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.

An Innovative Coupled Common-Node Discrete Element Method-Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Model Developed with LS-DYNA and Its Applications

In this study,a common-node DEM-SPH coupling model based on the shared node method is proposed,and a fluid–structure coupling method using the common-node discrete element method-smoothed particle hydrodynamics(DS-SPH)method is developed using LS-DYNA software.The DEM and SPH are established on the same node to create common-node DEM-SPH particles,allowing for fluid–structure interactions.Numerical simulations of various scenarios,including water entry of a rigid sphere,dam-break propagation over wet beds,impact on an ice plate floating on water and ice accumulation on offshore structures,are conducted.The interaction between DS particles and SPH fluid and the crack generation mechanism and expansion characteristics of the ice plate under the interaction of structure and fluid are also studied.The results are compared with available data to verify the proposed coupling method.Notably,the simulation results demonstrated that controlling the cutoff pressure of internal SPH particles could effectively control particle splashing during ice crushing failure.

A flexible multiscale algorithm based on an improved smoothed particle hydrodynamics method for complex viscoelastic flows

Viscoelastic flows play an important role in numerous engineering fields,and the multiscale algorithms for simulating viscoelastic flows have received significant attention in order to deepen our understanding of the nonlinear dynamic behaviors of viscoelastic fluids.However,traditional grid-based multiscale methods are confined to simple viscoelastic flows with short relaxation time,and there is a lack of uniform multiscale scheme available for coupling different solvers in the simulations of viscoelastic fluids.In this paper,a universal multiscale method coupling an improved smoothed particle hydrodynamics(SPH)and multiscale universal interface(MUI)library is presented for viscoelastic flows.The proposed multiscale method builds on an improved SPH method and leverages the MUI library to facilitate the exchange of information among different solvers in the overlapping domain.We test the capability and flexibility of the presented multiscale method to deal with complex viscoelastic flows by solving different multiscale problems of viscoelastic flows.In the first example,the simulation of a viscoelastic Poiseuille flow is carried out by two coupled improved SPH methods with different spatial resolutions.The effects of exchanging different physical quantities on the numerical results in both the upper and lower domains are also investigated as well as the absolute errors in the overlapping domain.In the second example,the complex Wannier flow with different Weissenberg numbers is further simulated by two improved SPH methods and coupling the improved SPH method and the dissipative particle dynamics(DPD)method.The numerical results show that the physical quantities for viscoelastic flows obtained by the presented multiscale method are in consistence with those obtained by a single solver in the overlapping domain.Moreover,transferring different physical quantities has an important effect on the numerical results.

Computer vision-aided DEM study on the compaction characteristics of graded subgrade filler considering realistic coarse particle shapes

The compaction quality of subgrade filler strongly affects subgrade settlement.The main objective of this research is to analyze the macro-and micro-mechanical compaction characteristics of subgrade filler based on the real shape of coarse particles.First,an improved Viola-Jones algorithm is employed to establish a digitalized 2D particle database for coarse particle shape evaluation and discrete modeling purposes of subgrade filler.Shape indexes of 2D subgrade filler are then computed and statistically analyzed.Finally,numerical simulations are performed to quantitatively investigate the effects of the aspect ratio(AR)and interparticle friction coefficient(μ)on the macro-and micro-mechanical compaction characteristics of subgrade filler based on the discrete element method(DEM).The results show that with the increasing AR,the coarse particles are narrower,leading to the increasing movement of fine particles during compaction,which indicates that it is difficult for slender coarse particles to inhibit the migration of fine particles.Moreover,the average displacement of particles is strongly influenced by the AR,indicating that their occlusion under power relies on particle shapes.The dis-placement and velocity of fine particles are much greater than those of the coarse particles,which shows that compaction is primarily a migration of fine particles.Under the cyclic load,the interparticle friction coefficientμhas little effect on the internal structure of the sample;under the quasi-static loads,however,the increase inμwill lead to a significant increase in the porosity of the sample.This study could not only provide a novel approach to investigate the compaction mechanism but also establish a new theoretical basis for the evaluation of intelligent subgrade compaction.

Particle size spatial distribution in landslide dams

The particle composition and spatial distribution of landslide-induced dam bodies are critical geotechnical parameters for studying the hazards of dam-break floods.However,current research often neglects the influence of the initial particle composition and spatial distribution of the landslide on the particle composition and spatial distribution of the landslide dam.This study investigated the impact of initial particle size distribution,volume,and sliding length on the energy and velocity changes of characteristic particles during the sliding process and the spatial distribution of particle sizes in the landslide dam body.Numerical simulations and physical models were employed to examine the effects of sequential gradient arrangements(where particle sizes decrease from top to bottom)and four other different initial particle arrangements on the energy and velocity changes of particles and the spatial distribution of particle sizes in the dam body.The study reveals the characteristics of translational and rotational energy of different particles and the laws of mechanical energy conversion,obtaining the spatial distribution patterns of particle sizes in landslide-induced dams.The results show that under the sequential gradient arrangement,the energy dissipation of the landslide movement is lower,with larger particles mainly distributed at the distal end and smaller particles at the proximal end of the landslide dam.In contrast,under the reverse gradient arrangement,the energy dissipation of the landslide movement is higher,and the distribution pattern of the dam particles is opposite to that of the sequential gradient arrangement.For the other arrangement modes,the spatial distribution of dam particles falls between the aforementioned two.There is a positive correlation between particle size and translational kinetic energy within the particle flow during the landslide process,and rotational motion increases energy dissipation.Under constant slope conditions,sliding length does not affect the movement pattern of the particle flow or the spatial distribution of particles in the dam body.The findings of this study provide a scientific basis for the accurate simulation and prediction of dam-break flood processes.

Passive particles driven by self-propelled particle:The wake effect

This work focuses on numerically studying hydrodynamic interaction between a passive particle and a self-propelled particle,termed a squirmer,by using a two-dimensional lattice Boltzmann method(LBM).It is found that the squirmer can capture a passive particle and propel it simultaneously,provided the passive particle is situated within the squirmer's wake.Our research shows that the critical capture distance,which determines whether the particle is captured,primarily depends on the intensity of the squirmer's dipolarity.The stronger dipolarity of squirmer results in an increased critical capture distance.Conversely,the Reynolds number is found to have minimal influence on this interaction.Interestingly,the passive particle,when driven by the squirmer's wake,contributes to a reduction in the squirmer's drag.This results in a mutual acceleration for both particles.Our findings can provide valuable perspectives for formulating the principles of reducing the drag of micro-swimmers and help to achieve the goal of using micro-swimmers to transport goods without physical tethers.

An Updated Lagrangian Particle Hydrodynamics (ULPH)-NOSBPD Coupling Approach forModeling Fluid-Structure Interaction Problem

A fluid-structure interaction approach is proposed in this paper based onNon-Ordinary State-Based Peridynamics(NOSB-PD)and Updated Lagrangian Particle Hydrodynamics(ULPH)to simulate the fluid-structure interaction problem with large geometric deformation and material failure and solve the fluid-structure interaction problem of Newtonian fluid.In the coupled framework,the NOSB-PD theory describes the deformation and fracture of the solid material structure.ULPH is applied to describe the flow of Newtonian fluids due to its advantages in computational accuracy.The framework utilizes the advantages of NOSB-PD theory for solving discontinuous problems and ULPH theory for solving fluid problems,with good computational stability and robustness.A fluidstructure coupling algorithm using pressure as the transmission medium is established to deal with the fluidstructure interface.The dynamic model of solid structure and the PD-ULPH fluid-structure interaction model involving large deformation are verified by numerical simulations.The results agree with the analytical solution,the available experimental data,and other numerical results.Thus,the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method in solving the fluid-structure interaction problem are demonstrated.The fluid-structure interactionmodel based on ULPH and NOSB-PD established in this paper provides a new idea for the numerical solution of fluidstructure interaction and a promising approach for engineering design and experimental prediction.

Updated Lagrangian Particle Hydrodynamics (ULPH)Modeling of Natural Convection Problems

Natural convection is a heat transfer mechanism driven by temperature or density differences,leading to fluid motion without external influence.It occurs in various natural and engineering phenomena,influencing heat transfer,climate,and fluid mixing in industrial processes.This work aims to use the Updated Lagrangian Particle Hydrodynamics(ULPH)theory to address natural convection problems.The Navier-Stokes equation is discretized using second-order nonlocal differential operators,allowing a direct solution of the Laplace operator for temperature in the energy equation.Various numerical simulations,including cases such as natural convection in square cavities and two concentric cylinders,were conducted to validate the reliability of the model.The results demonstrate that the proposed model exhibits excellent accuracy and performance,providing a promising and effective numerical approach for natural convection problems.

The study of a neutron spectrum unfolding method based on particle swarm optimization combined with maximum likelihood expectation maximization

The neutron spectrum unfolding by Bonner sphere spectrometer(BSS) is considered a complex multidimensional model,which requires complex mathematical methods to solve the first kind of Fredholm integral equation. In order to solve the problem of the maximum likelihood expectation maximization(MLEM) algorithm which is easy to suffer the pitfalls of local optima and the particle swarm optimization(PSO) algorithm which is easy to get unreasonable flight direction and step length of particles, which leads to the invalid iteration and affect efficiency and accuracy, an improved PSO-MLEM algorithm, combined of PSO and MLEM algorithm, is proposed for neutron spectrum unfolding. The dynamic acceleration factor is used to balance the ability of global and local search, and improves the convergence speed and accuracy of the algorithm. Firstly, the Monte Carlo method was used to simulated the BSS to obtain the response function and count rates of BSS. In the simulation of count rate, four reference spectra from the IAEA Technical Report Series No. 403 were used as input parameters of the Monte Carlo method. The PSO-MLEM algorithm was used to unfold the neutron spectrum of the simulated data and was verified by the difference of the unfolded spectrum to the reference spectrum. Finally, the 252Cf neutron source was measured by BSS, and the PSO-MLEM algorithm was used to unfold the experimental neutron spectrum.Compared with maximum entropy deconvolution(MAXED), PSO and MLEM algorithm, the PSO-MLEM algorithm has fewer parameters and automatically adjusts the dynamic acceleration factor to solve the problem of local optima. The convergence speed of the PSO-MLEM algorithm is 1.4 times and 3.1 times that of the MLEM and PSO algorithms. Compared with PSO, MLEM and MAXED, the correlation coefficients of PSO-MLEM algorithm are increased by 33.1%, 33.5% and 1.9%, and the relative mean errors are decreased by 98.2%, 97.8% and 67.4%.

Preparation of Spherical Tungsten Particles Assisted by Hydrothermal Method

We presented a strategy to prepare spherical tungsten powder by the combination of hydrothermal method and H2reduction process.In hydrothermal process,the micelle of tetraethylammonium bromide(TEAB)act as spherical templates for the deposition of tungsten oxide,whereas the excessive TEAB inhibit the formation of spherical tungsten oxide due to the dense molecular layer of TEAB on the tungsten oxide particles.Citric acid(CA)can control the formation rate and structure of the tungsten oxide when its concentration is more than 0.2 mol/L,because of its ability to coordinate with tungsten atoms.The synergistic effect of TEAB and CA facilitates the formation of spherical tungsten oxide with nanorod crown.After being treated by H_(2)at 600 and 650℃,the tungsten oxide particles are reduced to tungsten particles,which maintain the spherical structure of tungsten oxide and have porous structure.

Three-dimensional color particle image velocimetry based on a cross-correlation and optical flow method

Rainbow particle image velocimetry(PIV)can restore the three-dimensional velocity field of particles with a single camera;however,it requires a relatively long time to complete the reconstruction.This paper proposes a hybrid algorithm that combines the fast Fourier transform(FFT)based co-correlation algorithm and the Horn–Schunck(HS)optical flow pyramid iterative algorithm to increase the reconstruction speed.The Rankine vortex simulation experiment was performed,in which the particle velocity field was reconstructed using the proposed algorithm and the rainbow PIV method.The average endpoint error and average angular error of the proposed algorithm were roughly the same as those of the rainbow PIV algorithm;nevertheless,the reconstruction time was 20%shorter.Furthermore,the effect of velocity magnitude and particle density on the reconstruction results was analyzed.In the end,the performance of the proposed algorithm was verified using real experimental single-vortex and double-vortex datasets,from which a similar particle velocity field was obtained compared with the rainbow PIV algorithm.The results show that the reconstruction speed of the proposed hybrid algorithm is approximately 25%faster than that of the rainbow PIV algorithm.

A dynamic large-deformation particle finite element method for geotechnical applications based on Abaqus

In this paper,the application of Abaqus-based particle finite element method(PFEM)is extended from static to dynamic large deformation.The PFEM is based on periodic mesh regeneration with Delaunay triangulation to avoid mesh distortion.Additional mesh smoothing and boundary node smoothing techniques are incorporated to improve the mesh quality and solution accuracy.The field variables are mapped from the old to the new mesh using the closest point projection method to minimize the mapping error.The procedures of the proposed Abaqus-based dynamic PFEM(Abaqus-DPFEM)analysis and its implementation in Abaqus are detailed.The accuracy and robustness of the proposed approach are examined via four illustrative numerical examples.The numerical results show a satisfactory agreement with published results and further confirm the applicability of the Abaqus-DPFEM to solving dynamic large-deformation problems in geotechnical engineering.

h-ADAPTIVITY ANALYSIS BASED ON MULTIPLE SCALE REPRODUCING KERNEL PARTICLE METHOD

An h-adaptivity analysis scheme based on multiple scale reproducing kernel particle method was proposed, and two node refinement strategies were constructed using searching-neighbor-nodes(SNN) and local-Delaunay-triangulation(LDT) tech-niques, which were suitable and effective for h-adaptivity analysis on 2-D problems with the regular or irregular distribution of the nodes. The results of multiresolution and h-adaptivity analyses on 2-D linear elastostatics and bending plate problems demonstrate that the improper high-gradient indicator will reduce the convergence property of the h-adaptivity analysis, and that the efficiency of the LDT node refinement strategy is better than SNN, and that the presented h-adaptivity analysis scheme is provided with the validity, stability and good convergence property.

Synthesis of MnZn Ferrite Nanoscale Particles by Hydrothermal Method

Hydrothermal method was used to synthesize nanoscale particles of MnZn ferrites. The crystallites were characterized by XRD, TEM and SEM. The effects of the reaction time, temperature and additives on the product were investigated. Crystallization process would be carried out above 160 ℃ for 5 h or more, higher temperature can reduce the reaction time. Additives were used to remove impurities such as Fe 2O 3, ZnMnO 3.10～15 nm pure slightly agglomerated MnZn ferrite crystallites with a narrow grain size distribution were obtained.

Particle swarm optimization-based algorithm of a symplectic method for robotic dynamics and control

Multibody system dynamics provides a strong tool for the estimation of dynamic performances and the optimization of multisystem robot design. It can be described with differential algebraic equations(DAEs). In this paper, a particle swarm optimization(PSO) method is introduced to solve and control a symplectic multibody system for the first time. It is first combined with the symplectic method to solve problems in uncontrolled and controlled robotic arm systems. It is shown that the results conserve the energy and keep the constraints of the chaotic motion, which demonstrates the efficiency, accuracy, and time-saving ability of the method. To make the system move along the pre-planned path, which is a functional extremum problem, a double-PSO-based instantaneous optimal control is introduced. Examples are performed to test the effectiveness of the double-PSO-based instantaneous optimal control. The results show that the method has high accuracy, a fast convergence speed, and a wide range of applications.All the above verify the immense potential applications of the PSO method in multibody system dynamics.

h-ADAPTIVITY ANALYSIS BASED ON MULTIPLE SCALE REPRODUCING KERNEL PARTICLE METHOD

An h-adaptivity analysis scheme based on multiple scale reproducing kernel particle method was proposed, and two node refinement strategies were constructed using searching-neighbor-nodes（SNN） and local-Delaunay-triangulation（LDT） techniques, which were suitable and effective for h-adaptivity analysis on 2-D problems with the regular or irregular distribution of the nodes. The results of multiresolution and h- adaptivity analyses on 2-D linear elastostatics and bending plate problems demonstrate that the improper high-gradient indicator will reduce the convergence property of the h- adaptivity analysis, and that the efficiency of the LDT node refinement strategy is better than SNN, and that the presented h-adaptivity analysis scheme is provided with the validity, stability and good convergence property.

Comparison of Construction Method for DEM Simulation of Ellipsoidal Particles

Discrete element model was developed to simulate the ellipsoidal particles moving in the moving bed. Multi-element model was used to describe a ellipsoidal particle, the contact detection algorithm of ellipsoidal particle was developed, and both contact force and gravity force were considered in the models. The simulation results were validated by our experiment. Three algorithms for representing an ellipsoidal particle were compared in macro and micro aspects. The results show that there exists big difference in the microscopic parameters such as kinetic energy, rotational kinetic energy, deformation, contact force and collision number which leads to the difference of macroscopic parameters. The relative error in the discharge rate and tracer particle position is the largest between 3-tangent-element representation and experimental results. The flow pattern is similar for the 5-element and 3-intersection representations. The only difference is the discharge rate of 5-element representation is larger than the experimental value and that of the 3-intersection representation has the contrary result. Finally the 3-intersection- element reoresentation is chosen in the simulation due to less comouting time than that of the 5-element renresentation.

The complex variable reproducing kernel particle method for two-dimensional elastodynamics

On the basis of the reproducing kernel particle method （RKPM）, a new meshless method, which is called the complex variable reproducing kernel particle method （CVRKPM）, for two-dimensional elastodynamics is presented in this paper. The advantages of the CVRKPM are that the correction function of a two-dimensional problem is formed with one-dimensional basis function when the shape function is obtained. The Galerkin weak form is employed to obtain the discretised system equations, and implicit time integration method, which is the Newmark method, is used for time history analysis. And the penalty method is employed to apply the essential boundary conditions. Then the corresponding formulae of the CVRKPM for two-dimensional elastodynamics are obtained. Three numerical examples of two-dimensional elastodynamics are presented, and the CVRKPM results are compared with the ones of the RKPM and analytical solutions. It is evident that the numerical results of the CVRKPM are in excellent agreement with the analytical solution, and that the CVRKPM has greater precision than the RKPM.

Characterization of Calcined Kaolin/TiO_2 Composite Particle Material Prepared by Mechano-Chemical Method

Calcined kaolin/TiO2 composite particle material （CK/TCPM） was prepared with TiO2 coating on the surfaces of calcined kaolin particles by the mechano-chemical method. X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscope （SEM） were used to investigate the microstructures and morphologies, respectively. The mechanism of the mechano-chemical reaction between calcined kaolin and TiO2 was studied by infrared spectra （IR）. The results show that TiO2 coats evenly on the surfaces of calcined kaolin particles by Si-O-Ti and Al-O-Ti bonds on their interfaces. The hiding power and whiteness of CK/TCPM are 17.12 g/m^2 and 95.7%, respectively, presenting its similarity to TiO2 in pigment properties.

Study on the particle breakage of ballast based on a GPU accelerated discrete element method

Breakage of particles will have greatly influence on mechanical behavior of granular material(GM)under external loads,such as ballast,rockfill and sand.The discrete element method(DEM)is one of the most popular methods for simulating GM as each particle is represented on its own.To study breakage mechanism of particle breakage,a cohesive contact mode is developed based on the GPU accelerated DEM code-Blaze-DEM.A database of the 3D geometry model of rock blocks is established based on the 3D scanning method.And an agglomerate describing the rock block with a series of non-overlapping spherical particles is used to build the DEM numerical model of a railway ballast sample,which is used to the DEM oedometric test to study the particles’breakage characteristics of the sample under external load.Furthermore,to obtain the meso-mechanical parameters used in DEM,a black-analysis method is used based on the laboratory tests of the rock sample.Based on the DEM numerical tests,the particle breakage process and mechanisms of the railway ballast are studied.All results show that the developed code can better used for large scale simulation of the particle breakage analysis of granular material.