Automatic generation of unstructured grids with Delaunay triangulation and its application

This paper is consisted of two parts. In the first part, a method is described which generates two-dimensional triangle mesh using the Delaunay triangulation criterion. An automatic algorithm was proposed which combines several advantages of the existing methods. Local mesh refinement can also be easily performed with this method. Examples of generated grids were presented for several convex, non-convex and multi-connected domains to demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method. In the second part, the turbulent heat transfer in an annular space finned by wave-like longitudinal fins was numerical simulated. The proposed technique was adopted to generate the grid in the cross-section. The standard K-ɛ model in conjuction with wall function method was used to simulate the fluid flow and heat transfer in the complex geometry. The discretization of the governing equations was described. The computational results were compared with the authors' test data and the agreement was reasonably good. Received on 9 July 1998     

A simple quality triangulation algorithm for complex geometries

This paper presents a simple algorithm for quality triangulation in domains with complex geometries. Based on the fact that the equilateral triangles (regular meshes) are ideal for numerical computations in computational fluids dynamics (CFD) analysis, the proposed algorithm starts with an initial equilateral triangle mesh covering the whole domain. Nodes close to the boundary edges satisfy the so‐called non‐encroaching criterion, the distance from any inserted node to any boundary vertices and the midpoints of any boundary edge is greater than a given characteristic length. Both nearly uniform and non‐uniform triangle meshes can be generated using a mesh size reduction technique. Local refinement is achieved by using transition layers. More regular meshes can be generated in the interior of the domain and all angles of the triangle mesh produced by this algorithm are proven to be bounded in a reasonable range (19.5–141°). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new tracking algorithm of PIV and removal of spurious vectors using Delaunay tessellation

 A new algorithm of Delaunay Tessellation Particle Tracking Velocimetry (DT-PTV in abbreviation) is proposed for tracking particles in images of a PIV system by making use of the Delaunay tessellation (DT). The algorithm is tested by using numerically simulated particle images. The calculation results based on DT are compared with those obtained by a conventional algorithm of Binary Image Cross-correlation method (BICC). The new algorithm shows higher performance of obtaining more identical particles in two consecutive images correctly with shorter computation time even if the images contain many particles. A further application of DT to elimination of spurious vectors is also discussed. Received: 24 November 1997/Accepted: 7 August 1998     

A variational formulation for the incremental homogenization of elasto-plastic composites

This work addresses the micro–macro modeling of composites having elasto-plastic constituents. A new model is proposed to compute the effective stress–strain relation along arbitrary loading paths. The proposed model is based on an incremental variational principle (Ortiz, M., Stainier, L., 1999. The variational formulation of viscoplastic constitutive updates. Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. 171, 419–444) according to which the local stress–strain relation derives from a single incremental potential at each time step. The effective incremental potential of the composite is then estimated based on a linear comparison composite (LCC) with an effective behavior computed using available schemes in linear elasticity. Algorithmic elegance of the time-integration of J₂ elasto-plasticity is exploited in order to define the LCC. In particular, the elastic predictor strain is used explicitly. The method yields a homogenized yield criterion and radial return equation for each phase, as well as a homogenized plastic flow rule. The predictive capabilities of the proposed method are assessed against reference full-field finite element results for several particle-reinforced composites.     

A general method for the incremental solution of elastic-plastic problems

Summary A general iterative method for the incremental solution of elastic-plastic problems is described. The convergence of the procedure on the rigorous solution is demonstrated.

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Sommario Si espone un procedimento iterativo generale per la soluzione incrementale dei problemi elasto-plastici. Si dimostra la convergenza del procedimento verso la soluzione effettiva.

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The results presented in this paper were obtained in the course of research sponsored by the C.N.R., Gruppo Plasticità     

基于Delaunay三角化的无网格法计算结果后处理

最近新发展起来的无网格方法由于不需要显式网格，节省了网格生成所需的大量时间，并且避免了网格畸变问题，所以在处理一些特殊问题如移动边界、大变形、高梯度等方面显示出特殊的优越性。但另一方面也使得计算结果的全域后处理遇到困难。提出了一种基于Delaunay三角形背景网格的实用无网格计算结果后处理方法，以无网格离散节点为顶点生成Delaunay三角形，将无网格法计算得到的节点应力值映射插值得到三角形内的应力场云图颜色。给出的二维线弹性应力分析算例表明方法可靠实用。     

A multi-field incremental variational framework for gradient-extended standard dissipative solids

The paper presents a constitutive framework for solids with dissipative micro-structures based on compact variational statements. It develops incremental minimization and saddle point principles for a class of gradient-type dissipative materials which incorporate micro-structural fields (micro-displacements, order parameters, or generalized internal variables), whose gradients enter the energy storage and dissipation functions. In contrast to classical local continuum approaches to inelastic solids based on locally evolving internal variables, these global micro-structural fields are governed by additional balance equations including micro-structural boundary conditions. They describe changes of the substructure of the material which evolve relatively to the material as a whole. Typical examples are theories of phase field evolution, gradient damage, or strain gradient plasticity. Such models incorporate non-local effects based on length scales, which reflect properties of the material micro-structure. We outline a unified framework for the broad class of first-order gradient-type standard dissipative solids. Particular emphasis is put on alternative multi-field representations, where both the microstructural variable itself as well as its dual driving force are present. These three-field settings are suitable for models with threshold- or yield-functions formulated in the space of the driving forces. It is shown that the coupled macro- and micro-balances follow in a natural way as the Euler equations of minimization and saddle point principles, which are based on properly defined incremental potentials. These multi-field potential functionals are outlined in both a continuous rate formulation and a time-space-discrete incremental setting. The inherent symmetry of the proposed multi-field formulations is an attractive feature with regard to their numerical implementation. The unified character of the framework is demonstrated by a spectrum of model problems, which covers phase field models and formulations of gradient damage and plasticity.     

A second-moment incremental formulation for the mean-field homogenization of elasto-plastic composites

In this paper, the incremental formulation for the mean-field homogenization (MFH) of elasto-plastic composites is enriched by including second statistical moments of per-phase strain increment fields, thus combining two advantages. The first one is to handle non-monotonic loading histories and the second is to better account for the heterogeneity of microscopic fields. The proposal is currently restricted to elasto-plasticity with J2 flow theory in each phase, under the small perturbation hypothesis. The formulation crucially exploits the return mapping algorithm for the J2 model, with its two steps: elastic predictor, and plastic corrections. It is shown that the second-moment measure of the average von Mises stress in each phase at the elastic predictor step plays a major role in the computation of both the average stress and the comparison tangent operator. The proposal is implemented for an extended Mori-Tanaka scheme. Predictions are compared to results provided by full-field, finite element computations of representative volume elements or unit cells, for various composite materials, with polymer or metal matrices. There are cases where the predictions of the proposed modeling improve significantly over those of a first-order incremental formulation.     

Surface triangulation for polygonal models based on CAD data

This paper presents an approach to the generation of unstructured surface meshes for Computer‐Aided Design (CAD) surface models represented as lists of polygons with minimum user interventions. Stereolithography (STL) data are adopted as an interface between a CAD system and the surface grid generator. STL files often include problems such as overlapping surfaces, gaps, and intersections. They have to be revised quickly and automatically before the surface models are used for the background grid of the surface grid generation. In this paper, we describe an automatic revision method for use with STL‐defined surface models. The advancing front method using geometric features is adopted directly on the modified STL surfaces. The capability of the method is demonstrated for several 3D surface models. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A stabilized incremental projection scheme for the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations

It is well known that any spatial discretization of the saddle‐point Stokes problem should satisfy the Ladyzhenskaya–Brezzi–Babuska (LBB) stability condition in order to prevent the appearance of spurious pressure modes. Particularly, if an equal‐order approximation is applied, the Schur complement (or, as called some times, the Uzawa matrix) of the pressure system has a non‐trivial null space that gives rise to such modes. An idea in the past was that all the schemes that solve a Poisson equation for the pressure rather than the Uzawa pressure equation (splitting/projection methods) should overcome this difficulty; this idea was wrong. There is numerical evidence that at least the so‐called incremental projection scheme still suffers from spurious pressure oscillations if an equal‐order approximation is applied. The present paper tries to distinguish which projection requires LBB‐compliant approximation and which does not. Moreover, a stabilized version of the incremental projection scheme is derived. Proper bounds for the stabilization parameter are also given. The numerical results show that the stabilized scheme does indeed achieve second‐order accuracy and does not produce spurious (node to node) pressure oscillations. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Approximate MPA-based method for performing incremental dynamic analysis

In performance based earthquake engineering, it is important to accurately predict the seismic demand and capacities of structures. One recent estimation method is incremental dynamic analysis (IDA), which requires a series of nonlinear response history analyses (RHA) of the structure under various ground motions, each scaled to multiple levels of intensity, selected to cover entire range of structural response from elasticity, to yield and finally global dynamic instability. The implementation of IDA requires intensive computation and detailed knowledge of the nonlinear RHA of structures. In response to the complexity of IDA, an approximate method based on modal pushover analysis (MPA-based IDA) was developed. In MPA-based IDA, seismic demands are computed using the nonlinear RHA of the equivalent SDF systems instead of using nonlinear RHA of MDF systems. The objective of this study is to develop a simpler MPA-based IDA procedure that can avoid nonlinear RHA of equivalent SDF systems. For this purpose, MPA-based IDA employs the empirical equation of the inelastic displacement ratio (C _R ), defined as the ratio of peak displacement of the inelastic SDF system to that of the corresponding elastic SDF system given the strength ratio R, and that of the collapse strength ratio (R _c), which is the ratio of collapse intensity to yield strength. The proposed procedure is verified by comparing the seismic demands and capacities of 6-, 9-, and 20-story steel moment frames as determined by the proposed method and exact IDA.     

Adaptive delaunay triangulation with multidimensional dissipation scheme for high-speed compressible flow analysis

IntroductionHigh-speed compressible flows normally involve many complex flow phenomena,suchas shock waves,flow expansions,and shock-shock interactions[1].Effects of thesephenomena are critical in the design of high-speed structures.These flows are charact…     

A modified incremental harmonic balance method for rotary periodic motions

The determination of periodic solutions is an essential step in the study of dynamic systems. If some of the generalized coordinates describing the configuration of a system are angular positions relative to certain reference axes, the associated periodic motions divide into two types: oscillatory and rotary periodic motions. For an oscillatory periodic motion, all the generalized coordinates are periodic in time. On the other hand, for a rotary periodic motion, some angular coordinates may have unbounded magnitude due to the persistent circulation about their pivots. In this case, although the behaviour of the system is periodic physically, those angular coordinates are not periodic in time. Although various effective methods have been developed for the determination of oscillatory periodic motion, the rotary periodic motion can only be determined by brute force integration. In this paper, the incremental harmonic balance (IHB) method is modified so that rotary periodic motions can be determined as well as oscillatory periodic motions in a unified formulation. This modified IHB method is applied to a practical device, a rotating disk equipped with a ball-type balancer, to show its effectiveness.     

A new description for dispersion

Chang and Slattery (1986) introduced a simplified model for dispersion that contains only two empirical parameters, both of which can be determined in one-dimensional experiments. The traditional model for dispersion (Nikolaevskii, 1959; Scheidegger, 1961; de Josselin de Jong and Bossen, 1961; Bear, 1961a; Peaceman, 1966; Bear, 1972) has three empirical parameters, two of which can be measured in one-dimensional experiments while the third, the transverse dispersivity, must be measured in experiments in which a two-dimensional concentration profile develops. For the common one-dimensional experiment in which the signs of the concentration gradient and of the velocity field are different, the simplified model and the traditional model give identical results. For a one-dimensional experiment in which the signs of the concentration gradient and of the velocity field are at least sometimes the same and for two- and three-dimensional flows, the simplified model of Chang and Slattery (1986) gives results that can differ from those predicted using the traditional model.Only the experimental data of Bear (1961b) and of Yule and Gardner (1978) are sufficiently complete to permit a comparison of the two models. Considering the quality of the experimental data, we can not distinguish between the predicted profiles based upon the simplified model and those based upon the traditional model.     

Controllability,uniqueness and existence of the incremental response: A mathematical criterion for elastoplastic constitutive laws

In this paper the onset of instabilities in elastoplastic materials is theoretically studied and a conceptual basis for understanding the physical implications of a loss of uniqueness and/or existence of the incremental response is provided. For this purpose, the concept of test controllability is reinterpreted and mixed stress–strain loading programmes are accounted for. A set of scalar indices, the moduli of instability, related with the inception of an unstable response is introduced and their dependency on the loading programme is explicitly illustrated. The paper shows that the use of these newly defined scalar measures provides support for an alternative definition for mechanical stability, which is closely related with the mathematical notions of existence and uniqueness of the predicted incremental response. In the final section, some mathematical properties of the moduli of instability are discussed, suggesting a novel reinterpretation of other well established theories and providing additional tools for the future application of the proposed framework.     

Experimental evaluation of incremental theories for nonproportionate loading of thin-walled cylinders

An experimental investigation was undertaken to evaluate incremental-strain theories which have been proposed in the literature to predict the loads on thin-walled cylinders subjected to nonproportionate loading which follow prescribed strain histories. Test data were obtained for two materials, annealed SAE 1035 steel and normalized 4340 steel. Material-property tests for the SAE 1035 steel indicated that the stress-strain diagram was flat topped and the material followed the Tresca flow condition. Similar tests for the SAE 4340 steel indicated that this steel was a linear strain-hardening material that followed the von Mises flow condition. Two incremental-strain theories were developed for thin-walled cylinders made of SAE 1035 steel. Both were based on the Tresca flow condition. One theory called the Tresca-Tresca theory used the stress-strain relations for the Tresca theory. The other theory called the Tresca-Mises theory used the Prandtl-Reuss stress-strain relations. In general, the test data fell between the two theories. The incremental theory developed for thin-walled cylinders made of the SAE 4340 steel, called the Mises-Mises theory, was based on the von Mises flow condition and the Prandtl-Reuss stress-strain relations. The agreement between theory and experiment was poor.