Application of ‘Operational Quadrature Methods’ in Time Domain Boundary Element Methods

The usual time domain Boundary Element Method (BEM) contains fundamentalsolutions which are convoluted with time-dependent boundary data andintegrated over the boundary surface. Here, a new approach for theevaluation of the convolution integrals, the so-called OperationalQuadrature Methods developed by Lubich, is presented. In thisformulation, the convolution integral is numerically approximated by aquadrature formula whose weights are determined using the Laplacetransform of the fundamental solution and a linear multisep method. Tostudy the behaviour of the method, the numerical convolution of afundamental solution with a unit step function is compared with theanalytical result. Then, a time domain Boundary Element formulationapplying the Operational Quadrature Methods is derived. For thisformulation only the fundamental solutions in Laplace domain arenecessary. The properties of the new formulation are studied with anumerical example.     

Numerical solution of Navier–Stokes equations using multiquadric radial basis function networks

A numerical method based on radial basis function networks (RBFNs) for solving steady incompressible viscous flow problems (including Boussinesq materials) is presented in this paper. The method uses a ‘universal approximator’ based on neural network methodology to represent the solutions. The method is easy to implement and does not require any kind of ‘finite element‐type’ discretization of the domain and its boundary. Instead, two sets of random points distributed throughout the domain and on the boundary are required. The first set defines the centres of the RBFNs and the second defines the collocation points. The two sets of points can be different; however, experience shows that if the two sets are the same better results are obtained. In this work the two sets are identical and hence commonly referred to as the set of centres. Planar Poiseuille, driven cavity and natural convection flows are simulated to verify the method. The numerical solutions obtained using only relatively low densities of centres are in good agreement with analytical and benchmark solutions available in the literature. With uniformly distributed centres, the method achieves Reynolds number Re = 100 000 for the Poiseuille flow (assuming that laminar flow can be maintained) using the density of , Re = 400 for the driven cavity flow with a density of and Rayleigh number Ra = 1 000 000 for the natural convection flow with a density of . Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Scaled-boundary method in electroelasticity of thin plates

The paper discusses the scaled-boundary method as applied to electroelastic problems. As an example, the stress-intensity factor is calculated for a thin rectangular piezoelectric plate with an edge crack __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 42, No. 7, pp. 124–134, July 2006.     

Boundary element simulations of spheres settling in circular,square and triangular conduits

Numerical simulations of a spherical particle sedimenting in circular, triangular and square conduits containing a viscous, inertialess, Newtonian fluid were investigated using the Boundary Element Method (BEM). Settling velocities and pressure drops for spheres falling along the centre-lines of the conduits were computed for a definitive range of sphere sizes. The numerical simulations for the settling velocities showed good agreement with existing experimental data. The most accurate analytic solution for a sphere settling along the axis of a circular conduit produced results which were almost indistinguishable from the present BEM calculations. For a sphere falling along the centre-line of a square conduit, the BEM calculations for small spheres agreed well with analytic results. No analytic results for a sphere falling along the axis of a triangular conduit were available for comparison. Extrapolation of the BEM predictions for the pressure drops, to infinitely small spheres, showed remarkable agreement with analytic results. For the circular conduit, the sphere's settling velocity and angular velocity were computed as a function of drop position for small, medium and large spheres. Excellent agreement with a reflection solution was achieved for the small sphere. In addition, end effects were investigated for centre-line drops and compared where possible with available experimental data and analytic results.Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA.     

Multi-frequency oscillations in self-excited systems

A self-excited three-mass chain system is considered here. For a self-excitation of van der Pol type, the possibility of multi-frequency oscillations is investigated. Both analytical approximate solutions and numerical simulation are used. The averaging method is used to establish existence and stability of the normal modes, the two-frequency modes as well as the three-frequency oscillations solutions. We found at first that the single mode seems to prevail. However a three-frequency solution can be stabilised by adapting the system slightly. A generic bifurcation diagram is given where all the possible phase portraits are sketched. The flow turns out to be quite predictable. There is no “room” for chaos or strange attractors. This behaviour is not typical for systems of coupled oscillators but turns out to be partly related to the involved symmetries as well as the particular choice of the system parameters.     

Nonlinear analysis of the forced response of a beam with three mode interaction

An analysis is presented for the primary resonance of a clamped-hinged beam, which occurs when the frequency of excitation is near one of the natural frequencies,_n . Three mode interaction (₂ 3₁ and _{3 1} + 2₂) is considered and its influence on the response is studied. The case of two mode interaction (₂ 3₁) is also considered to compare it with the case of three mode interaction. The straight beam experiencing mid-plane stretching is governed by a nonlinear partial differential equation. By using Galerkin's method the governing equation is reduced to a system of nonautonomous ordinary differential equations. The method of multiple scales is applied to solve the system. Steady-state responses and their stability are examined. Results of numerical investigations show that there exists no significant difference between both modal interactions' influences on the responses.     

Numerical simulation of large amplitude oscillatory shear of a high-density polyethylene melt using the MSF model

We study the flow response in large amplitude oscillatory shear of the molecular stress function (MSF) model that has recently been proposed by Wagner et al. [M.H. Wagner, P. Rubio, H. Bastian, The molecular stress function model for polydisperse polymer melts with dissipative convective constraint release, J. Rheol. 45 (2001) 1387–1412]. The MSF model is derived from molecular theory and has only two parameters to describe the non-linear material response. The model predictions are analysed in both the frequency and time domain. It shows good agreement with experimental data for a linear high-density polyethylene melt. At low and medium strains, MSF model predictions are in excellent agreement with experimental data and predictions of a six-mode Giesekus model which has six parameters to describe the non-linear material response. At medium strains, the basic Doi–Edwards model, which has no non-linear parameters, already underpredicts the data. At high strains, the MSF model predictions agree slightly better with the experimental data than the Giesekus model. Surprisingly, however, it is the Doi–Edwards model that shows excellent agreement with experimental data at high strains. For the linear melt we consider, it outperforms the models that have non-linear parameters, both in the time and frequency domain.     

Dispersion de Taylor généralisée à un fluide à propriétés physiques variablesGeneralized Taylor dispersion for heterogeneous fluid

The investigation of non-reactive miscible solute dispersion in a vertical Hele–Shaw cell is considered. An asymptotic method is used to extend Taylor model to the case of the fluid density, the dynamic viscosity and the molecular diffusion coefficient are solute concentration-dependent. It is demonstrated that the averaged variables over the gap are governed by a convection–dispersion equation in which the dispersion tensor is concentration-dependent. To cite this article: C. Felder et al., C. R. Mecanique 332 (2004).     

The Existence Stability and Approximate Expressions of Periodic Solutions of Strongly Nonlinear Nonautonomous Systems with Multi-Degree-of-Freedom

Based upon the conservation of average energy a theorem about the periodic solutions of strongly nonlinear nonautomous systems with multi-degree-of freedom is proved. This theorem can not only decide the existence and stability of the periodic solutions, but at the same time can also give their first-order and second-order approximate expressions.     

Large thermal deflections of Timoshenko beams under transversely non-uniform temperature rise

Geometrically non-linear deformation of axially extensional Timoshenko beams subjected mechanical as well thermal loadings were characterized by a system of 7 coupled and highly non-linear ordinary differential equations, which results in a complicated two-point boundary-value problem. By using shooting method this kind of problem can be numerically solved efficiently. Based on the above-mentioned mathematical formulation and numerical procedure, analysis of large thermal deflections for Timoshenko beams, subjected transversely non-uniform temperature rise and with immovably pinned–pinned as well as fixed–fixed ends, is presented. Characteristic curves showing the relationships between the beam deformation and temperature rise are illustrated. Especially, the effects of shear deformation on the bending and buckling response are quantitatively investigated. The numerical results show, as we know, that shear deformation effects become significant with the decrease of the slenderness and with the increase of the shear flexibility.