PREPROCESSING AND POSTPROCESSING SYSTEM FOR FINITE ELEMENT COMPUTATION

This paper discusses some aspects of finite element computation,such as the automatic generation of finite element ,refinement of mesh,process of node density, distribution of load,optimum design and the drawing of stress contour, and describes the developing process of software for a planar 8 node element.

A stable implicit nodal integration-based particle finite element method(N-PFEM)for modelling saturated soil dynamics

In this study,we present a novel nodal integration-based particle finite element method(N-PFEM)designed for the dynamic analysis of saturated soils.Our approach incorporates the nodal integration technique into a generalised Hellinger-Reissner(HR)variational principle,creating an implicit PFEM formulation.To mitigate the volumetric locking issue in low-order elements,we employ a node-based strain smoothing technique.By discretising field variables at the centre of smoothing cells,we achieve nodal integration over cells,eliminating the need for sophisticated mapping operations after re-meshing in the PFEM.We express the discretised governing equations as a min-max optimisation problem,which is further reformulated as a standard second-order cone programming(SOCP)problem.Stresses,pore water pressure,and displacements are simultaneously determined using the advanced primal-dual interior point method.Consequently,our numerical model offers improved accuracy for stresses and pore water pressure compared to the displacement-based PFEM formulation.Numerical experiments demonstrate that the N-PFEM efficiently captures both transient and long-term hydro-mechanical behaviour of saturated soils with high accuracy,obviating the need for stabilisation or regularisation techniques commonly employed in other nodal integration-based PFEM approaches.This work holds significant implications for the development of robust and accurate numerical tools for studying saturated soil dynamics.

Finite element response sensitivity analysis of three-dimensional soil-foundation-structure interaction (SFSI) systems

The nonlinear finite element（FE） analysis has been widely used in the design and analysis of structural or geotechnical systems.The response sensitivities（or gradients） to the model parameters are of significant importance in these realistic engineering problems.However the sensitivity calculation has lagged behind,leaving a gap between advanced FE response analysis and other research hotspots using the response gradient.The response sensitivity analysis is crucial for any gradient-based algorithms,such as reliability analysis,system identification and structural optimization.Among various sensitivity analysis methods,the direct differential method（DDM） has advantages of computing efficiency and accuracy,providing an ideal tool for the response gradient calculation.This paper extended the DDM framework to realistic complicated soil-foundation-structure interaction（SFSI） models by developing the response gradients for various constraints,element and materials involved.The enhanced framework is applied to three-dimensional SFSI system prototypes for a pilesupported bridge pier and a pile-supported reinforced concrete building frame structure,subjected to earthquake loading conditions.The DDM results are verified by forward finite difference method（FFD）.The relative importance（RI） of the various material parameters on the responses of SFSI system are investigated based on the DDM response sensitivity results.The FFD converges asymptotically toward the DDM results,demonstrating the advantages of DDM（e.g.,accurate,efficient,insensitive to numerical noise）.Furthermore,the RI and effects of the model parameters of structure,foundation and soil materials on the responses of SFSI systems are investigated by taking advantage of the sensitivity analysis results.The extension of DDM to SFSI systems greatly broaden the application areas of the d gradient-based algorithms,e.g.FE model updating and nonlinear system identification of complicated SFSI systems.

PARALLEL ANALYSIS OF COMBINED FINITE/DISCRETE ELEMENT SYSTEMS ON PC CLUSTER

A computational strategy is presented for the nonlinear dynamic analysis of large- scale combined finite/discrete element systems on a PC cluster.In this strategy,a dual-level domain decomposition scheme is adopted to implement the dynamic domain decomposition.The domain decomposition approach perfectly matches the requirement of reducing the memory size per processor of the calculation.To treat the contact between boundary elements in neighbouring subdomains,the elements in a subdomain are classified into internal,interfacial and external elements.In this way,all the contact detect algorithms developed for a sequential computation could be adopted directly in the parallel computation.Numerical examples show that this implementation is suitable for simulating large-scale problems.Two typical numerical examples are given to demonstrate the parallel efficiency and scalability on a PC cluster.

Nonlinear finite-element-based structural system failure probability analysis methodology for gravity dams considering correlated failure modes

The structural system failure probability(SFP) is a valuable tool for evaluating the global safety level of concrete gravity dams.Traditional methods for estimating the failure probabilities are based on defined mathematical descriptions,namely,limit state functions of failure modes.Several problems are to be solved in the use of traditional methods for gravity dams.One is how to define the limit state function really reflecting the mechanical mechanism of the failure mode;another is how to understand the relationship among failure modes and enable the probability of the whole structure to be determined.Performing SFP analysis for a gravity dam system is a challenging task.This work proposes a novel nonlinear finite-element-based SFP analysis method for gravity dams.Firstly,reasonable nonlinear constitutive modes for dam concrete,concrete/rock interface and rock foundation are respectively introduced according to corresponding mechanical mechanisms.Meanwhile the response surface(RS) method is used to model limit state functions of main failure modes through the Monte Carlo(MC) simulation results of the dam-interface-foundation interaction finite element(FE) analysis.Secondly,a numerical SFP method is studied to compute the probabilities of several failure modes efficiently by simple matrix integration operations.Then,the nonlinear FE-based SFP analysis methodology for gravity dams considering correlated failure modes with the additional sensitivity analysis is proposed.Finally,a comprehensive computational platform for interfacing the proposed method with the open source FE code Code Aster is developed via a freely available MATLAB software tool(FERUM).This methodology is demonstrated by a case study of an existing gravity dam analysis,in which the dominant failure modes are identified,and the corresponding performance functions are established.Then,the dam failure probability of the structural system is obtained by the proposed method considering the correlation relationship of main failure modes on the basis of the mechanical mechanism analysis with the MC-FE simulations.

THE SUPERCLOSENESS OF THE FINITE ELEMENT METHOD FOR A SINGULARLY PERTURBED CONVECTION-DIFFUSION PROBLEM ON A BAKHVALOV-TYPE MESH IN 2D

For singularly perturbed convection-diffusion problems,supercloseness analysis of the finite element method is still open on Bakhvalov-type meshes,especially in the case of 2D.The difficulties arise from the width of the mesh in the layer adjacent to the transition point,resulting in a suboptimal estimate for convergence.Existing analysis techniques cannot handle these difficulties well.To fill this gap,here a novel interpolation is designed delicately for the smooth part of the solution,bringing about the optimal supercloseness result of almost order 2 under an energy norm for the finite element method.Our theoretical result is uniform in the singular perturbation parameterεand is supported by the numerical experiments.

Crystal plasticity finite element simulations on extruded Mg-10Gd rod with texture gradient

The mechanical properties of an extruded Mg-10Gd sample, specifically designed for vascular stents, are crucial for predicting its behavior under service conditions. Achieving homogeneous stresses in the hoop direction, essential for characterizing vascular stents, poses challenges in experimental testing based on standard specimens featuring a reduced cross section. This study utilizes an elasto-visco-plastic self-consistent polycrystal model(ΔEVPSC) with the predominant twinning reorientation(PTR) scheme as a numerical tool, offering an alternative to mechanical testing. For verification, various mechanical experiments, such as uniaxial tension, compression, notched-bar tension, three-point bending, and C-ring compression tests, were conducted. The resulting force vs. displacement curves and textures were then compared with those based on the ΔEVPSC model. The computational model's significance is highlighted by simulation results demonstrating that the differential hardening along with a weak strength differential effect observed in the Mg-10Gd sample is a result of the interplay between micromechanical deformation mechanisms and deformation-induced texture evolution. Furthermore, the study highlights that incorporating the axisymmetric texture from the as-received material incorporating the measured texture gradient significantly improves predictive accuracy on the strength in the hoop direction. Ultimately, the findings suggest that the ΔEVPSC model can effectively predict the mechanical behavior resulting from loading scenarios that are impossible to realize experimentally, emphasizing its valuable contribution as a digital twin.

A Wave Superposition-Finite Element Method for Calculating the Radiated Noise Generated by Volumetric Targets in Shallow Water

A combined method of wave superposition and finite element is proposed to solve the radiation noise of targets in shallow sea.Taking the sound propagation of spherical sound source in shallow sea as an example,the radiation sound field of the spherical sound source is equivalent to the linear superposition of the radiation sound field of several internal point sound sources,and then the radiated noise induced by spherical sound source can be predicted quickly.The accuracy and efficiency of the method are verified by comparing with the numerical results of finite element method,and the rapid prediction of underwater radiated noise of cylindrical shell is carried out based on the method.The results show that compared with the finite element method,the relative error of the calculation results under different simulation conditions does not exceed 0.1%,and the calculation time is about 1/10 of the finite element method,so this method can be used to solve the radiated noise of shallow underwater targets.

Electromagnetic responses on microstructures of duplex stainless steels based on 3D cellular and electromagnetic sensor finite element models

Microstructures determine mechanical properties of steels,but in actual steel product process it is difficult to accurately control the microstructure to meet the requirements.General microstructure characterization methods are time consuming and results are not rep-resentative for overall quality level as only a fraction of steel sample was selected to be examined.In this paper,a macro and micro coupled 3D model was developed for nondestructively characterization of steel microstructures.For electromagnetic signals analysis,the relative permeability value computed by the micro cellular model can be used in the macro electromagnetic sensor model.The effects of different microstructure components on the relative permeability of duplex stainless steel(grain size,phase fraction,and phase distribu-tion)were discussed.The output inductance of an electromagnetic sensor was determined by relative permeability values and can be val-idated experimentally.The findings indicate that the inductance value of an electromagnetic sensor at low frequency can distinguish dif-ferent microstructures.This method can be applied to real-time on-line characterize steel microstructures in process of steel rolling.

A Deep Learning Approach to Shape Optimization Problems for Flexoelectric Materials Using the Isogeometric Finite Element Method

A new approach for flexoelectricmaterial shape optimization is proposed in this study.In this work,a proxymodel based on artificial neural network(ANN)is used to solve the parameter optimization and shape optimization problems.To improve the fitting ability of the neural network,we use the idea of pre-training to determine the structure of the neural network and combine different optimizers for training.The isogeometric analysis-finite element method(IGA-FEM)is used to discretize the flexural theoretical formulas and obtain samples,which helps ANN to build a proxy model from the model shape to the target value.The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through two numerical examples of parameter optimization and one numerical example of shape optimization.

Multi-scale Modeling and Finite Element Analyses of Thermal Conductivity of 3D C/SiC Composites Fabricating by Flexible-Oriented Woven Process

Thermal conductivity is one of the most significant criterion of three-dimensional carbon fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composites(3D C/SiC).Represent volume element(RVE)models of microscale,void/matrix and mesoscale proposed in this work are used to simulate the thermal conductivity behaviors of the 3D C/SiC composites.An entirely new process is introduced to weave the preform with three-dimensional orthogonal architecture.The 3D steady-state analysis step is created for assessing the thermal conductivity behaviors of the composites by applying periodic temperature boundary conditions.Three RVE models of cuboid,hexagonal and fiber random distribution are respectively developed to comparatively study the influence of fiber package pattern on the thermal conductivities at the microscale.Besides,the effect of void morphology on the thermal conductivity of the matrix is analyzed by the void/matrix models.The prediction results at the mesoscale correspond closely to the experimental values.The effect of the porosities and fiber volume fractions on the thermal conductivities is also taken into consideration.The multi-scale models mentioned in this paper can be used to predict the thermal conductivity behaviors of other composites with complex structures.

Extended finite element-based cohesive zone method for modeling simultaneous hydraulic fracture height growth in layered reservoirs

In this study,a fully coupled hydromechanical model within the extended finite element method(XFEM)-based cohesive zone method(CZM)is employed to investigate the simultaneous height growth behavior of multi-cluster hydraulic fractures in layered porous reservoirs with modulus contrast.The coupled hydromechanical model is first verified against an analytical solution and a laboratory experiment.Then,the fracture geometry(e.g.height,aperture,and area)and fluid pressure evolutions of multiple hydraulic fractures placed in a porous reservoir interbedded with alternating stiff and soft layers are investigated using the model.The stress and pore pressure distributions within the layered reservoir during fluid injection are also presented.The simulation results reveal that stress umbrellas are easily to form among multiple hydraulic fractures’tips when propagating in soft layers,which impedes the simultaneous height growth.It is also observed that the impediment effect of soft layer is much more significant in the fractures suppressed by the preferential growth of adjoining fractures.After that,the combined effect of in situ stress ratio and fracturing spacing on the multi-fracture height growth is presented,and the results elucidate the influence of in situ stress ratio on the height growth behavior depending on the fracture spacing.Finally,it is found that the inclusion of soft layers changes the aperture distribution of outmost and interior hydraulic fractures.The results obtained from this study may provide some insights on the understanding of hydraulic fracture height containment observed in filed.

Modularized and Parametric Modeling Technology for Finite Element Simulations of Underground Engineering under Complicated Geological Conditions

The surrounding geological conditions and supporting structures of underground engineering are often updated during construction,and these updates require repeated numerical modeling.To improve the numerical modeling efficiency of underground engineering,a modularized and parametric modeling cloud server is developed by using Python codes.The basic framework of the cloud server is as follows:input the modeling parameters into the web platform,implement Rhino software and FLAC3D software to model and run simulations in the cloud server,and return the simulation results to the web platform.The modeling program can automatically generate instructions that can run the modeling process in Rhino based on the input modeling parameters.The main modules of the modeling program include modeling the 3D geological structures,the underground engineering structures,and the supporting structures as well as meshing the geometric models.In particular,various cross-sections of underground caverns are crafted as parametricmodules in themodeling program.Themodularized and parametric modeling program is used for a finite element simulation of the underground powerhouse of the Shuangjiangkou Hydropower Station.This complicatedmodel is rapidly generated for the simulation,and the simulation results are reasonable.Thus,this modularized and parametric modeling program is applicable for three-dimensional finite element simulations and analyses.

Effect of Types and Orders of Electromagnetic Field Finite Element Meshes on Power Communication Harmonic Parameters Calculation Results of Tubular Hydrogenerators

In generator design field,waveform total harmonic distortion(THD)and telephone harmonic factor(THF)are parameters commonly used to measure the impact of generator no-load voltage harmonics on the power communication quality.Tubular hydrogenerators are considered the optimal generator for exploiting low-head,high-flow hydro resources,and they have seen increasingly widespread application in China's power systems recent years.However,owing to the compact and constrained internal space of such generators,their internal magnetic-field harmonics are pronounced.Therefore,accurate calculation of their THD and THF is crucial during the analysis and design stages to ensure the quality of power communication.Especially in the electromagnetic field finite element modeling analysis of such generators,the type and order of the finite element meshes may have a significant impact on the THD and THF calculation results,which warrants in-depth research.To address this,this study takes a real 34 MW large tubular hydrogenerator as an example,and establishes its electromagnetic field finite element model under no-load conditions.Two types of meshes,five mesh densities,and two mesh orders are analyzed to reveal the effect of electromagnetic field finite element mesh types and orders on the calculation results of THD and THF for such generators.

In silico optimization of actuation performance in dielectric elastomercomposites via integrated finite element modeling and deep learning

Dielectric elastomers(DEs)require balanced electric actuation performance and mechanical integrity under applied voltages.Incorporating high dielectric particles as fillers provides extensive design space to optimize concentration,morphology,and distribution for improved actuation performance and material modulus.This study presents an integrated framework combining finite element modeling(FEM)and deep learning to optimize the microstructure of DE composites.FEM first calculates actuation performance and the effective modulus across varied filler combinations,with these data used to train a convolutional neural network(CNN).Integrating the CNN into a multi-objective genetic algorithm generates designs with enhanced actuation performance and material modulus compared to the conventional optimization approach based on FEM approach within the same time.This framework harnesses artificial intelligence to navigate vast design possibilities,enabling optimized microstructures for high-performance DE composites.

A Computational Framework for Parachute Inflation Based on Immersed Boundary/Finite Element Approach

A computational framework for parachute inflation is developed based on the immersed boundary/finite element approach within the open-source IBAMR library.The fluid motion is solved by Peskin's diffuse-interface immersed boundary(IB)method,which is attractive for simulating moving-boundary flows with large deformations.The adaptive mesh refinement technique is employed to reduce the computational cost while retain the desired resolution.The dynamic response of the parachute is solved with the finite element approach.The canopy and cables of the parachute system are modeled with the hyperelastic material.A tether force is introduced to impose rigidity constraints for the parachute system.The accuracy and reliability of the present framework is validated by simulating inflation of a constrained square plate.Application of the present framework on several canonical cases further demonstrates its versatility for simulation of parachute inflation.

Multiple linear system techniques for 3D finite element method modeling of direct current resistivity

The strategies that minimize the overall solution time of multiple linear systems in 3D finite element method (FEM) modeling of direct current (DC) resistivity were discussed. A global stiff matrix is assembled and stored in two parts separately. One part is associated with the volume integral and the other is associated with the subsurface boundary integral. The equivalent multiple linear systems with closer right-hand sides than the original systems were constructed. A recycling Krylov subspace technique was employed to solve the multiple linear systems. The solution of the seed system was used as an initial guess for the subsequent systems. The results of two numerical experiments show that the improved algorithm reduces the iterations and CPU time by almost 50%, compared with the classical preconditioned conjugate gradient method.

Finite Element Method Simulation of Wellbore Stability under Different Operating and Geomechanical Conditions

The variation of the principal stress of formations with the working and geo-mechanical conditions can trigger wellbore instabilities and adversely affect the well completion.A finite element model,based on the theory of poro-elasticity and the Mohr-Coulomb rock damage criterion,is used here to analyze such a risk.The changes in wellbore stability before and after reservoir acidification are simulated for different pressure differences.The results indicate that the risk of wellbore instability grows with an increase in the production-pressure difference regardless of whether acidification is completed or not;the same is true for the instability area.After acidizing,the changes in the main geomechanical parameters(i.e.,elastic modulus,Poisson’s ratio,and rock strength)cause the maximum wellbore instability coefficient to increase.

PRECONDITIONING HIGHER ORDER FINITE ELEMENT SYSTEMS BY ALGEBRAIC MULTIGRID METHOD OF LINEAR ELEMENTS

We present and analyze a robust preconditioned conjugate gradient method for the higher order Lagrangian finite element systems of a class of elliptic problems. An auxiliary linear element stiffness matrix is chosen to be the preconditioner for higher order finite elements. Then an algebraic multigrid method of linear finite element is applied for solving the preconditioner. The optimal condition number which is independent of the mesh size is obtained. Numerical experiments confirm the efficiency of the algorithm.

Optimizing design of lattice materials based on finite element simulation

The optimized design of simple cross-truss and column lattice structures was carried out by the SolidWorks simulation module.The effective density of the structure was calculated according to the weight reduction requirements proposed by the project.Then,the vari-ation curve between the maximum bearing stress of the unit structure and the structural variables was obtained by simulation.Meanwhile,the mathematical equation between the maximum bearing stress and the structural variables could be obtained through MATLAB fitting.The results indicated that with the decrease in the number of cells,the compressive strength of the prepared column lattice increased(400 to 4 cells,compressive strength 29 MPa to 160 MPa).However,the yield strength increased with the number of cells.The compression strength of the simple cross-truss lattice samples indicated an increase trend with the decrease of the pillar size(an increase of the number of units),reaching 91 MPa(pillar diameter 0.52 mm,number of units 25).While the yield strength increased with the increasing of the number of units.In addition,the additive manufacturing processes of simple cubic lattice and simple cross-pillar lattice were investigated using selective laser melting.The compression performance obtained from the experiment is compared with the simulation results,which are in good agreement.The results of this paper can provide an important reference for optimizing design of lattice materials.