Stability conditions of explicit integration algorithms when using 3D viscoelastic artificial boundaries

Viscoelastic artificial boundaries are widely adopted in numerical simulations of wave propagation problems.When explicit time-domain integration algorithms are used,the stability condition of the boundary domain is stricter than that of the internal region due to the influence of the damping and stiffness of an viscoelastic artificial boundary.The lack of a clear and practical stability criterion for this problem,however,affects the reasonable selection of an integral time step when using viscoelastic artificial boundaries.In this study,we investigate the stability conditions of explicit integration algorithms when using three-dimensional(3D)viscoelastic artificial boundaries through an analysis method based on a local subsystem.Several boundary subsystems that can represent localized characteristics of a complete numerical model are established,and their analytical stability conditions are derived from and further compared to one another.The stability of the complete model is controlled by the corner regions,and thus,the global stability criterion for the numerical model with viscoelastic artificial boundaries is obtained.Next,by analyzing the impact of different factors on stability conditions,we recommend a stability coefficient for practically estimating the maximum stable integral time step in the dynamic analysis when using 3D viscoelastic artificial boundaries.

A fully-explicit discontinuous Galerkin hydrodynamic model for variably-saturated porous media

Groundwater flows play a key role in the recharge of aquifers, the transport of solutes through subsurface systems or the control of surface runoff. Predicting these processes requires the use of groundwater models with their applicability directly linked to their accuracy and computational efficiency. In this paper, we present a new method to model water dynamics in variably- saturated porous media. Our model is based on a fully-explicit discontinuous-Galerkin formulation of the 3D Richards equation, which shows a perfect scaling on parallel architectures. We make use of an adapted jump penalty term for the discontinuous-Galerkin scheme and of a slope limiter algorithm to produce oscillation-free exactly conservative solutions. We show that such an approach is particularly well suited to infiltration fronts. The model results are in good agreement with the reference model Hydrus-lD and seem promising for large scale applications involving a coarse representation of saturated soil.

Finite particle method for kinematically indeterminate bar assemblies

This study presents a structural analysis algorithm called the finite particle method （FPM） for kinematically indeterminate bar assemblies. Different from the traditional analysis method, FPM is based on the combination of the vector mechanics and numerical calculations. It models the analyzed domain composed of finite particles. Newton＇s second law is adopted to describe the motions of all particles. A convected material flame and explicit time integration for the solution procedure is also adopted in this method. By using the FPM, there is no need to solve any nonlinear equations, to calculate the stiffness matrix or equilibrium matrix, which is very helpful in the analysis of kinematically indeterminate structures. The basic formulations for the space bar are derived, following its solution procedures for bar assemblies. Three numerical examples are analyzed using the FPM. Results obtained from both the straight pretension cable and the suspension cable assembly show that the FPM can produce a more accurate analysis result. The motion simulation of the four-bar space assembly demonstrates the capability of this method in the analysis ofkinematically indeterminate structures.

An efficient numerical shape analysis for light weight membrane structures

The determination of initial equilibrium shapes is a common problem in research work and engineering applications related to membrane structures. Using a general structural analysis framework of the finite particle method （FPM）, this paper presents the first application of the FPM and a recently-developed membrane model to the shape analysis of light weight mem- branes. The FPM is rooted in vector mechanics and physical viewpoints. It discretizes the analyzed domain into a group of parti- cles linked by elements, and the motion of the free particles is directly described by Newton＇s second law while the constrained ones follow the prescribed paths. An efficient physical modeling procedure of handling geometric nonlinearity has been developed to evaluate the particle interaction forces. To achieve the equilibrium shape as fast as possible, an integral-form, explicit time integration scheme has been proposed for solving the equation of motion. The equilibrium shape can be obtained naturally without nonlinear iterative correction and global stiffness matrix integration. Two classical curved surfaces of tension membranes pro- duced under the uniform-stress condition are presented to verify the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method.