A Weighted Least-Squares Mixed Finite Element Formulation for Quasi-Incompressible Elastodynamics

The purpose of this work is the application of the least-squares finite element method to an elastodynamic, quasi-incompressible problem under small strain assumptions. Therefore a mixed finite element based on a weighted least-squares formulation is developed. The L₂-norm minimization of the time-discretized residuals of the given first-order system of partial differential equations leads to a functional depending on displacements and stresses. In the numerical example the proposed mixed element is compared to an alternative approach, which is based on a least-squares mixed finite element with improved momentum balance, see [1]. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Finite thermo-viscoplasticity of amorphous glassy polymers: Experiments,modeling and simulations

The contribution is concerned with experimental procedures, constitutive modeling and the numerical simulations of finite thermo-viscoplastic behavior of glassy polymers. The experimental study involves both homogeneous and inhomogeneous tests at different temperatures under isothermal conditions. The true stress-true strain curves obtained from compressive homogeneous uniaxial and plane strain experiments are employed in the identification of adjustable material parameters. In contrast to the existing kinematic approaches to finite plasticity of glassy polymers, we propose a distinct kinematic framework constructed in the logarithmic strain space. This leads us to an algorithmically very attractive, additive kinematic structure in R⁶ similar to the geometrically linear theory. The proposed three-dimensional model is implemented into a finite element code. The load-displacement curves acquired from inhomogeneous experiments are compared against the results obtained from finite element analyses where the material parameters identified from homogeneous experiments are used. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Finite element differential forms

A differential form is a field which assigns to each point of a domain an alternating multilinear form on its tangent space. The exterior derivative operation, which maps differential forms to differential forms of the next higher order, unifies the basic first order differential operators of calculus, and is a building block for a great variety of differential equations. When discretizing such differential equations by finite element methods, stable discretization depends on the development of spaces of finite element differential forms. As revealed recently through the finite element exterior calculus, for each order of differential form, there are two natural families of finite element subspaces associated to a simplicial triangulation. In the case of forms of order zero, which are simply functions, these two families reduce to one, which is simply the well-known family of Lagrange finite element subspaces of the first order Sobolev space. For forms of degree 1 and of degree n − 1 (where n is the space dimension), we obtain two natural families of finite element subspaces, unifying many of the known mixed finite element spaces developed over the last decades. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On Exact Results in the Finite Element Method

We prove that the finite element method for one-dimensional problems yields no discretization error at nodal points provided the shape functions are appropriately chosen. Then we consider a biharmonic problem with mixed boundary conditions and the weak solution u. We show that the Galerkin approximation of u based on the so-called biharmonic finite elements is independent of the values of u in the interior of any subelement.     

A Least-Squares Mixed Finite Element for Quasi-Incompressible Elastodynamics

In the present work, a mixed finite element based on a modified least-squares formulation is proposed. Here, we consider the time-dependent equations for quasi-incompressible elastodynamics under small strain assumptions. The main goal is to obtain an accurate approximation of both displacements and stresses in particular for the lowest-order element. Basis for the element formulation is a weak form resulting from a least-squares method. The L₂-norm minimization of the time-discretized residuals of the given first-order system leads to a functional depending on approximations for displacements and stresses. By introducing a time-independent displacement test function, a weak form is derived. A numerical example concerning quasi-incompressible elasticity shows the performance of the approach for the lowest-order element RT₀P₁as. (© 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Approximation of the solution of a fourth order boundary value problem with nonsmooth coefficient

Summary A class of generalized finite element methods for the approximate solution of fourth order two point boundary value problem with nonsmooth coefficient is presented. The methods are based on the use of problem dependentL-splines incorporating the nonsmoothness of the coefficient. Stability is proved and optimal error estimates in theH ² norm are derived for the solution and postprocessed solution, under the assumption that the coefficient is of bounded variation. The relation of these methods to mixed methods is discussed.This research was sponsored by the Senate Research Committee of Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13210     

Finite element approximation of elliptic control problems with constraints on the gradient

We consider an elliptic optimal control problem with control constraints and pointwise bounds on the gradient of the state. We present a tailored finite element approximation to this optimal control problem, where the cost functional is approximated by a sequence of functionals which are obtained by discretizing the state equation with the help of the lowest order Raviart–Thomas mixed finite element. Pointwise bounds on the gradient variable are enforced in the elements of the triangulation. Controls are not discretized. Error bounds for control and state are obtained in two and three space dimensions. A numerical example confirms our analytical findings.     

Superconvergence of H 1-Galerkin Mixed Finite Element Methods for Second-Order Elliptic Equations

We derive superconvergence result for H ¹-Galerkin mixed finite element method for second-order elliptic equations over rectangular partitions. Compared to standard mixed finite element procedure, the method is not subject to the Ladyzhenskaya–Bab?ska–Brezzi (LBB) condition and the approximating finite element spaces are allowed to be of different polynomial degrees. Superconvergence estimate of order 𝒪(h ^k+3), where k ≥ 1 is the order of the approximating polynomials employed in the Raviart–Thomas elements, is established for the flux via a postprocessing technique.     

On the construction of stable curvilinear pp version elements for mixed formulations of elasticity and Stokes flow

Summary. The use of mixed finite element methods is well-established in the numerical approximation of the problem of nearly incompressible elasticity, and its limit, Stokes flow. The question of stability over curved elements for such methods is of particular significance in the p version, where, since the element size remains fixed, exact representation of the curved boundary by (large) elements is often used. We identify a mixed element which we show to be optimally stable in both p and h refinement over curvilinear meshes. We prove optimal p version (up to ) and h version (p = 2, 3) convergence for our element, and illustrate its optimality through numerical experiments. Received August 25, 1998 / Revised version received February 16, 1999 / Published online April 20, 2000 –? Springer-Verlag 2000     

Analysis of Micro- and Macro-Instability Phenomena in Computational Homogenization of Finite Electro-Statics

Dielectric materials such as electro-active polymers (EAPs) belong to the class of functional materials which are used in advanced industrial environments as sensors or actuators and in other innovative fields of research. Driven by Coulomb-type electrostatic forces EAPs are theoretically able to withstand deformations of several hundred percents. However, large actuation fields and different types of instabilities prohibit the ascend of these materials. One distinguishes between global structural instabilities such as buckling and wrinkling of EAP devices, and local material instabilities such as limit- and bifurcation-points in the constitutive response. We outline variational-based stability criteria in finite electro-elastostatics and design algorithms for accompanying stability checks in typical finite element computations. These accompanying stability checks are embedded into a computational homogenization framework to predict the macroscopic overall response and onset of local material instability of particle filled composite materials. Application and validation of the suggested method is demonstrated by representative model problems. (© 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A TWO-LEVEL FINITE ELEMENT GALERKIN METHOD FOR THE NONSTATIONARY NAVIER-STOKES EQUATIONS I： SPATIAL DISCRETIZATION

In this article we consider a two-level finite element Galerkin method using mixed finite elements for the two-dimensional nonstationary incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The method yields a $H^1$-optimal velocity approximation and a $L_2$-optimal pressure approximation. The two-level finite element Galerkin method involves solving one small, nonlinear Navier-Stokes problem on the coarse mesh with mesh size $H$, one linear Stokes problem on the fine mesh with mesh size $h << H$. The algorithm we study produces an approximate solution with the optimal, asymptotic in $h$, accuracy.     

Remarks on a Least Squares Mixed Finite Element for Plane Elasticity

The objective of this work is to discuss a least squares finite element method within plane elasticity problems. The L ₂-norm minimization of the residuals of the given first order system of differential equations leads to a functional, which is a two field formulation in the displacements and the stresses. The governing equations for the considered least squares mixed finite element are derived. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

伪双曲方程的新混合有限元方法

构造分析一类二阶伪双曲方程的H1-Galerkin扩展混合有限元方法,该方法采用了扩展混合有限元方法和H1-Galerkin混合有限元方法相结合的技巧.新的格式同时保持了扩展混合有限元方法和H1-Galerkin混合有限元方法的优点.该混合格式与标准的混合格式相比能同时逼近三个变量:未知函数、梯度和流量(系数乘以梯度),并且不必满足LBB相容性条件.     

Mixed-hybrid finite elements and streamline computation for the potential flow problem

An important class of problems in mathematical physics involves equations of the form ?? · (A??) = f. In a variety of problems it is desirable to obtain an accurate approximation of the flow quantity u = ?A??. Such an accurate approximation can be determined by the mixed finite element method. In this article the lowest-order mixed method is discussed in detail. The mixed finite element method results in a large system of linear equations with an indefinite coefficient matrix. This drawback can be circumvented by the hybridization technique, which leads to a symmetric positive-definite system. This system can be solved efficiently by the preconditioned conjugate gradient method. After approximating u by the lowest-order mixed finite element method, streamlines and residence times can be determined easily and accurately by computations at the element level.     

Variational Phase Field Modeling of Laminate Deformation Microstructure in Finite Gradient Crystal Plasticity

The macroscopic mechanical behavior of many materials crucially depends on the formation and evolution of their microstructure. In this work, we consider the formation and evolution of laminate deformation microstructure in plasticity. Inspired by work on the variational modeling of phase transformation [5] and building on related work on multislip gradient crystal plasticity [9], we present a new finite strain model for the formation and evolution of laminate deformation microstructure in double slip gradient crystal plasticity. Basic ingredients of our model are a nonconvex hardening potential and two gradient terms accounting for geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) by use of the dislocation density tensor and regularizing the sharp interfaces between different kinematically coherent plastic slip states. The plastic evolution is described by means of a nonsmooth dissipation potential for which we propose a new regularization. We formulate a continuous gradient-extended rate-variational framework and discretize it in time to obtain an incremental-variational formulation. Discretization in space yields a finite element formulation which is used to demonstrate the capability of our model to predict the formation and evolution of laminate deformation microstructure in f.c.c. Copper with two active slip systems in the same slip plane. (© 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A Priori Error Estimates for Finite Element Methods for H (2,1)-Elliptic Equations

The convergence of finite element methods for linear elliptic boundary value problems of second and forth order is well understood. In this article, we introduce finite element approximations of some linear semi-elliptic boundary value problem of mixed order on a two-dimensional rectangular domain Q. The equation is of second order in one direction and forth order in the other and appears in the optimal control of parabolic partial differential equations if one eliminates the control and the state (or the adjoint state) in the first order optimality conditions. We establish a regularity result and estimate for the finite element error of conforming approximations of this equation. The finite elements in use have a tensor product structure, in one dimension we use linear, quadratic or cubic Lagrange elements in the other dimension cubic Hermite elements. For these elements, we prove the error bound O(h ² + τ ^k ) in the energy norm and O((h ² + τ ^k )(h ² + τ)) in the L ²(Q)-norm.     

Finite strain inelasticity for isotropy,a simple and efficient finite element formulation

We consider a formulation of associative isotropic J₂‐elastoplasticity at finite inelastic strains and aspects of its numerical implementation. The essential ingredients include the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient in elastic and inelastic parts, the definition of a convex elastic domain in stress space and a material representation of the constitutive equations for general non‐Cartesian coordinate charts. On the numerical side we propose a stress update algorithm for elasto‐plastic response, including isotropic hardening. The finite element formulation is based on assumed strain and enhanced strain variational principles, for a complete outline see [3]. Remarkably the formulation is very similar to the case of infinitesimal plasticity: (i) The scheme of linear return mapping algorithm takes the form of standard return mapping of the infinitesimal theory for the case of isotropic elastic response. (ii) The algorithmic elastoplastic moduli have a similar structure as in the linear case. Together with an exact fulfillment of plastic incompressibility by means of a simple correction one achieves an advantageously efficient finite element formulation. Its performance is documented by a numerical example.     

p-version finite elements and finite cells for finite strain elastoplastic problems

In this paper, the p-version finite element method and its fictitious domain extension, the finite cell method, are extended to the finite strain J₂ plasticity. High-order shape functions are used for the finite element approximation of volume-preserving plastic dominated deformations. The accuracy and efficiency of p-version elements and cells in the finite plastic strain range are evaluated by the computation of two benchmark problems. It is shown that they provide locking free behavior and simplified meshing. These results are verified in comparison with the results of h-version elements in F-bar formulation. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)