The solution of unconfined seepage problem using Natural Element Method (NEM) coupled with Genetic Algorithm (GA)

Phreatic line detection is a major challenge in seepage problems which should be solved by iterative solving procedures. In conventional methods such as finite element method (FEM), an updating mesh is needed in each iteration where the qualities of the mesh and the nodal connectivity have significant impact on the results. The main aim of this study is to use a method not to be sensitive to mesh generation.     

A global damping factor for a non-invasive form finding algorithm

Inverse form finding based on the finite element method (FEM) aims in determining the optimal material (undeformed) configuration when knowing the target spatial (deformed) configuration in a discretized setting. The strategy is to iteratively update the material coordinates and recompute the spatial configuration by a FEM simulation until the computed spatial nodal positions are close enough to a priori given spatial nodal positions. A form finding algorithm is utilized, which is purely based on geometrical considerations and can be coupled with arbitrary external FEM software via subroutines in a non-invasive fashion. At large deformations degenerated elements can occur when updating the material coordinates. Evaluating the mesh quality of the updated material configuration and adjusting a global damping factor before recomputing the next spatial configuration helps to avoid mesh distortions. (© 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A comparison between the material point method and the finite element method in view of extrusion problems

An appropriate method for the simulation of continuous forming processes is the material point method (MPM) [1],[2] which combines the viewpoints of fluid dynamics and solid mechanics. The MPM and related methods [3] are derived from the particle‐in‐cell methods [4]. Bodies are discretised by Lagragian particles with pointwise mass distributions. The differential equations in their weak form are solved on temporary meshes built of standard finite elements. At the end of each time step the particle positions are updated and the mesh is replaced by a new mesh with a regular shape. The state variables at the nodes of the new mesh are extracted from the state variables at the particles by a transfer algorithm. When particles pass element boundaries, numerical difficulties might be observed. These are eliminated by a smooth approximation of nodal data from material point data. The modified MPM has been implemented together with the FEM in one programme because the similarities of the methods outbalance the differences. On the basis of numerical examples the results of both methods are compared. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Hybrid Surface Mesh Adaptation for Climate Modeling

Solution-driven mesh adaptation is becoming quite popular for spatial error control in the numerical simulation of complex computational physics applications, such as climate modeling. Typically, spatial adaptation is achieved by element subdivision （h adaptation） with a primary goal of resolving the local length scales of interest. A sec- ond, less-popular method of spatial adaptivity is called ＂mesh motion＂ （r adaptation）; the smooth repositioning of mesh node points aimed at resizing existing elements to capture the local length scales. This paper proposes an adaptation method based on a combination of both element subdivision and node point repositioning （rh adaptation）. By combining these two methods using the notion of a mobility function, the proposed approach seeks to increase the flexibility and extensibility of mesh motion algorithms while providing a somewhat smoother transition between refined regions than is pro- duced by element subdivision alone. Further, in an attempt to support the requirements of a very general class of climate simulation applications, the proposed method is designed to accommodate unstructured, polygonal mesh topologies in addition to the most popular mesh types.     

A corrected smooth particle hydrodynamics method for the simulation of debris flows

This article presents the development and application of a corrected smooth particle hydrodynamics (CSPH) code to the simulation of debris flow and avalanches. The advantages of a mesh‐free method over other traditional numerical methods such as the finite element method are discussed. A new frictional approach for the boundary conditions and modified constitutive equations are introduced in the SPH method. The resulting technique is then applied for the simulation of debris flows, comparing the results with those obtained from experiments reported by other researchers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 20: 140–163, 2004.     

Modelling of metal forging using SPH

In solid metal forming processes, such as forging, large distortions in the material present challenging problems for numerical simulation using grid based methods. Computations invariably fail after some level of mesh distortion is reached unless suitable re-meshing is implemented to cope with the mesh distortion arising from the material deformation. The issue of mesh distortion and the subsequent re-meshing are topics of much research for grid based methods. These problems can be overcome by using a mesh-less numerical framework. In this paper, the application of a mesh-less method called Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) for modelling three-dimensional complex forging processes is demonstrated. It is shown that SPH is a useful simulation method for obtaining insights into the material deformation and flow pattern during forging of realistic industrial components. The effect of process parameters and material properties on the quality of the forged component is evaluated via SPH simulations. This includes the determination of forging force required for adequate die filling which is an important criterion for die designs. Material hardening, controlled by the degree of heat treatment, is found to have a profound effect on the material deformation pattern and the final product. Forging defects such as incomplete die filling, asymmetry in forged components, flashing and lap formation are shown to be predicted by SPH. SPH can thus potentially be used both for assessment of the quality of forged products and evaluation of prototype forging system designs.     

基于EEP法的一维有限元自适应求解

基于新近提出的一维有限元后处理超收敛算法——单元能量投影（EEP）法,将有限元自适应求解问题转化为对超收敛解答的自适应分段多项式插值问题;对于大多数问题,一步便可获得满意的有限元网格划分,在该网格上再次进行有限元计算,一般即可获得满足用户给定的误差限的有限元解答．即便未能完全满足精度要求,一般只需局部细分加密网格一至二步即可．该法简单实用、高效可靠,是一个颇具优势和潜力的自适应方法．以二阶椭圆型常微分方程模型问题为例,对该法的基本思想、实施策略及具体算法做一介绍,并给出有代表性的数值算例用以展示该法的优良性能和效果．     

Static contact analysis of spiral bevel gear based on modified VFIFE (vector form intrinsic finite element) method

Since the intrinsic limitations of FEM (Finite element method) and lumped-mass method, we derive the formula of 8-node hexahedral element based on VFIFE (vector form intrinsic finite element method) method and applied it in contact analysis of gears. This paper proposed a new method to determine pure nodal deformation, which could simplify the computation compared to the traditional VFIFE method. Combining the VFIFE method and matching contact algorithm, we analyzed spiral bevel gear meshing problems. Spiral bevel models with two different mesh densities are calculated analyzed by the VFIFE method and FEM. Performance indicators of gears are extracted and compared, including contact forces, contact and bending stresses, contact stress patterns and loaded transmission errors. The results show that the VFIFE method has a stable performance and reliable accuracy under coarse or refined mesh conditions, while the FEM inaccurately calculates the contact stress of the coarse mesh model. The examples demonstrate that the proposed method could precisely analyze gear meshing problems with a coarse mesh model, which provides a new solution for gear mechanics.     

Uniform estimate of the constant in the strengthened CBS inequality for anisotropic non‐conforming FEM systems

Preconditioners based on various multilevel extensions of two‐level finite element methods (FEM) lead to iterative methods which have an optimal order computational complexity with respect to the size of the system. Such methods were first presented in Axelsson and Padiy (SIAM. J. Sci. Stat. Comp. 1990; 20 :1807) and Axelsson and Vassilevski (Numer. Math. 1989; 56 :157), and are based on (recursive) two‐level splittings of the finite element space. The key role in the derivation of optimal convergence rate estimates is played by the constant γ in the so‐called Cauchy–Bunyakowski–Schwarz (CBS) inequality, associated with the angle between the two subspaces of the splitting. It turns out that only existence of uniform estimates for this constant is not enough but accurate quantitative bounds for γ have to be found as well. More precisely, the value of the upper bound for γ∈(0,1) is part of the construction of various multilevel extensions of the related two‐level methods. In this paper, an algebraic two‐level preconditioning algorithm for second‐order elliptic boundary value problems is constructed, where the discretization is done using Crouzeix–Raviart non‐conforming linear finite elements on triangles. An important point to make is that in this case the finite element spaces corresponding to two successive levels of mesh refinements are not nested. To handle this, a proper two‐level basis is considered, which enables us to fit the general framework for the construction of two‐level preconditioners for conforming finite elements and to generalize the method to the multilevel case. The major contribution of this paper is the derived estimates of the related constant γ in the strengthened CBS inequality. These estimates are uniform with respect to both coefficient and mesh anisotropy. To our knowledge, the results presented in the paper are the first such estimates for non‐conforming FEM systems. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A numerical study of the vibrations of a damaged beam

We developed a finite element method (FEM) for examining small transverse vibrations of a damaged beam. The damage is modelled as an elastic joint and standard Hermite piecewise cubics were adapted to use as basis functions in the FEM. This method can be used in situations where the characteristic equation approach is not viable.     

Boundary element analysis of uncoupled transient thermo-elastic problems with time- and space-dependent heat sources

A boundary element method (BEM) for the analysis of two- and three-dimensional uncoupled transient thermo-elastic problems involving time- and space-dependent heat sources is presented. The domain integrals are efficiently treated using the Cartesian transformation and the radial integration methods without considering any internal cells. Similar to the dual reciprocity method (DRM), some internal points without any connectivity are considered; however, in contrast to the DRM, any arbitrary mesh-free interpolation method can be used in the present formulation. There is no need to find any particular solutions and the shape functions in the mesh-free interpolation method can be arbitrary and sufficiently complicated. Unlike the DRM, the generated system of equations contains the unknowns only on the boundary. After finding the primary unknowns on the boundary, the temperature, displacement, and stress components at all internal points can directly be found without solving any system of equations. Three examples with different forms of heat sources are presented to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method. Although the proposed BEM is mathematically more complicated than domain methods, such as the finite element method (FEM), it is more efficient from a modelling viewpoint since only the surface mesh has to be generated in the presented method.     

Coupling Meshfree Methods and FEM for the Solution of the Incompressible Navier‐Stokes Equations

Meshfree Moving Least Squares and meshbased Finite Element shape functions are coupled in order to combine the advantages of each method. Meshfree methods are used in small parts of the domain, where a conforming mesh is difficult to maintain, e.g. due to large deformations. The FEM is used in the rest of the domain and enables an efficient solution of the underlying partial differential equations. The coupled formulation is successfully applied to flow simulations governed by the incompressible Navier‐Stokes equations. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

An adaptive perfectly matched layer technique for 3-D time-harmonic electromagnetic scattering problems

An adaptive perfectly matched layer (PML) technique for solving the time harmonic electromagnetic scattering problems is developed. The PML parameters such as the thickness of the layer and the fictitious medium property are determined through sharp a posteriori error estimates. Combined with the adaptive finite element method, the adaptive PML technique provides a complete numerical strategy to solve the scattering problem in the framework of FEM which produces automatically a coarse mesh size away from the fixed domain and thus makes the total computational costs insensitive to the thickness of the PML absorbing layer. Numerical experiments are included to illustrate the competitive behavior of the proposed adaptive method.

     

Polycrystal vs. Classical Continuum Models for Structures

In this work a comparison of polycrystal and classical continuum models illustrated by examples of full structures is investigated. The general idea is to represent the averaged distribution of displacement, stress and strain fields for statistically randomized realizations of discrete structures. A technique for averaging fields in the FEM program ABAQUS is proposed and implemented. To improve the computation efficiency mesh dependence was investigated. Results of simulation are given for a rectangular plate and for the Kirsch's problem for both examples elastic as well as inelastic material behavior. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

An adaptive anisotropic perfectly matched layer method for 3-D time harmonic electromagnetic scattering problems

We develop an anisotropic perfectly matched layer (PML) method for solving the time harmonic electromagnetic scattering problems in which the PML coordinate stretching is performed only in one direction outside a cuboid domain. The PML parameters such as the thickness of the layer and the absorbing medium property are determined through sharp a posteriori error estimates. Combined with the adaptive finite element method, the proposed adaptive anisotropic PML method provides a complete numerical strategy to solve the scattering problem in the framework of FEM which produces automatically a coarse mesh size away from the fixed domain and thus makes the total computational costs insensitive to the choice of the thickness of the PML layer. Numerical experiments are included to illustrate the competitive behavior of the proposed adaptive method.     

离散系统运动方程的Galerkin有限元EEP法自适应求解

对于结构动力分析中的离散系统运动方程,现有算法的计算精度和效率均依赖于时间步长的选取,这是时间域问题求解的难点.基于EEP(element energy projection)超收敛计算的自适应有限元法,以EEP超收敛解代替未知真解,估计常规有限元解的误差,并自动细分网格,目前已对诸类以空间坐标为自变量的边值问题取得成功.对离散系统运动方程建立弱型Galerkin有限元解,引入基于EEP法的自适应求解策略,在时间域上自动划分网格,最终得到所求时域内任一时刻均满足给定误差限的动位移解,进而建立了一种时间域上的新型自适应求解算法.     

Adaptive local linear quantile regression

In this paper we propose a new method of local linear adaptive smoothing for nonparametric conditional quantile regression. Some theoretical properties of the procedure are investigated. Then we demonstrate the performance of the method on a simulated example and compare it with other methods. The simulation results demonstrate a reasonable performance of our method proposed especially in situations when the underlying image is piecewise linear or can be approximated by such images. Generally speaking, our method outperforms most other existing methods in the sense of the mean square estimation (MSE) and mean absolute estimation (MAE) criteria. The procedure is very stable with respect to increasing noise level and the algorithm can be easily applied to higher dimensional situations.     

A meshless scaling iterative algorithm based on compactly supported radial basis functions for the numerical solution of Lane‐Emden‐Fowler equation

In this article, we combine the compactly supported radial basis function (RBF) collocation method and the scaling iterative algorithm to compute and visualize the multiple solutions of the Lane‐Emden‐Fowler equation on a bounded domain Ω ? R² with a homogeneous Dirichlet boundary condition. This novel method has the advantage over traditional methods, which approximate the spatial derivatives using either the finite difference method (FDM), the finite element method (FEM), or the boundary element method (BEM), because it does not require a mesh over the domain. As a result, it needs less computational time than the globally supported RBF collocation method. When compared with the reference solutions in (Chen, Zhou, and Ni, Int J Bifurcation Chaos 10 (2000), 565–1612), our numerical results demonstrate the accuracy and ease of implementation of this method. It is therefore much more suitable for dealing with the complex domains than the FEM, the FDM, and the BEM. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 28: 554‐572, 2012