Some generalizations of locally and weakly locally uniformly convex space

In this paper, we prove that strongly convex space and almost locally uniformly rotund space, very convex space and weakly almost locally uniformly rotund space are respectively equivalent. We also investigate a few properties of k-strongly convex space and k-very convex space, and discuss the applications of strongly convex space and very convex space in approximation theory.     

Residual reduction algorithms for nonsymmetric saddle point problems

In this paper, we introduce and analyze Uzawa algorithms for non-symmetric saddle point systems. Convergence for the algorithms is established based on new spectral results about Schur complements. A new Uzawa type algorithm with optimal relaxation parameters at each new iteration is introduced and analyzed in a general framework. Numerical results supporting the efficiency of the algorithms are presented for finite element discretization of steady state Navier-Stokes equations.     

A normal compliance contact problem in viscoelasticity: An a posteriori error analysis and computational experiments

In this work, the numerical approximation of a viscoelastic contact problem is studied. The classical Kelvin-Voigt constitutive law is employed, and contact is assumed with a deformable obstacle and modelled using the normal compliance condition. The variational formulation leads to a nonlinear parabolic variational equation. An existence and uniqueness result is recalled. Then, a fully discrete scheme is introduced, by using the finite element method to approximate the spatial variable and the implicit Euler scheme to discretize time derivatives. A priori error estimates recently proved for this problem are recalled. Then, an a posteriori error analysis is provided, extending some preliminary results obtained in the study of the heat equation and other parabolic equations. Upper and lower error bounds are proved. Finally, some numerical experiments are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and the numerical behaviour of the error estimates.     

Numerical simulation of fluid-structure interaction problems on hybrid meshes with algebraic multigrid methods

Fluid-structure interaction problems arise in many fields of application such as flows around elastic structures and blood flow in arteries. The method presented in this paper for solving such a problem is based on a reduction to an equation at the interface, involving the so-called Steklov-Poincaré operators. This interface equation is solved by a Newton iteration, for which directional derivatives involving shape derivatives with respect to the interface perturbation have to be evaluated appropriately. One step of the Newton iteration requires the solution of several decoupled linear sub-problems in the structure and the fluid domains. These sub-problems are spatially discretized by a finite element method on hybrid meshes. For the time discretization, implicit first-order methods are used for both sub-problems. The discretized equations are solved by algebraic multigrid methods.     

Optimal estimates of the field enhancement in presence of a bow-tie structure of perfectly conducting inclusions in two dimensions

This paper deals with the field enhancement due to insertion of a bow-tie structure of perfectly conducting inclusions into the two-dimensional space with a given field. The field enhancement is represented by the gradient blow-up of a solution to the conductivity problem. The bow-tie structure consists of two disjoint bounded domains which have corners with possibly different aperture angles. The domains are parts of cones near the vertices which are nearly touching to each other. We construct functions explicitly which characterize the field enhancement. As consequences, we derive optimal estimates of the gradient in terms of the distance between two inclusions and aperture angles of the corners. The estimates show in quantitatively precise way that the field is enhanced beyond the corner singularities due to the interaction between two inclusions, and the blow-up rate is much higher than the one for the case of inclusions with smooth boundaries.     

Monotone strain-stress models for shape memory alloys hysteresis loop and pseudoelastic behaviorx

To describe the behavior of Shape Memory Alloy we use a thermomechanical model, founded on a free energy which is a convex function with respect to the strain and to the martensitic volume fraction, and a concave one with respect to the temperature. The material parameters of the model are experimentally determined.Received: November 26, 2001; revised: March 20, 2002     

Some Primitive Concepts in Continuum Mechanics Regarded in Terms of Objective Space-Time Molecular Averaging: The Key Rôle Played by Inertial Observers

In Continuum Mechanics the notions of body, material point, and motion, are primitive. Here these concepts are derived for any (possibly time-dependent) material system via mass and momentum densities whose values are local spacetime averages of molecular quantities. The averaging procedure necessary to ensure molecular-based densities can be agreed upon by all observers (that is, are objective) has implications for constitutive relations. Specifically, such relations should first be expressed in terms of Galilean-invariant functions of the motion relative to an inertial frame. Thereafter such relations can be re-phrased for general observers, thereby yielding general-frame constitutive relations compatible with material frame-indifference. Two postulates concerning observer agreement (which together constitute a statement of material frame-indifference) are shown to imply that any stress response function which is assumed to depend upon the motion in an inertial (general) frame must be Galilean-invariant (invariant under superposed rigid body motions). Accordingly, invariance under superposed rigid body motions is not a fundamental tenet of continuum physics, but rather a consequence of material frame-indifference whenever constitutive dependence upon motion in a general observer frame is postulated.     

A bifurcation-based decohesion model for simulating the transition from localization to decohesion with the MPM

Based on recent experimental observations on the formation of localization before delamination, a bifurcation-based decohesion approach is proposed in this paper to simulate the transition from localization to decohesion involved in the delamination process of compressed films. The onset and orientation of discontinuous failure are identified from the discontinuous bifurcation analysis. A discrete constitutive model is then formulated based on the bifurcation analysis to predict the evolution of material failure as decohesion or separation of continuum. The Material Point Method, that does not employ fixed mesh-connectivity, is developed as a robust spatial discretization method to accommodate the multi-scale discontinuities involved in the film delamination. To demonstrate the potential of the proposed approach, a parametric study is conducted to explore the effects of aspect ratio and failure mode on the evolution of failure patterns under different boundary conditions, which provides a better understanding on the physics behind the film delamination process.Received: January 16, 2003; revised: August 11, 2003     

Effective elastic moduli and stress concentrator factors in random structure aligned fiber composites

We consider a linearly elastic composite medium, which consists of a homogeneous matrix containing a statistically uniform random set of aligned fibers. Effective elastic moduli as well as the stress concentrator factors in the components are estimated. The micromechanical approach is based on the Green’s function technique as well as on the generalization of the “multiparticle effective field method” (MEFM, see for references, Buryachenko [1]). The refined version of the MEFM takes into account the variation of the effective fields acting on each pair of fibers. The dependence of effective elastic moduli and stress concentrator factors on the radial distribution function of the fiber locations is analyzed. Received: October 20, 2004     

Weak solutions of the interior boundary value problems of plane Cosserat elasticity

In this paper we formulate interior Dirichlet and Neumann boundary value problems of plane Cosserat elasticity in Sobolev spaces, show that these problems are well-posed and find the corresponding weak solutions in the form of integral potentials. Received: April 7, 2005