Particle Lagrangian Tracking with Hydrodynamic Interactions and Collisions

Hydrodynamic interactions between particle pairs are included in a Lagrangian approach for the simulation of the turbulent dispersion of a discrete particle. Several particles are simultaneously followed, and the set of equations of motion involves a coupling between particles through the use of a resistance matrix pertaining to the sedimentation theory. Results are presented for particle behavior in low turbulence fields, where collisions between particle pairs are assumed to be perfectly elastic. The influence of the turbulence anisotropy is considered and the anisotropy of the particle fluctuating motion is shown to be reduced by collisions.     

Collisions and Regularization for the 3-Vortex Problem

We study the dynamics of 3 point-vortices on the plane for a fluid governed by Euler’s equations, concentrating on the case when the moment of inertia is zero. We prove that the only motions that lead to total collisions are self-similar and that there are no binary collisions. Also, we give a regularization of the reduced system around collinear configurations (excluding binary collisions) which smoothes out the dynamics. Both authors gratefully acknowledge support from DGAPA-UNAM under project PAPIIT IN101902 and from CONACyT under grant 32167-E. The second author thanks the hospitality of IIMAS-UNAM during the preparation of this paper.     

The Geometry of Binary Collisions and Generalized Radon Transforms

Elastic collisions are characterized by the conservation of momentum and energy. We consider some geometrical aspects of such collisions, when the energy of one particle can be expressed in terms of the moments as . The geometry of elastic collisions is essential for the regularizing property of the gain term in the Boltzmann equation, which was proved by P.-L. Lions. We show how such results can be deduced from a regularity theorem for generalized Radon transforms by Sogge & Stein. This is possible for and for ; we also show that the same technique cannot be used with other choices of . (Accepted May 20, 1996)     

The analytical predictive criteria for chaos and escape in nonlinear oscillators: A survey

The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief summary of the various analytical predictive criteria in order for strange phenomena to occur in a class of softening nonlinear oscillators, oscillators which may exhibit escape from a potential well. Implications of Melnikov's criteria are discussed first and transient chaos in the twin-well potential oscillator is illustrated. Three different heuristic criteria for steady state chaos or escape solution, proposes by F. Moon, G. Schmidt and W. Szempliskia-Stupnicka, are then presented and compared to computer simulation results.     

A novel ADP based model-free predictive control

Dynamic programming is a very useful tool in solving optimization and optimal control problems. Here, the Approximate Dynamic Programming (ADP) and the notion of neural networks based predictive control are combined with a model-free control method based on SPSA (Simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation), and a novel ADP based model-free predictive control strategy for nonlinear systems is proposed. Dynamic programming is used to adjust the control parameters in the novel model-free control method and the notion of predictive control is introduced to modify the whole control structure. Finally, the proposed ADP based model-free predictive control strategy is applied to solve nonlinear tracking problems and the effectiveness of this novel control method is fully illustrated though simulation tests on two typical nonlinear systems.     

Quantifying the extent of crushing in granular materials: A probability-based predictive method

Grain crushing is one of the micromechanisms that governs the stress-strain behaviour of a granular material, and also its permeability by altering the grain size distribution. It is therefore advantageous to be able to predict the point of onset of crushing and to quantify the subsequent evolution of crushing. This paper uses the data of Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations to inform a statistical model of granular crushing. Distributions of normalised contact forces are first obtained. If the statistical distribution of the crushing strength of the grains is then known, the onset of crushing within an assembly of grains should be predictable. Two different cases, one in which grain strength was statistically independent of grain size and one showing an arbitrary trend, were used to compare with DEM results and so confirm the validity of the statistical method.     

A hyperchaotic time-delayed system with single-humped nonlinearity: theory and experiment

In this paper, two different concepts of multiple task motion planning algorithm for nonholonomic systems are considered. The egalitarian approach treats all the tasks equivalently and tries to solve all the tasks simultaneously. In contrast, the prioritarian approach arranges the tasks with decreasing priorities in such a way that the solution of the lower order task should not influence the solution of the higher order task. This paper contains the derivation of the egalitarian motion planning algorithm and the prioritarian motion planning algorithm. Moreover, the definitions of the three types of basic subtasks are also included. The efficiency of the egalitarian and prioritarian algorithms is presented with the simulation of the nonholonomic model of the unmanned surface vessel. The simulation results provide the data to perform a comparison of the egalitarian versus the prioritarian approach.     

A new predictive model for fragmenting and non-fragmenting binary droplet collisions

A new predictive model for collisional interactions between liquid droplets, which is valid for moderate to high Weber numbers (>40), has been developed and validated. Four possible collision outcomes, viz., bouncing, coalescence, reflexive separation and stretching separation, are considered. Fragmentations in stretching and reflexive separations are modeled by assuming that the interacting droplets form an elongating ligament that either breaks up by capillary wave instability, or retracts to form a single satellite droplet. The outcome of a collision, number of satellites formed from separation processes and the post-collision characteristics such as velocity and drop-size are compared with available experimental data. The comparisons include colliding mono- and poly-disperse streams of droplets of different fuels under atmospheric conditions, and the results agree reasonably well.     

Integrability for peaffian constrained systems: A geometrical theory

There exists an Ehresmann connection on the fibred constrained sub-manifold defined by Pfaffian differential constraints. It is proved that curvature of the connection is closely related to the d-σ commutation relation in the classical nonholonomic mechanics. It is also proved that conditions of complete integrability for Pfaffian systems in Frobenius sense are equivalent to the three requirements upon the conditional variations in the classical calculus of variations: (1) the variations belong to the constrained manifold, (2) variational operators commute with differential operators, (3) variations satisfy the Chetaev's conditions. Thus this theory verifies the conjecture or experience of researchers of mechanics on the integrability conditions in terms of variation calculus. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China     

The bimodal theory of plasticity: A form-invariant generalisation

The bimodal plasticity model of fibre-reinforced materials is currently available and applicable only in association with thin-walled fibrous composites containing a family of straight fibres which are conveniently assumed parallel with the x₁-axis of an appropriately chosen Cartesian co-ordinate system. Based on reliable experimental evidence, the model suggests that plastic slip in the composite operates in two distinct modes; the so-called matrix dominated mode (MDM) which depends on a matrix yield stress, and the fibre dominated mode (FDM) which depends also on the fibre yield stress. Each mode is activated by different states of applied stress, has its own yield surface (or surfaces) in the stress space and has its own segment on the overall yield surface of the composite. This paper employs theory of tensor representations and produces a form-invariant generalisation of both modes of the model. This generalisation furnishes the model with direct applicability to relevant plasticity problems, regardless of the shape of the fibres or the orientation of the co-ordinate system. It thus provides a proper mathematical foundation that underpins important physical concepts associated with the model while it also elucidates several technical relevant issues. A most interesting of those issues is the revelation that activation of the MDM plastic regime is possible only if the applied stress state allows the fibres to act like they are practically inextensible. Moreover, activation of the more dominant, between the two MDM plastic slip branches is possible only if conditions of material incompressibility hold, in addition to the implied condition of fibre inextensibility. A direct mathematical connection is thus achieved between basic, experimentally verified concepts of the bimodal plasticity model and a relevant mathematical model originated earlier from the theory of ideal fibre-reinforced materials. An additional issue of discussion involves the number of independent yield stress parameters that the bimodal theory needs to take into consideration. Moreover, an analytical expression is provided of a relatively simple mathematical surface that possesses all known features of the FDM yield surface; currently captured with the aid of both experimental and computational means. The present study is guided by the existing relevant experimental evidence which, however, is principally associated with the plastic behaviour of solids reinforced by strong fibres. Nevertheless, several of the outlined developments are expected to be applicable to composite materials containing a single family of more compliant or even weak fibres.     

Superstatistics: theory and applications

Superstatistics is a superposition of two different statistics relevant to driven nonequilibrium systems with a stationary state and intensive parameter fluctuations. It contains Tsallis statistics as a special case. After briefly summarizing some of the theoretical aspects, we describe recent applications of this concept to three different physical problems, namely a) fully developed hydrodynamic turbulence, b) pattern formation in thermal convection states, and c) the statistics of cosmic rays.Received: 13 March 2003, Accepted: 27 May 2003, Published online: 9 December 2003PACS: 05.40.-a     

A theory of mixtures

This paper is concerned with a dynamical theory of mixtures, composed of n reactive constituents in relative motion to each other. The theory is developed in terms of the constituent ingredients using a balance of energy and an entropy production inequality for each constituent of the mixture, together with invariance requirements under superposed rigid body motions of the whole mixture. The balance of energy and the entropy production inequality for each of the constituents, which include contributions arising from interactions, combine to yield a single energy equation and a single entropy production inequality in terms of the ingredients of the mixture as a whole; the relations between the thermodynamical variables of the mixture and those of its constituents depend, in general, on the past history of the temperature and the kinematic variables. Full thermodynamical restrictions are deduced, and the theory is applied to the special case of a mixture of two ideal fluids.     

Dynamic void nucleation and growth in solids: A self-consistent statistical theory

We present a framework for a self-consistent theory of spall fracture in ductile materials, based on the dynamics of void nucleation and growth. The constitutive model for the material is divided into elastic and “plastic” parts, where the elastic part represents the volumetric response of a porous elastic material, and the “plastic” part is generated by a collection of representative volume elements (RVEs) of incompressible material. Each RVE is a thick-walled spherical shell, whose average porosity is the same as that of the surrounding porous continuum, thus simulating void interaction through the resulting lowered resistance to further void growth. All voids nucleate and grow according to the appropriate dynamics for a thick-walled sphere made of incompressible material. The macroscopic spherical stress in the material drives the response in all volume elements, which have a distribution of critical stresses for void nucleation, and the statistically weighted sum of the void volumes of all RVEs generates the global porosity. Thus, macroscopic pressure, porosity, and a distribution of growing microscopic voids are fully coupled dynamically. An example is given for a rate-independent, perfectly plastic material. The dynamics of void growth gives rise to a rate effect in the macroscopic material even though the parent material is rate independent.     

Cavitation in elastomeric solids: I—A defect-growth theory

It is by now well established that loading conditions with sufficiently large triaxialities can induce the sudden appearance of internal cavities within elastomeric (and other soft) solids. The occurrence of such instabilities, commonly referred to as cavitation, can be attributed to the growth of pre-existing defects into finite sizes. This paper introduces a new theory to study the phenomenon of cavitation in soft solids that: (i) allows to consider general 3D loading conditions with arbitrary triaxiality, (ii) applies to large (including compressible and anisotropic) classes of nonlinear elastic solids, and (iii) incorporates direct information on the initial shape, spatial distribution, and mechanical properties of the underlying defects at which cavitation can initiate. The basic idea is to first cast cavitation in elastomeric solids as a homogenization problem of nonlinear elastic materials containing random distributions of zero-volume cavities, or defects. This problem is then addressed by means of a novel iterated homogenization procedure, which allows to construct solutions for a specific, yet fairly general, class of defects. These include solutions for the change in size of the defects as a function of the applied loading conditions, from which the onset of cavitation — corresponding to the event when the initially infinitesimal defects suddenly grown into finite sizes — can be readily determined. In spite of the generality of the proposed approach, the relevant calculations amount to solving tractable Hamilton-Jacobi equations, in which the initial size of the defects plays the role of “time” and the applied load plays the role of “space”. When specialized to the case of hydrostatic loading conditions, isotropic solids, and defects that are vacuous and isotropically distributed, the proposed theory recovers the classical result of Ball (1982) for radially symmetric cavitation. The nature and implications of this remarkable connection are discussed in detail.     

A note on capillary viscometer theory: Start-up flow contribution

In gravity flow type capillary viscometer, the non-linear relationship between kinematic viscosity and efflux time can be due to two factors — the well known kinetic energy correction and the start-up flow during which the flow within the capillary attains its Poiseuillean character. The start-up contribution, however, appears to be an order of magnitude lower than that introduced by the kinetic energy correction for commonly used low-viscosity liquids encountered in practice.     

Collisions and Fracture: a 1-D Theory. How to Tear off a Chandelier from the Ceiling

When a plate falls on the ground, it breaks. We study this phenomenon at the macroscopic level. We restrict ourselves to 1-D problems and illustrate the theory with a chandelier to which a falling stone is tied. The collisions are assumed instantaneous. Percussions are introduced at the unknown fracture points. Equations of motion and constitutive laws give a set of differential equations, whose corresponding variational problem may be solved in SBV (special functions of bounded variation). The example shows how the theory applies and gives realistic results.