水平集方法既保证了计算界面时的稳定性,与拉格朗日方法相比又提高了计算效率.利用Youngs-VOF耦合水平集方法与VOF方法对单个气泡在水中上升过程数值计算与实验对比并对经典剪切流场中圆形运动界面模型的数值计算,验证了Youngs-VOF耦合水平集方法的有效性并比VOF方法捕捉界面更清晰、锐利;通过对溃坝–自由表面流动过程数值计算并与实验进行对比,验证了Youngs-VOF耦合水平集方法的稳定性以及对三维数值模型的适用性.     

基于拓扑描述函数的连续体结构拓扑优化方法

提出了一种利用拓扑描述函数(TDF)作为拓扑设计变量求解连续体结构拓扑优化问题 的新方法. 优化问题的目标函数是结构的整体柔顺性，约束条件为对于可利用材料的体积限 制. 这种方法不仅可以消除拓扑优化中经常出现的棋盘格式等数值不稳定现象，而且能够有 效地抑制传统算法处理此类优化问题时所引发的边界扩散效应. 与其它的基于水平集描述函 数的拓扑优化方法相比，所提出的算法不仅无需求解控制水平集函数演化的双曲守恒方 程，而且合理地考虑了目标函数的拓扑导数信息，因而使得算法的计算效率有了显著的提高.     

多目标结构优化设计的中心法

提出一个求解多目标结构优化设计的中心法，该方法可以看作是求解单目标优化问题中 心法的直接推广. 它针对每个目标函数引进一个``移动靶'以形成各目标函数的水平截集， 然后通过计算并跟踪这些目标函数的水平集与原约束集合形成的交集中心，来达到求解多目 标优化问题的目的. 这个方法在不增加额外计算量的情况下，实现了多目标优化与单目标优 化的算法统一，因此非常容易在现有的结构优化设计的程序中实现. 给出了几个结构优化 设计问题的算例，验证了算法的有效性和可靠性.     

基于结构拓扑随机变异的水平集优化方法

基于结构拓扑导数的水平集优化方法,利用结构拓扑导数信息和通过不断减少结构体积的方式来确定需开孔的结构位置,需选用最大设计区域结构作为初始优化结构.该方法不适合求解结构体积等式约束的优化问题.为了解决上述问题和克服水平集方法不能在结构内产生新孔洞的困难,提出了一种基于结构拓扑随机变异的水平集优化方法.引进了以小概率随机方式进行结构拓扑变异的结构优化方案.设计了变异算子,讨论了提出方法的收敛性情况.最后,结合考虑结构最大设计区域限制的结构拓扑优化的水平集方法,建立了一套新的涉及结构柔顺度作为目标函数,体积作约束条件的水平集演化算法.给出的算例验证了该方法的正确性和有效性.     

基于参数化水平集方法的微结构拓扑优化设计

相比于单一材料,复合材料具有轻质高强等优点,拓扑优化方法是设计复合材料的方法之一.本文采用改进的参数化水平集方法,更新了水平集迭代格式,并应用水平集带方法在优化过程中引入中间密度,使水平集方法与变密度法无缝结合以改善水平集方法的拓扑寻优能力,降低其初始设计依赖性.本文以最大化体积模量、剪切模量和负泊松比作为材料设计目标,结合均匀化方法预测材料的宏观等效性能,研究了不同体积分数、多种初始设计及水平集带方法的引入对优化结果的影响,并得到了多种满足不同目标函数的微结构拓扑形式.数值算例验证了本文方法在复合材料微结构设计问题中的有效性.     

An unstructured finite element model for incompressible two-phase flow based on a monolithic conservative level set method

We present a robust numerical method for solving incompressible, immiscible two-phase flows. The method extends both a monolithic phase conservative level set method with embedded redistancing and a semi-implicit high-order projection scheme for variable-density flows. The level set method can be initialized conveniently via a simple phase indicator field instead of a signed distance function (SDF). To process the indicator field into a SDF, we propose a new partial differential equation-based redistancing method. We also improve the monolithic level set scheme to provide more accuracy and robustness in full two-phase flow simulations. Specifically, we perform an extra step to ensure convergence to the signed distance level set function and simplify other aspects of the original scheme. Lastly, we introduce consistent artificial viscosity to stabilize the momentum equations in the context of the projection scheme. This stabilization is algebraic, has no tunable parameters and is suitable for unstructured meshes and arbitrary refinement levels. The overall methodology includes few numerical tuning parameters; however, for the wide range of problems that we solve, we identify only one parameter that strongly affects performance of the computational model and provide a value that provides accurate results across all the benchmarks presented. This methodology results in a robust, accurate, and efficient two-phase flow model, which is mass- and volume-conserving on unstructured meshes and has low user input requirements, making it attractive for real-world applications.     

Gradient augmented reinitialization scheme for the level set method

A hybrid scheme for reinitializing the level set function and its gradient within the frame work of the augmented level set method is presented. It is based on first dividing the domain into an interfacial region (i.e. nodes close to the interface) and its complement. Within the interfacial region, the level set and its gradient are updated explicitly through a modified version of Newton's method (Chopp, 2001, SIAM J. Sci. Comput. 23 230‐244) and is implemented here within the context of Hermite polynomials. In the region away from the interface, the solution pertains to a semi‐Lagrangian implementation of the reinitialization equations, which are solved based on Hermite polynomials and are time marched with a single step and a multipoint scheme. It is shown that for various exercises, the present method predicts the signed distance function and its gradient to 4^th and 3^rd order (in space), respectively with regards to the L₁, L₂, and L _∞ norms, provided the level set field is sufficiently smooth. A range of test cases are also considered from the literature, where the present method is compared with existing methods and shown to be generally more accurate. Moreover, the well‐known issue of volume loss due to reinitialization is addressed successfully with the current implementation, even for objects that are of the size of one grid cell, and whose local radius of curvature falls below the local grid size. For both time marching schemes, it is shown that the L₂ and L _∞ errors decay to negligible levels, are smooth in space, and do not exhibit temporal oscillations. Finally the performance of the hybrid scheme is evaluated by applying it on various kinematic test cases. For solid body rotation problems (zero deformation flow field), the benefit stemming from hybrid reinitialization is marginal. When applied to kinematic cases involving severe deformation, such as the standard vortex flow, the reinitialization strategy helps maintain a smooth level set field, which prevents serious numerical errors from developing.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Computing axisymmetric,laminar internal flows

A simple computational scheme is developed to compute laminar flows inside axisymmetric ducts. It is based on the Keller box method where the equations are approximated at the centre of the downstream face of each computational box. The coupling between the pressure gradient and the velocities for internal flow has been observed to introduce stability problems for the Keller box method that are not present for external, boundary layer flow problems. The difference scheme for the velocities is coupled to an iterative scheme to solve for the pressure gradient at each axial step. Example results for developing flow in a pipe and in a 2° conical diffuser are presented.     

Development of level set method with good area preservation to predict interface in two‐phase flows

A two‐step conservative level set method is proposed in this study to simulate the gas/water two‐phase flow. For the sake of accuracy, the spatial derivative terms in the equations of motion for an incompressible fluid flow are approximated by the coupled compact scheme. For accurately predicting the modified level set function, the dispersion‐relation‐preserving advection scheme is developed to preserve the theoretical dispersion relation for the first‐order derivative terms shown in the pure advection equation cast in conservative form. For the purpose of retaining its long‐time accurate Casimir functionals and Hamiltonian in the transport equation for the level set function, the time derivative term is discretized by the sixth‐order accurate symplectic Runge–Kutta scheme. To resolve contact discontinuity oscillations near interface, nonlinear compression flux term and artificial damping term are properly added to the second‐step equation of the modified level set method. For the verification of the proposed dispersion‐relation‐preserving scheme applied in non‐staggered grids for solving the incompressible flow equations, three benchmark problems have been chosen in this study. The conservative level set method with area‐preserving property proposed for capturing the interface in incompressible fluid flows is also verified by solving the dam‐break, Rayleigh–Taylor instability, bubble rising in water, and droplet falling in water problems. Good agreements with the referenced solutions are demonstrated in all the investigated problems. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Frequency domain approach to the critical step size of discrete-time recurrent neural networks

It is usually essential to reveal the relationship between continuous-time systems and discrete-time ones. First, a discrete-time recurrent neural network is presented by the Euler scheme in this paper. Then, the time step size is set to a bifurcation parameter and frequency domain approach is adopted for Hopf bifurcation analysis. Moreover, the periodic solutions are obtained by the harmonic balance method; then the stability conditions are presented. The critical step size is determined with which the discrete-time recurrent neural network can inherit the stable state of the continuous-time one. Finally, one numerical example of the discrete-time recurrent neural network is given to support the theoretical analysis.

     

A simple collision algorithm for arbitrarily shaped objects in particle-resolved flow simulation using an immersed boundary method

In the present study, we proposed a simple collision algorithm, which can be handled arbitrarily shaped objects, for flow solvers using the immersed boundary method (IBM) based on the level set and ghost cell methods. The proposed algorithm can handle the collision of the arbitrarily shaped object with little additional computational costs for the collision calculation because collision detection and calculation are performed using the level set function and image point, which are incorporated into the original IBM solver. The proposed algorithm was implemented on the solid-liquid IBM flow solver and validated by simulations of the flow over an isolated cylinder and sphere. Also, grid and time step size sensitivity on the total energy conservation of objects were investigated in cylinder-cylinder, cylinder-red-blood-cells-shaped (RBC-shaped) objects, sphere-sphere, and sphere-flat plate interaction problems. Through validation, good agreement with previous studies, grid and time step size convergence, and sufficient total energy conservation were confirmed. As a demonstration, the drafting, kissing, and tumbling processes were computed, and it was confirmed that the present result by the proposed method is similar to the previous computations. In addition, particle-laden flow in a channel including obstacles with collision and adhesion phenomena and the interaction of cylinders and wavy-wall were computed. The results of these simulations reveal the capability of solving a flow containing arbitrarily shaped moving objects with collision phenomena by a simple proposed method.     

A GPU-accelerated adaptive discontinuous Galerkin method for level set equation

This paper presents a GPU-accelerated nodal discontinuous Galerkin method for the solution of two- and three-dimensional level set (LS) equation on unstructured adaptive meshes. Using adaptive mesh refinement, computations are localised mostly near the interface location to reduce the computational cost. Small global time step size resulting from the local adaptivity is avoided by local time-stepping based on a multi-rate Adams–Bashforth scheme. Platform independence of the solver is achieved with an extensible multi-threading programming API that allows runtime selection of different computing devices (GPU and CPU) and different threading interfaces (CUDA, OpenCL and OpenMP). Overall, a highly scalable, accurate and mass conservative numerical scheme that preserves the simplicity of LS formulation is obtained. Efficiency, performance and local high-order accuracy of the method are demonstrated through distinct numerical test cases.     

Particle trajectory calculations with a two‐step three‐time level semi‐Lagrangian scheme well suited for curved flows

This study proposes a new two‐step three‐time level semi‐Lagrangian scheme for calculation of particle trajectories. The scheme is intended to yield accurate determination of the particle departure position, particularly in the presence of significant flow curvature. Experiments were performed both for linear and non‐linear idealized advection problems, with different flow curvatures. Results for simulations with the proposed scheme, and with three other semi‐Lagrangian schemes, and with an Eulerian method are presented. In the linear advection problem the two‐step three‐time level scheme produced smaller root mean square errors and more accurate replication of the angular displacement of a Gaussian hill than the other schemes. In the non‐linear advection experiments the proposed scheme produced, in general, equal or better conservation of domain‐averaged quantities than the other semi‐Lagrangian schemes, especially at large Courant numbers. In idealized frontogenesis simulations the scheme performed equally or better than the other schemes in the representation of sharp gradients in a scalar field. The two‐step three‐time level scheme has some computational overhead as compared with the other three semi‐Lagrangian schemes. Nevertheless, the additional computational effort was shown to be worthwhile, due to the accuracy obtained by the scheme in the experiments with large time steps. The most remarkable feature of the scheme is its robustness, since it performs well both for small and large Courant numbers, in the presence of weak as well strong flow curvatures. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical simulation of unsteady multidimensional free surface motions by level set method

This paper presents a numerical method that couples the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with the level set method in a curvilinear co‐ordinate system for study of free surface flows. The finite volume method is used to discretize the governing equations on a non‐staggered grid with a four‐step fractional step method. The free surface flow problem is converted into a two‐phase flow system on a fixed grid in which the free surface is implicitly captured by the zero level set. We compare different numerical schemes for advection of the level set function in a generalized curvilinear format, including the third order quadratic upwind interpolation for convective kinematics (QUICK) scheme, and the second and third order essentially non‐oscillatory (ENO) schemes. The level set equations of evolution and reinitialization are validated with benchmark cases, e.g. a stationary circle, a rotating slotted disk and stretching of a circular fluid element. The coupled system is then applied to a travelling solitary wave, and two‐ and three‐dimensional dam breaking problems. Some interesting free surface phenomena are revealed by the computational results, such as, the large free surface vortices, air entrapment and splashing of the water surge front. The computational results are in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions and experimental data, where they are available. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.