Peridynamic beams: A non-ordinary,state-based model

This paper develops a new peridynamic state based model to represent the bending of an Euler–Bernoulli beam. This model is non-ordinary and derived from the concept of a rotational spring between bonds. While multiple peridynamic material models capture the behavior of solid materials, this is the first 1D state based peridynamic model to resist bending. For sufficiently homogeneous and differentiable displacements, the model is shown to be equivalent to Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity. As the peridynamic horizon approaches 0, it reduces to the classical Euler–Bernoulli beam equations. Simple test cases demonstrate the model’s performance.     

Convergence of Peridynamics to Classical Elasticity Theory

The peridynamic model of solid mechanics is a nonlocal theory containing a length scale. It is based on direct interactions between points in a continuum separated from each other by a finite distance. The maximum interaction distance provides a length scale for the material model. This paper addresses the question of whether the peridynamic model for an elastic material reproduces the classical local model as this length scale goes to zero. We show that if the motion, constitutive model, and any nonhomogeneities are sufficiently smooth, then the peridynamic stress tensor converges in this limit to a Piola-Kirchhoff stress tensor that is a function only of the local deformation gradient tensor, as in the classical theory. This limiting Piola-Kirchhoff stress tensor field is differentiable, and its divergence represents the force density due to internal forces. The limiting, or collapsed, stress-strain model satisfies the conditions in the classical theory for angular momentum balance, isotropy, objectivity, and hyperelasticity, provided the original peridynamic constitutive model satisfies the appropriate conditions.      

Finite elements for exterior problems using integral equations

We present some integral methods for exterior problems for the Laplace equation. Then we give finite element approximations for these equations and some errors estimates. Finally, we indicate how these integral equations can be coupled with a usual finite element method on a bounded domain to solve an exterior non-linear problem which is linear far away.     

Size effects in the constrained deformation of metallic foams

The constrained deformation of an aluminium alloy foam sandwiched between steel substrates has been investigated. The sandwich plates are subjected to through-thickness shear and normal loading, and it is found that the face sheets constrain the foam against plastic deformation and result in a size effect: the yield strength increases with diminishing thickness of foam layer. The strain distribution across the foam core has been measured by a visual strain mapping technique, and a boundary layer of reduced straining was observed adjacent to the face sheets. The deformation response of the aluminium foam layer was modelled by the elastic-plastic finite element analysis of regular and irregular two dimensional honeycombs, bonded to rigid face sheets; in the simulations, the rotation of the boundary nodes of the cell-wall beam elements was set to zero to simulate full constraint from the rigid face sheets. It is found that the regular honeycomb under-estimates the size effect whereas the irregular honeycomb provides a faithful representation of both the observed size effect and the observed strain profile through the foam layer. Additionally, a compressible version of the Fleck-Hutchinson strain gradient theory was used to predict the size effect; by identifying the cell edge length as the relevant microstructural length scale the strain gradient model is able to reproduce the observed strain profiles across the layer and the thickness dependence of strength.     

Numerical analysis of convection-diffusion with chemical reaction by combined finite and boundary element methods

A numerical method is presented to analyse a steady convection-diffusion problem with a first-order chemical reaction defined on an infinite region. The present method is based on the combined finite element and boundary element methods. For one- and two-dimensional examples in an infinite region the numerical results by the present method are in excellent agreement with the exact solutions. As a practical application, the simulation of the concentration distribution of the chemical oxygen demand at Kojima Bay is carried out.     

Comparative FE-studies of shear localizations in granular bodies within a polar and non-local hypoplasticity

Paper presents a FE-analysis of shear localizations in granular bodies with a finite element method based on a hypoplastic constitutive law. The law can reproduce essential features of granular bodies in dependence on the void ratio, pressure level and deformation direction. To simulate the formation of a spontaneous shear zone inside of cohesionless sand during plane strain compression, a hypoplastic law was extended by polar and non-local terms. The effect of both models on the thickness of a shear zone was compared.     

Formulations of a hydromechanical interface element

A hydromechanical interface element is proposed for the consideration of the hydraulic-mechanical coupling effect along the interface.The fully coupled governing equations and the relevant finite element formulations are derived in detail for the interface element.All the involved matrices are of the same form as those of a solid element,which makes the incorporation of the model into a finite element program straightforward.Three examples are then numerically simulated using the interface element.Reasonable results confirm the correctness of the proposed model and motivate its application in hydromechanical contact problems in the future.     

Effects of the strain-hardening exponent on two-parameter characterizations of surface-cracks under large-scale yielding

The influence of strain hardening exponent on two-parameter J-Q near tip opening stress field characterization with modified boundary layer formulation and the corresponding validity limits are explored in detail. Finite element simulations of surface cracked plates under uniaxial tension are implemented for loads exceeding net-section yield. The results from this study provide numerical methodology for limit analysis and demonstrate the strong material dependencies of fracture parameterization under large scale yielding. Sufficient strain hardening is shown to be necessary to maintain J-Q predicted fields when plastic flow progresses through the remaining ligament. Lower strain hardening amplifies constraint loss due to stress redistribution in the plastic zone and increases the ratio of tip deformation to J. The onset of plastic collapse is marked by shape change and/or rapid relaxation of tip fields compared to those predicted by MBL solutions and thus defining the limits of J-Q dominance. A radially independent Q-parameter cannot be evaluated for the low strain hardening material at larger deformations within a range where both cleavage and ductile fracture mechanisms are present. The geometric deformation limit of near tip stress field characterization is shown to be directly proportional to the level of stress the material is capable of carrying within the plastic zone. Accounting for the strain hardening of a material provides a more adjusted and less conservative limit methodology compared to those generalized by the yield strength alone. Results from this study are of relevance to establishing testing standards for surface cracked tensile geometries.     

Surface tension-driven shape-recovery of micro/nanometer-scale surface features in a Pt57.5Ni5.3Cu14.7P22.5 metallic glass in the supercooled liquid region: A numerical modeling capability

Recent experiments in the literature show that micro/nano-scale features imprinted in a Pt-based metallic glass, Pt_57.5Ni_5.3Cu_14.7P_22.5, using thermoplastic forming at a temperature above its glass transition temperature, may be erased by subsequent annealing at a slightly higher temperature in the supercooled liquid region (Kumar and Schroers, 2008). The mechanism of shape-recovery is believed to be surface tension-driven viscous flow of the metallic glass. We have developed an elastic-viscoplastic constitutive theory for metallic glasses in the supercooled liquid temperature range at low strain rates, and we have used existing experimental data in the literature for Pt_57.5Ni_5.3Cu_14.7P_22.5 (Harmon et al., 2007) to estimate the material parameters appearing in our constitutive equations. We have implemented our constitutive model for the bulk response of the glass in a finite element program, and we have also developed a numerical scheme for calculating surface curvatures and incorporating surface tension effects in finite element simulations. By carrying out full three-dimensional finite-element simulations of the shape-recovery experiments of Kumar and Schroers (2008), and using the independently determined material parameters for the bulk glass, we estimate the surface tension of Pt_57.5Ni_5.3Cu_14.7P_22.5 at the temperature at which the shape-recovery experiments were conducted. Finally, with the material parameters for the underlying elastic-viscoplastic bulk response as well as a value for the surface tension of the Pt-based metallic glass fixed, we validate our simulation capability by comparing predictions from our numerical simulations of shape-recovery experiments of Berkovich nanoindents, against corresponding recent experimental results of Packard et al. (2009) who reported shape-recovery data of nanoindents on the same Pt-based metallic glass.     

Resonant reflection of a surface acoustic wave from strip waveguides

A numerical study is performed of the oblique reflection of a surface acoustic wave from a strip of finite width deposited on the surface of a half-infinite substrate. The finite element method is used. If the strip–substrate contact supports waveguide modes with the velocity exceeding the surface wave velocity on the free surface of the substrate, then an interval of angles of incidence exists where the surface wave efficiently excites a waveguide mode. The excitation of the waveguide mode is accompanied by a singular behavior of the reflection and the transmission coefficients. The dependence of the magnitude and the phase of the coefficients on the angle of incidence, the frequency, the width and the thickness of the strip is examined. In particular, it is found that the magnitude of the reflection coefficient abruptly almost vanishes and abruptly increases almost to unity within the resonance interval of angles of incidence.     

A Hybrid Boundary/Finite Element Method for Simulating Viscous Flows and Shapes of Droplets in Electric Fields

A mixed boundary element and finite element numerical algorithm for the simultaneous prediction of the electric fields, viscous flow fields, thermal fields and surface deformation of electrically conducting droplets in an electrostatic field is described in this paper. The boundary element method is used for the computation of the electric potential distribution. This allows the boundary conditions at infinity to be directly incorporated into the boundary integral formulation, thereby obviating the need for discretization at infinity. The surface deformation is determined by solving the normal stress balance equation using the weighted residuals method. The fluid flow and thermal fields are calculated using the mixed finite element method. The computational algorithm for the simultaneous prediction of surface deformation and fluid flow involves two iterative loops, one for the electric field and surface deformation and the other for the surface tension driven viscous flows. The two loops are coupled through the droplet surface shapes for viscous fluid flow calculations and viscous stresses for updating the droplet shapes. Computing the surface deformation in a separate loop permits the freedom of applying different types of elements without complicating procedures for the internal flow and thermal calculations. Tests indicate that the quadratic, cubic spline and spectral boundary elements all give approximately the same accuracy for free surface calculations; however, the quadratic elements are preferred as they are easier to implement and also require less computing time. Linear elements, however, are less accurate. Numerical simulations are carried out for the simultaneous solution of free surface shapes and internal fluid flow and temperature distributions in droplets in electric fields under both microgravity and earthbound conditions. Results show that laser heating may induce a non-uniform temperature distribution in the droplets. This non-uniform thermal field results in a variation of surface tension along the surface of the droplet, which in turn produces a recirculating fluid flow in the droplet. The viscous stresses cause additional surface deformation by squeezing the surface areas above and below the equator plane.     

Analysis of regular and chaotic dynamics of the Euler-Bernoulli beams using finite difference and finite element methods

Chaotic vibrations of flexible non-linear Euler-Bernoulli beams subjected to harmonic load and with various boundary conditions(symmetric and non-symmetric)are studied in this work.Reliability of the obtained results is verified by the finite difference method(FDM)and the finite element method(FEM)with the Bubnov-Galerkin approximation for various boundary conditions and various dynamic regimes(regular and non-regular).The influence of boundary conditions on the Euler-Bernoulli beams dynamics is studied mainly,dynamic behavior vs.control parameters { ωp,q0 } is reported,and scenarios of the system transition into chaos are illustrated.     

Numerical study around the corotational Maxwell model for the viscoelastic fluid flows

We present numerical results for the FEM (finite element method) presented in [Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 191 (2002) 5045–5065]. This method is devoted to the approximation of fluid flows obeying the Oldroyd model. A particularity of this method, is to take into account the purely viscoelastic case, the so-called Maxwell model, important in practice. Numerical results are given for a fluid flowing in an abrupt plane 4 to 1 contraction. We use the corotational Maxwell model as benchmark in the choice of our computations. Results are also given for the upper convected Maxwell model. Interesting effects appear on the velocity profile: a phenomenon of quasi slip at the downstream wall.     

Optimal control of shallow water flow using time-delay function

This paper presents an optimal control system that includes a time-delay function for application to flood control setups with a retardation area. This system consists of the present and past controls that express flow behaviour in the retardation area. Optimal control theory is used to obtain a control discharge that satisfies the state equation including the time-delay function and minimizes the performance function. The optimal control and the delayed control discharges are obtained by the solution of an adjoint equation. The weighted gradient method is employed as a minimization algorithm. The Galerkin finite element procedure is employed to discretize the state and adjoint equations in the spatial direction. The bubble function interpolation, originated by the authors' group, using a stabilized term, is employed for the discretization in space. The flood flow in the Tsurumi river is presented as a numerical model. We show in this paper that floods can be controlled by means of a time-delay function.