A STUDY ON THE WEIGHT FUNCTION OF THE MOVING LEAST SQUARE APPROXIMATION IN THE LOCAL BOUNDARY INTEGRAL EQUATION METHOD

The meshless method is a new numerical technique presented in recent years.It uses the moving least square(MLS)approximation as a shape function.The smoothness of the MLS approximation is determined by that of the basic function and of the weight function,and is mainly determined by that of the weight function.Therefore,the weight function greatly affects the accuracy of results obtained.Different kinds of weight functions,such as the spline function, the Gauss function and so on,are proposed recently by many researchers.In the present work,the features of various weight functions are illustrated through solving elasto-static problems using the local boundary integral equation method.The effect of various weight functions on the accuracy, convergence and stability of results obtained is also discussed.Examples show that the weight function proposed by Zhou Weiyuan and Gauss and the quartic spline weight function are better than the others if parameters c and α in Gauss and exponential weight functions are in the range of reasonable values,respectively,and the higher the smoothness of the weight function,the better the features of the solutions.

STUDY ON PARAMETERS FOR TOPOLOGICAL VARIABLES FIELD INTERPOLATED BY MOVING LEAST SQUARE APPROXIMATION

This paper presents a new approach to the structural topology optimization of continuum structures. Material-point independent variables are presented to illustrate the existence condition,or inexistence of the material points and their vicinity instead of elements or nodes in popular topology optimization methods. Topological variables field is constructed by moving least square approximation which is used as a shape function in the meshless method. Combined with finite element analyses,not only checkerboard patterns and mesh-dependence phenomena are overcome by this continuous and smooth topological variables field,but also the locations and numbers of topological variables can be arbitrary. Parameters including the number of quadrature points,scaling parameter,weight function and so on upon optimum topological configurations are discussed. Two classic topology optimization problems are solved successfully by the proposed method. The method is found robust and no numerical instabilities are found with proper parameters.

Assessing dynamic response of multispan viscoelastic thin beams under a moving mass via generalized moving least square method

Dynamic response of multispan viscoelastic thin beams subjected to a moving mass is studied by an efficient numerical method in some detail. To this end, the unknown parameters of the problem are discretized in spatial domain using generalized moving least square method （GMLSM） and then, discrete equations of motion based on Lagrange＇s equation are obtained. Maximum deflection and bending moments are considered as the important design parameters. The design parameter spectra in terms of mass weight and velocity of the moving mass are presented for multispan viscoelastic beams as well as various values of relaxation rate and beam span number. A reasonable good agreement is achieved between the results of the proposed solution and those obtained by other researchers. The results indicate that, although the load inertia effects in beams with higher span number would be intensified for higher levels of moving mass velocity, the maximum values of design parameters would increase either. Moreover, the possibility of mass separation is shown to be more critical as the span number of the beam increases. This fact also violates the linear relation between the mass weight of the moving load and the associated design parameters, especially for high moving mass velocities. However, as the relaxation rate of the beam material increases, the load inertia effects as well as the possibility of moving mass separation reduces.

ELASTO-PLASTICITY ANALYSIS BASED ON COLLOCATION WITH THE MOVING LEAST SQUARE METHOD

A meshless approach based on the moving least square method is developed for elasto-plasticity analysis,in which the incremental formulation is used.In this approach,the dis- placement shape functions are constructed by using the moving least square approximation,and the discrete governing equations for elasto-plastic material are constructed with the direct collo- cation method.The boundary conditions are also imposed by collocation.The method established is a truly meshless one,as it does not need any mesh,either for the purpose of interpolation of the solution variables,or for the purpose of construction of the discrete equations.It is simply formu- lated and very efficient,and no post-processing procedure is required to compute the derivatives of the unknown variables,since the solution from this method based on the moving least square approximation is already smooth enough.Numerical examples are given to verify the accuracy of the meshless method proposed for elasto-plasticity analysis.

Calculation of stratum surface principal curvature based on a moving least square method

With the east section of the Changji sag Zhunger Basin as a case study, both a principal curvature method and a moving least square method are elaborated. The moving least square method is introduced, for the first time, to fit a stratum surface. The results show that, using the same-degree base function, compared with a traditional least square method, the moving least square method can produce lower fitting errors, the fitting surface can describe the morphological characteristics of stratum surfaces more accurately and the principal curvature values vary within a wide range and may be more suitable for the prediction of the distribution of structural fractures. The moving least square method could be useful in curved surface fitting and stratum curvature analysis.

A meshless algorithm with moving least square approximations for elliptic Signorini problems

Based on the moving least square （MLS） approximations and the boundary integral equations （BIEs）, a meshless algorithm is presented in this paper for elliptic Signorini problems. In the algorithm, a projection operator is used to tackle the nonlinear boundary inequality conditions. The Signorini problem is then reformulated as BIEs and the unknown boundary variables are approximated by the MLS approximations. Accordingly, only a nodal data structure on the boundary of a domain is required. The convergence of the algorithm is proven. Numerical examples are given to show the high convergence rate and high computational efficiency of the presented algorithm.

A meshless algorithm with the improved moving least square approximation for nonlinear improved Boussinesq equation

An improved moving least square meshless method is developed for the numerical solution of the nonlinear improved Boussinesq equation. After the approximation of temporal derivatives, nonlinear systems of discrete algebraic equations are established and are solved by an iterative algorithm. Convergence of the iterative algorithm is discussed. Shifted and scaled basis functions are incorporated into the method to guarantee convergence and stability of numerical results. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the high convergence rate and high computational accuracy of the method.

A MESHLESS LOCAL PETROV-GALERKIN METHOD FOR GEOMETRICALLY NONLINEAR PROBLEMS

Nonlinear formulations of the meshless local Petrov-Galerkin （MLPG） method are presented for geometrically nonlinear problems. The method requires no mesh in computation and therefore avoids mesh distortion difficulties in the large deformation analysis. The essential boundary conditions in the present formulation axe imposed by a penalty method. An incremental and iterative solution procedure is used to solve geometrically nonlinear problems. Several examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method in geometrically nonlinear problems analysis. Numerical results show that the MLPG method is an effective one and that the values of the unknown variable are quite accurate.

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF MINDLIN SHELL BY MESHLESS LOCAL PETROV-GALERKIN METHOD

The objectives of this study are to employ the meshless local Petrov-Galerkin method （MLPGM） to solve three-dimensional shell problems. The computational accuracy of MLPGM for shell problems is affected by many factors, including the dimension of compact support domain, the dimension of quadrture domain, the number of integral cells and the number of Gauss points. These factors＇ sensitivity analysis is to adopt the Taguchi experimental design technology and point out the dimension of the quadrature domain with the largest influence on the computational accuracy of the present MLPGM for shells and give out the optimum combination of these factors. A few examples are given to verify the reliability and good convergence of MLPGM for shell problems compared to the theoretical or the finite element results.

Jackknife based generalized resampling reliability approach for rock slopes and tunnels stability analyses with limited data:Theory and applications

An efficient resampling reliability approach was developed to consider the effect of statistical uncertainties in input properties arising due to insufficient data when estimating the reliability of rock slopes and tunnels.This approach considers the effect of uncertainties in both distribution parameters(mean and standard deviation)and types of input properties.Further,the approach was generalized to make it capable of analyzing complex problems with explicit/implicit performance functions(PFs),single/multiple PFs,and correlated/non-correlated input properties.It couples resampling statistical tool,i.e.jackknife,with advanced reliability tools like Latin hypercube sampling(LHS),Sobol’s global sensitivity,moving least square-response surface method(MLS-RSM),and Nataf’s transformation.The developed approach was demonstrated for four cases encompassing different types.Results were compared with a recently developed bootstrap-based resampling reliability approach.The results show that the approach is accurate and significantly efficient compared with the bootstrap-based approach.The proposed approach reflects the effect of statistical uncertainties of input properties by estimating distributions/confidence intervals of reliability index/probability of failure(s)instead of their fixed-point estimates.Further,sufficiently accurate results were obtained by considering uncertainties in distribution parameters only and ignoring those in distribution types.

A robust shell element in meshfree SPH method

With the incorporation of total Lagrangian smoothed particle hydrodynamics（SPH） method equation and moving least square（MLS） function,the traditional SPH method is improved regarding the stability and consistency.Based on Mindlin-Ressiner plate theory,the SPH method simulating dynamic behavior via one layer of particles is applied to plate＇s mid-plane,i.e.,a SPH shell model is constructed.Finally,through comparative analyses on the dynamic response of square,stiffened shells and cylindrical shells under various strong impact loads with common finite element software,the feasibility,validity and numerical accuracy of the SPH shell method are verified.Consequently,further researches on SPH shell may well pave the way towards solving problems involving dynamic plastic damage,tearing or even crushing.

LOCAL PETROV-GALERKIN METHOD FOR A THIN PLATE

The meshless local Petrov_Galerkin (MLPG) method for solving the bending problem of the thin plate were presented and discussed. The method used the moving least_squares approximation to interpolate the solution variables, and employed a local symmetric weak form. The present method was a truly meshless one as it did not need a finite element or boundary element mesh, either for purpose of interpolation of the solution, or for the integration of the energy. All integrals could be easily evaluated over regularly shaped domains (in general, spheres in three_dimensional problems) and their boundaries. The essential boundary conditions were enforced by the penalty method. Several numerical examples were presented to illustrate the implementation and performance of the present method. The numerical examples presented show that high accuracy can be achieved for arbitrary grid geometries for clamped and simply_supported edge conditions. No post processing procedure is required to computer the strain and stress, since the original solution from the present method, using the moving least squares approximation, is already smooth enough.

Quasi Ellipsoid Gear Surface Reconstruction Based on Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin Method and Transmission Characteristic

Special transmission 3D model simulation must be based on surface discretization and reconstruction, but special transmission usually has complicated tooth shape and movement, so present software can＇t provide technical support for special transmission 3D model simulation. Currently, theoretical calculation and experimental method are difficult to exactly solve special transmission contact analysis problem. How to reduce calculation and computer memories consume and meet calculation precision is key to resolve special transmission contact analysis problem. According to 3D model simulation and surface reconstruction of quasi ellipsoid gear is difficulty, this paper employes meshless local Petrov-Galerkin （MLPG） method. In order to reduce calculation and computer memories consume, we disperse tooth mesh into finite points--sparseness points cloud or grid mesh, and then we do interpolation reconstruction in some necessary place of the 3D surface model during analysis. Moving least square method （MLSM） is employed for tooth mesh interpolation reconstruction, there are some advantages to do interpolation by means of MLSM, such as high precision, good flexibility and no require of tooth mesh discretization into units. We input the quasi ellipsoid gear reconstruction model into simulation software, we complete tooth meshing simulation. Simulation transmission ratio during meshing period was obtained, compared with theoretical transmission ratio, the result inosculate preferably. The method using curve reconstruction realizes surface reconstruction, reduce simulation calculation enormously, so special gears simulation can be realized by minitype computer. The method provides a novel solution for special transmission 3D model simulation analysis and contact analysis.

Comparison of Improved Meshless Interpolation Schemes for SPH Method and Accuracy Analysis

In the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, a meshless interpolation scheme is needed for the unknown function in order to discretize the governing equation.A particle approximation method has so far been used for this purpose.Traditional particle interpolation (TPI) is simple and easy to do, but its low accuracy has become an obstacle to its wider application.This can be seen in the cases of particle disorder arrangements and derivative calculations.There are many different methods to improve accuracy, with the moving least square (MLS) method one of the most important meshless interpolation methods.Unfortunately, it requires complex matrix computing and so is quite time-consuming.The authors developed a simpler scheme, called higher-order particle interpolation (HPI).This scheme can get more accurate derivatives than the MLS method, and its function value and derivatives can be obtained simultaneously.Although this scheme was developed for the SPH method, it has been found useful for other meshless methods.

Improved non-singular local boundary integral equation method

When the source nodes are on the global boundary in the implementation of local boundary integral equation method （LBIEM）, singularities in the local boundary integrals need to be treated specially. In the current paper, local integral equations are adopted for the nodes inside the domain and moving least square approximation （MLSA） for the nodes on the global boundary, thus singularities will not occur in the new al- gorithm. At the same time, approximation errors of boundary integrals are reduced significantly. As applications and numerical tests, Laplace equation and Helmholtz equation problems are considered and excellent numerical results are obtained. Furthermore, when solving the Helmholtz problems, the modified basis functions with wave solutions are adapted to replace the usually-used monomial basis functions. Numerical results show that this treatment is simple and effective and its application is promising in solutions for the wave propagation problem with high wave number.

ICM Method Combined with Meshfree Approximation for Continuum Structure

The independent continuous mapping（ICM） method is integrated into element free Galerkin method and a new implementation of topology optimization for continuum structure is presented.To facilitate the enforcement of the essential boundary condition and derivative of various sensitivities,a singular weight function in element free Galerkin method is introduced.Material point variable is defined to illustrate the condition of material point and its vicinity instead of element or node.The topological variables field is constructed by moving least square approximation which inherits the continuity and smoothness of the weight function.Due to reciprocal relationships between the topological variables and design variables,various structural responses sensitivities are derived according to the method for calculating the partial derivatives of compound functions.Numerical examples indicate that checkerboard pattern and mesh-dependence phenomena are overcome without additional restriction methods.

Three-Dimensional Meshfree Analysis of Interlocking Concrete Blocks for Step Seawall Structure

This study adapts the flexible characteristic of meshfree method in analyzing three-dimensional(3D)complex geometry structures,which are the interlocking concrete blocks of step seawall.The elastostatic behavior of the block is analysed by solving the Galerkin weak form formulation over local support domain.The 3D moving least square(MLS)approximation is applied to build the interpolation functions of unknowns.The pre-defined number of nodes in an integration domain ranging from 10 to 60 nodes is also investigated for their effect on the studied results.The accuracy and efficiency of the studied method on 3D elastostatic responses are validated through the comparison with the solutions of standard finite element method(FEM)using linear shape functions on tetrahedral elements and the well-known commercial software,ANSYS.The results show that elastostatic responses of studied concrete block obtained by meshfree method converge faster and are more accurate than those of standard FEM.The studied meshfree method is effective in the analysis of static responses of complex geometry structures.The amount of discretised nodes within the integration domain used in building MLS shape functions should be in the range from 30 to 60 nodes and should not be less than 20 nodes.

Application of meshless method to electromagnetic NDT

In this paper, a meshless method is introduced for NDT computation. Compared with the conventional FEM, it can avoid the onerous mesh generation and updating, only a distribution of points and the description of the boundaries are needed. The mathematical background for moving least square approximation employed in the method is given, and the numerical implementation is discussed. Application of the method for MFL computation and comparison with the results from FEM are also presented.

Reliability assessment of deep excavations in spatially random cohesion weakening friction strengthening massive rocks:Application to nuclear repositories

An augmented methodology is developed to estimate the reliability of deep excavations along spatially variable massive rock masses using the cohesion weakening friction strengthening(CWFS)model.Sensitive parameters of the CWFS model were initially identified using Sobol’s global sensitivity analysis based on their influence on the displacements and excavation damage zone around excavations.The probability of failure was estimated by performing Mont–Carlo Simulations on random finite difference models of excavations generated via MATLAB-FLAC2D coupling,considering the spatial variation of these sensitive parameters.Spatial variation was modeled by generating anisotropic random fields of sensitive CWFS parameters via the recently developed Fourier series method and updated correlations suggested by Walton(2019).The proposed methodology was demonstrated for a proposed deep nuclear waste repository to be located in Canada.Results from the developed methodology were systematically compared with those of traditional reliability(ignoring spatial variation)and deterministic methods(ignoring uncertainty).Although the developed methodology was computationally complex,it was judged to be the most realistic due to the realistic consideration of heterogeneous distributions of rock properties.Traditional methodologies underestimate/overestimate the excavation performance due to negligence of uncertainty and spatial variability.Finally,a parametric analysis was performed using developed methodology by varying the initial friction angle,scale of fluctuations(SOFs)and dilation angle.The effect of initial friction angle was observed to be more pronounced on the probability of failures as compared to SOFs and dilation angle.Similar observations were made related to the excavation damage zone(EDZ)development quantified using yield area ratio.