Mechanical analysis of phase transition experiments of the bacterial flagellar filament

Bacterial flagellar filaments can undergo a polymorphic phase transition in both vitro and vivo environments. Each bacterial flagellar filament has 12 different helical forms which are macroscopically represented by different pitch lengths and helix radii. For external mechanical force induced filament phase transitions, there is so far only one experiment performed by Hotani in 1982, who showed a very beautiful cyclic phase transition phenomenon in his experiment on isolated flagellar filaments. In the present paper, we give a detailed mechanical analysis on Hotani＇s experiments. Through theoretical computations, we obtained a phase transition rule based on the phase transition mechanism. The theoretical analysis provides a foundation facilitating the establishment of phase transition theory for bacterial flagellar filaments.     

Simulation of size effects by a phase field model for fracture

In phase field fracture models the value of the order parameter distinguishes between broken and undamaged material. At crack faces the order parameter interpolates smoothly between these two states of the material, which can be regarded as phases. The crack evolution follows implicitly from the time integration of an evolution equation of the order parameter, which is coupled to the mechanical field equations. Among other phenomena phase field fracture models are able to reproduce crack nucleation in initially sound materials. For a 1D setting it has been shown that crack nucleation is triggered by the loss of stability of the unfractured, spatially homogeneous solution, and that the stability point depends on the size of the considered structure. This work numerically investigates to which extend size effects are reproduced by the 2D phase field model. Exemplarily, a finite element study of the hole size effect is performed and the simulation results are compared to experimental data.     

模拟相变问题的精细积分边界元法

将精细积分边界元法和界面追踪法相结合求解相变问题。因为边界元法只需要将待求解空间域的边界离散,方便连续追踪移动界面位置和重构网格,所以边界元法适合应用于移动边界问题的模拟。首先,利用精细积分边界元法在固相区域和液相区域分别求解相应的瞬态热传导控制方程,从而求得温度场和边界热流密度。然后,根据固-液相变界面上的能量平衡方程,利用热流密度求得相变界面的移动速度,再采用界面追踪法预测移动相变界面的位置变化。最后,给出了几个数值算例,并通过与参考解的对比验证本文方法的准确性。     

铁路道床有砟-无砟过渡段动力特性的DEM-FEM耦合分析

针对铁路道床有砟-无砟过渡段的结构特点,采用离散元-有限元耦合模型分析散体道砟和无砟道床间过渡段的动力特性。散体道砟道床和无砟道床分别采用离散元方法 DEM和有限元方法 FEM模拟,而在过渡段将道砟颗粒嵌入无砟道床以增加道砟颗粒与无砟道床间的咬合力,并在离散元和有限元耦合区域实现了力学参数的传递。采用以上DEM-FEM耦合方法对有砟-无砟道床及其过渡段在列车荷载作用下的沉降过程进行了数值分析。计算结果表明,离散元方法中道砟颗粒间的力链呈现非对称梯形分布,其与有限元方法中的应力分布趋势一致;采用嵌入式道砟颗粒的方法可以增加有砟-无砟过渡段道砟间的咬合力,有效约束道砟颗粒的位移,减少有砟-无砟道床间的沉降差异。本文计算模型可以合理地分析有砟道床的力链分布以及无砟道床的应力分布,确定列车荷载下道床有砟-无砟过渡段的动力学行为。     

Finite element analysis of temperature field with phase transformation and non-linear surface heat-transfer coefficient during quenching

I.IntroductionItiswell-knownthatthemechanicalpropertiescanbeimprovedbyquenchingtechnique.Thetemperaturefieldofworkpiecehasagreatinfluenceupontheresiduals'ressesandmicrostructureafterquenching.Thus,thecalculationoftemperaturefieldduringquenchinghasbeenthesubjectofmanyinvestigations.Inthepastresearches,thesurfaceheat-transfercoefficientshavebeenusuallytreatedasconstantitmayleadtotheerrorofcalculationintheanalysisoftemperature.Infact,thesurfaceheat-transfercoefficientsarethenonlinearfunctionofte…     

Cahn–Hilliard modeling of particles suspended in two‐phase flows

In this paper, we present a model for the dynamics of particles suspended in two‐phase flows by coupling the Cahn–Hilliard theory with the extended finite element method (XFEM). In the Cahn–Hilliard model the interface is considered to have a small but finite thickness, which circumvents explicit tracking of the interface. For the direct numerical simulation of particle‐suspended flows, we incorporate an XFEM, in which the particle domain is decoupled from the fluid domain. To cope with the movement of the particles, a temporary ALE scheme is used for the mapping of field variables at the previous time levels onto the computational mesh at the current time level. By combining the Cahn–Hilliard model with the XFEM, the particle motion at an interface can be simulated on a fixed Eulerian mesh without any need of re‐meshing. The model is general, but to demonstrate and validate the technique, here the dynamics of a single particle at a fluid–fluid interface is studied. First, we apply a small disturbance on a particle resting at an interface between two fluids, and investigate the particle movement towards its equilibrium position. In particular, we are interested in the effect of interfacial thickness, surface tension, particle size and viscosity ratio of two fluids on the particle movement towards its equilibrium position. Finally, we show the movement of a particle passing through multiple layers of fluids. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interface transport scheme of a two‐phase flow by the method of characteristics

In this paper, we study an interface transport scheme of a two‐phase flow of an incompressible viscous immiscible fluid. The problem is discretized by the characteristics method in time and finite elements method in space. The interface is captured by the level set function. Appropriate boundary conditions for the problem of mold filling are investigated, a new natural boundary condition under pressure effect for the transport equation is proposed, and an algorithm for computing the solution is presented. Finally, numerical experiments show and validate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mesoscopic characterization and modeling of microcracking in cementitious materials by the extended finite element method

This study develops a mesoscopic framework and methodology for the modeling of microcracks in concrete. A new algorithm is first proposed for the generation of random concrete meso-structure including microcracks and then coupled with the extended finite element method to simulate the heterogeneities and discontinuities present in the meso-structure of concrete. The proposed procedure is verified and exemplified by a series of numerical simulations. The simulation results show that microcracks can exert considerable impact on the fracture performance of concrete. More broadly, this work provides valuable insight into the initiation and propagation mechanism of microcracks in concrete and helps to foster a better understanding of the micro-mechanical behavior of cementitious materials.     

光纤环十六极对称绕法温度性能的仿真与分析

温度性能对光纤陀螺的精度影响至关重要。通过深入研究光纤环的十六极对称绕法,达到了改善光纤陀螺温度性能的目的。在对光纤陀螺由Shupe误差引起的热致旋转速率误差数学模型离散化的基础上,结合ANSYS有限元分析软件建立了精确到匝的光纤环十六极对称绕法有限元模型。根据所建立的光纤环温度分布模型,仿真分析比较了在光纤环四周施加变化的温度激励和分别在径向和轴向施加相同的恒定温度激励下,十六极对称绕法与四极和八极对称绕法绕制的光纤陀螺的温度性能。仿真实验结果显示:由十六极对称绕法绕制的光纤陀螺的热致旋转速率误差要低于四极和八极对称绕法1~2个数量级,这对十六极对称绕法在高精度光纤陀螺中的应用具有重要意义。     

Simulation of single‐ and two‐phase flows on sliding unstructured meshes using finite volume method

The paper presents an efficient finite volume method for unstructured grids with rotating sliding parts composed of arbitrary polyhedral elements for both single‐ and two‐phase flows. Mathematical model used in computations is based on the ensemble averaged conservation equations. These equations are solved for each phase and in case of single‐phase flow reduce to the transient Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes (TRANS) equations. Transient flow induced by rotating impellers is thus resolved in time. The use of unstructured grids allows an easy and flexible meshing for the entire flow domain. Polyhedral cell volumes are created on the arbitrary mesh interface placed between rotating and static parts. Cells within the rotating parts move each time step and the new faces are created on the arbitrary interfaces only, while the rest of the domain remain ‘topologically’ unchanged. Implicit discretization scheme allows a wide range of time‐step sizes, which further reduce the computational effort. Special attention is given to the interpolation practices used for the reconstruction of the face quantities. Mass fluxes are recalculated at the beginning of each time step by using an interpolation scheme, which enhances the coupling between the pressure and velocity fields. The model has been implemented into the commercially available CFD code AVL SWIFT (AVL AST, SWIFT Manual 3.1, AVL List GmbH, Graz, Austria, 2002). Single‐phase flow in a mixing vessel stirred by a six‐bladed Rushton‐type turbine and two‐phase flow in aerated stirred vessel with the four‐blade Rushton impeller are simulated. The results are compared with the available experimental data, and good agreement is observed. The proposed algorithm is proved to be both stable and accurate for single‐phase as well as for the two‐phase flows calculations. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.