Scipedia: Documents published in 2020

Radially convergent flow in heterogeneous media

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 17:43:26 +0100

We present an analytical solution for apparent effective transmissivity under radially convergent steady state flow conditions, produced by constant pumping from a single well of finite radius, rw. Apparent effective transmissivity, Te, is defined as the value that relates the expected values of flow and head gradient at a certain location. The domain is two‐dimensional, of annular shape, and the size of the pumping well is explicitly taken into account. The solution for the steady state heads is obtained by solving the perturbed flow equation and substituting it into Darcy's law to obtain a consistent second‐ order expansion for Te. We show that apparent effective transmissivity is a scalar for any choice of isotropic covariance model, with an expression given in integral form. Our main result is that Te in a heterogeneous, statistically isotropic random field, under radial steady state flow conditions, is a monotonie increasing function of r (distance from the well) that rises from the harmonic mean of the point transmissivity values (close to the well) and tends asymptotically towards the geometric mean (far from the well). The asymptotic value is reached at a distance of a few integral scales (1.5–2 for the Gaussian model and 3–5 for the exponential one). The apparent effective transmissivity versus normalized r curves are in excellent agreement with previously published numerical work carried out using Monte Carlo method

Directional effects on convergent flow tracer tests

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 17:31:36 +0100

Convergent flow tracer tests constitute a convenient way of characterizing hydraulic parameters in an aquifer. Interpretation of tracer breakthrough curves from convergent flow tests normally is made under the assumption of radial symmetry. Nevertheless, these curves may display directional dependence; that is when tracers are injected at several points located at the same distance, both arrival times and estimated dispersivities may be significantly different. This result is why some authors attribute a tensorial nature to porosity or, equivalently, talk about directional porosity when trying to explain the variations in computed porosity depending on the relative orientation of pumping and injection wells. Our main ponit is that this directional effect is nothing but an artifact of an inappropriate selection of a conceptual model, where anisotropy (local of statistical) in hydraulic conductivity is not properly characterized. To illustrate this point, we first consider the situation of a simple homogeneous and anisotropic model of the medium. We prove analytically that this model leads to arrival time being proportional to the square root of directional hydraulic conductivity. Using a stochastic approach, we determine the same directional behavior of arrival time for a locally isotropic hydraulic conductivity field with statistical anisotropy caused by an anisotropic correlation structure. A statistical anisotropic covariance model for hydraulic conductivity is consistent with field evidence.

Field tracer experiment in a low permeability fractured medium: results from El Berrocal site

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 17:08:17 +0100

A modelling experimental activity was developed to characterise the hydraulic behaviour of water-bearing fractures in crystalline rocks.

Three conservative tracers were injected into two packed-off sections of the same well, 69 m deep in a granite formation, and recovered by pumping from an isolated section of a second borehole, 46 m deep, 14 m apart. The concept of this design is to characterise separately an isolated fracture zone intersecting the lower parts of both wells from the fracture network intersecting the bulk of the rock.

Before using the tracers in the field, their behaviour was studied in the laboratory under controlled conditions. Fluorescein, eosin and iodide were finally chosen as the best spikes.

The field experiments were developed under strictly controlled conditions, such as (1) checking the hydraulic pressure in the packed-off sections and in other parts of circuits; (2) mixing the tracer solutions during the injection and checking their homogeneity; (3) performing a continuous and automatic monitoring of tracer concentration in the arrival well.

Iodide and fluorescein were injected in one section, and eosin in the other section. The pumping rate was maintained at 2 1 min−1. The test lasted 27 d after which from 40 to 60% of the injected masses were recovered.

Breakthrough curve analysis considered two conceptual models: radial advective-dispersive transport with and without matrix diffusion: the first model returns thickness-porosity values around 0.2 × 10−1 m and dispersivity around 4 m. Parameters are remarkably consistent for iodide and fluorescein, although fittings can be improved. The matrix diffusion model provides much better fittings by decreasing thickness porosity to 0.8 X 10-Z m. Dispersivities range from 0.5 to 0.9 m and the molecular diffusion term differentiates the behaviour of conservative tracers such as fluorescein and iodide.

Scale effects in transmissivity

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:58:29 +0100

Heterogeneity accounts for several paradoxes in groundwater flow and solute transport. One of the most striking observations is the emergence of scale effects in transmissivity, that is, the increase in effective transmissivity (or hydraulic conductivity, for that matter) with increasing scale of observation. Traditional stochastic approaches, where transmissivity is treated as a multilog-normal random function, lead to a large-scale effective transmissivity equal to the geometric average of local measurements.

We present several field cases in which large-scale transmissivities are indeed larger than the geometric average of local tests. This suggests that the assumption of multilog-normality may not be valid in many cases, even if point T values display a log-normal distribution. We conjecture that scale dependence of T may, in part, be a consequence of high T zones being better connected than average or low T zones, a feature which may occur in many geological environments, but which is not consistent with multinormal log-T fields. We go on to generate a suite of log-T fields with a normal distribution for point values but non-multinormal spatial correlation. In all our fields, high T zones show longer correlations than average of low T zones. By simulating flow through these synthetic fields under simple boundary conditions, and estimating their effective transmissivity values, we conclude that these types of departures from the multilog-normality assumption lead consistently to scale effects.

A Synthesis of Approaches to Upscaling of Hydraulic Conductivities

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:38:00 +0100

Simulation of flow through heterogeneous media often requires discretizing the flow domain into blocks and assigning an equivalent block conductivity value to each one of them. The process of defining block conductivities from point values is termed upscaling. A number of approaches to upscaling are available, most of which consider the uncertainty associated with any natural property, so that they cast the problem in a stochastic frame. Recently, Indelman and Dagan (1993a, b) provided a general stochastic methodology to upscaling in heterogeneous anisotropic formations by means of the dissipation energy function; unfortunately, they did not provide any “practical” method to compute block values from point ones. The objective of this work is twofold: First, we analyze different practical approaches to compute block conductivities and find that all of them provide very similar results in terms of actual computed values; second, we check that all approaches verify approximately a number of conditions stated by Indelman and Dagan (1993a). Specifically, we show analytically that for regular blocks, the methodologies of both Rubin and Gómez‐Hernández (1990) and Desbarats (1992) (which we call “practical” methodologies) satisfy the condition that the effective conductivity obtained from a field where the elementary conductivities are defined over a certain support (we call this the actual formation) is identical to that obtained from the same field with conductivities defined at a larger support (upscaled formation). The analysis is carried out by working with the logarithm of block conductivities and using a small‐perturbation expansion and thus is strictly valid for small variances. On the other hand, we show numerically that the two methodologies satisfy approximately an important condition stated in terms of the dissipation energy: that block‐averaged dissipation values computed are indeed very close to the true dissipation values in each block. The agreement is even better if we consider statistical moments instead of point values. As an important conclusion we should note that all practical methodologies considered in this work perform equally well and, more important, constitute a simple way to treat an otherwise very complex problem

A discussion on validation of hydrogeological models

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:11:21 +0100

Groundwater flow and solute transport are often driven by heterogeneities that elude easy identification. It is also difficult to select and describe the physico-chemical processes controlling solute behavior. As a result, definition of a conceptual model involves numerous assumptions both on the selection of processes and on the representation of their spatial variability. Even if a unique conceptual model could be identified, estimation of its parameters may be highly uncertain. Using a calibrated model for making groundwater predictions involves three types of uncertainties: those associated with the correctness of the conceptual model, which may arise during model construction or during prediction; those related to the accuracy of model parameters; and those corresponding to uncertainties in future stresses. In this context, validating a numerical model by comparing its predictions with actual measurements may not be sufficient for evaluting whether or not it provides a good representation of ‘reality’. Predictions will be close to measurements, regardless of model validity, if these are taken from experiments that stress well-calibrated model modes. On the other hand, predictions will be far from measurements when model parameters are very uncertain, even if the model is indeed a very good representation of the real system. Hence, we contend that ‘classical’ validation of hydrogeological models is not possible. Rather, models should be viewed as theories about the real system. This can be proven wrong, but they cannot be proven right. In this sense, we propose to follow a rigorous modeling approach in which different sources of uncertainty are explicitly recognized. The application of one such approach is illustrated by modeling a laboratory uranium tracer test performed on fresh granite, which was used as Test Case 1b in INTRAVAL.

Contaminación por lavado piezométrico a partir de vertederos enterrados: aplicación a un acuífero aluvial

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 11:30:39 +0100

El vertido incontrolado de residuos industriales y urbanos en acuíferos aluviales constituye una práctica frecuente en el entorno de áreas industrializadas y provoca la contaminación de las aguas subterráneas. En el proceso de contaminación juega un papel primordial el efecto producido por el ascenso y descenso de los niveles piezométricos que provoca un lavado de los residuos, generalmente enterrados en antiguas extracciones de áridos. La modelización de este fenómeno se ha realizado mediante el empleo de un modelo numérico de flujo-no lineal y transporte transitorios (TRNOCONF), que ha permitido reproducir la propagación del ión C1 desde las zonas de vertido. Los resultados obtenidos indican que junto al lavado piezométrico, los factores condicionantes en la formación de los penachos son la recarga procedente de avenidas y la existencia de una red de paleocanales que condiciona la geometría del fondo.

Nonintrusive proper generalised decomposition for parametrised incompressible flow problems in OpenFOAM

María Jesús Samper — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 12:51:46 +0100

The computational cost of parametric studies currently represents the major limitation to the application of simulation-based engineering techniques in a daily industrial environment. This work presents the first nonintrusive implementation of the proper generalised decomposition (PGD) in OpenFOAM, for the approximation of parametrised laminar incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. The key feature of this approach is the seamless integration of a reduced order model (ROM) in the framework of an industrially validated computational fluid dynamics software. This is of special importance in an industrial environment because in the online phase of the PGD ROM the description of the flow for a specific set of parameters is obtained simply via interpolation of the generalised solution, without the need of any extra solution step. On the one hand, the spatial problems arising from the PGD separation of the unknowns are treated using the classical solution strategies of OpenFOAM, namely the semi-implicit method for pressure linked equations (SIMPLE) algorithm. On the other hand, the parametric iteration is solved via a collocation approach. The resulting ROM is applied to several benchmark tests of laminar incompressible Navier–Stokes flows, in two and three dimensions, with different parameters affecting the flow features. Eventually, the capability of the proposed strategy to treat industrial problems is verified by applying the methodology to a parametrised flow control in a realistic geometry of interest for the automotive industry.

Fast solution of elliptic harbor agitation problems under frequency-direction input spectra by model order reduction and NURBS-enhanced FEM

María Jesús Samper — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 12:45:17 +0100

Many harbor applications are based on the solution of linear elliptic agitation problems for many spectral conditions. One of the main goals consists in computing the linear combination of numerous simulations of the harbor agitation problem, using monochromatic waves of different spectral components (i.e. frequency and incoming wave direction). In practice, the standard strategy selects the number of wave components according to a prescribed discretization of the 2D input spectra. The main issue relies on some quantities of interest that are very sensitive to the level of refinement of the spectra, such as the significant wave height at every mesh point or the identification of resonance modes induced by long wave scattering. In many cases, achieving enough quality in these quantities may impose numerous simulations and, consequently, non-practical computer costs. This can drastically limit the final accuracy of results. To overcome this situation, here a new strategy is proposed to efficiently solve a large number of harbor agitation problems derived from dense discretizations of the 2D input spectra. The strategy is based on the combination of two different numerical approaches. Firstly, each required monochromatic simulation is solved via high order NURBS (non-uniform rational B-splines) enhanced finite elements (NEFEM). More precisely, NEFEM captures the exact harbor geometry using large mesh elements that produce accurate solutions and significant savings on the system size, particularly in long wave cases. Secondly, a model order reduction technique is used to approximate the original elliptic harbor model by a so-called surrogate model. The main advantage is that, once the surrogate model is constructed, it can be rapidly evaluated to provide simulations for any value of the spectral components within a range of interest, and without the need of solving any new harbor agitation problem (as the standard strategy does). Thus, this enables the possibility of using any desired discretization of the 2D input spectra with no additional computer cost. The construction of the surrogate model is performed using the proper generalized decomposition method with a novel incremental computation along the frequency dimension. The proposed strategy is discussed, and its superior performance with respect to standard strategies is demonstrated, on two harbor agitation examples with several applications.

Hybrid coupling of CG and HDG discretizations based on Nitsche’s method

María Jesús Samper — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 12:37:04 +0100

A strategy to couple continuous Galerkin (CG) and hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) discretizations based only on the HDG hybrid variable is presented for linear thermal and elastic problems. The hybrid CG-HDG coupling exploits the definition of the numerical flux and the trace of the solution on the mesh faces to impose the transmission conditions between the CG and HDG subdomains. The con- tinuity of the solution is imposed in the CG problem via Nitsche’s method, whereas the equilibrium of the flux at the interface is naturally enforced as a Neumann con- dition in the HDG global problem. The proposed strategy does not affect the core structure of CG and HDG discretizations. In fact, the resulting formulation leads to a minimally-intrusive coupling, suitable to be integrated in existing CG and HDG libraries. Numerical experiments in two and three dimensions show optimal global convergence of the stress and superconvergence of the displacement field, locking-free approximation, as well as the potential to treat structural problems of engineering interest featuring multiple materials with compressible and nearly incompressible behaviors. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Computational mechanics.

A second-order face-centred finite volume method for elliptic problems

María Jesús Samper — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 12:26:49 +0100

A second-order face-centred finite volume method (FCFV) is proposed. Contrary to the more popular cell-centred and vertex-centred finite volume (FV) techniques, the proposed method defines the solution on the faces of the mesh (edges in two dimensions). The method is based on a mixed formulation and therefore considers the solution and its gradient as independent unknowns. They are computed solving an element-by-element problem after the solution at the faces is determined. The proposed approach avoids the need of reconstructing the solution gradient, as required by cell-centred and vertex-centred FV methods. This strategy leads to a method that is insensitive to mesh distortion and stretching. The current method is second-order and requires the solution of a global system of equations of identical size and identical number of non-zero elements when compared to the recently proposed first-order FCFV. The formulation is presented for Poisson and Stokes problems. Numerical examples are used to illustrate the approximation properties of the method as well as to demonstrate its potential in three dimensional problems with complex geometries. The integration of a mesh adaptive procedure in the FCFV solution algorithm is also presented

Solution of geometrically parametrised problems within a CAD environment via model order reduction

María Jesús Samper — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 12:21:35 +0100

The main objective of this work is to describe a general and original approach for computing an off-line solution for a set of parameters describing the geometry of the domain. That is, a solution able to include information for different geometrical parameter values and also allowing to compute readily the sensitivities. Instead of problem dependent approaches, a general framework is presented for standard engineering environments where the geometry is defined by means of NURBS. The parameters controlling the geometry are now the control points characterising the NURBS curves or surfaces. The approach proposed here, valid for 2D and 3D scenarios, allows a seamless integration with CAD preprocessors. The proper generalised decomposition (PGD), which is applied here to compute explicit geometrically parametrised solutions, circumvents the curse of dimensionality. Moreover, optimal convergence rates are shown for PGD approximations of incompressible flows

A regularised-adaptive Proper Generalised Decomposition implementation for coupled magneto-mechanical problems with application to MRI scanners

María Jesús Samper — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 12:14:26 +0100

Latest developments in high-strength Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners with in-built high resolution, have dramatically enhanced the ability of clinicians to diagnose tumours and rare illnesses. However, their high-strength transient magnetic fields induce unwanted eddy currents in shielding components, which result in fast vibrations, noise, imaging artefacts and, ultimately, heat dissipation, boiling off the helium used to super-cool the magnets. Optimum MRI scanner design requires the capturing of complex electro-magneto-mechanical interactions with high fidelity computational tools. During production cycles, this is known to be extremely expensive due to the large number of configurations that need to be tested. There is an urgent need for the development of new cost-effective methods whereby previously performed computations can be assimilated as training solutions of a surrogate digital twin model to allow for real-time simulations. In this paper, a Reduced Order Modelling technique based on the Proper Generalised Decomposition method is presented for the first time in the context of MRI scanning design, with two distinct novelties. First, the paper derives from scratch the offline higher dimensional parametrised solution process of the coupled electro-magneto-mechanical problem at hand and, second, a regularised adaptive methodology is proposed for the circumvention of numerical singularities associated with the ill-conditioning of the discrete system in the vicinity of resonant modes. A series of numerical examples are presented in order to illustrate, motivate and demonstrate the validity and flexibility of the considered approach.

Encapsulated PGD algebraic toolbox operating with high-dimensional data

María Jesús Samper — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 12:05:31 +0100

In its original conception, proper generalized decomposition (PGD) provides explicit parametric solutions, denoted as computational vademecums or digital abacuses, to parametric boundary value problems. The PGD approach is extended here to devise a set of algebraic tools enabling to operate with multidimensional tensor data. These tools are designed to store, compress and perform basic operations (in particular divisions) with tensors in separable format. These tools are directly producing the computational vademecums for the resulting high-dimensional tensor data. Thus, the general methodology enables performing nontrivial operations (storage, compression, division, solving linear systems of equations...) for multidimensional tensor data. The idea is based on the principle of the PGD separation, that produces a separable least squares approximation of any multidimensional function. The PGD compression is a particular case, extensively used in practice to compact the separable solution without loss of accuracy. Here, this concept is applied to algebraic tensor structures that are also seen as functions in multidimensional Cartesian domains. Moreover, a straightforward extension of this concept is devised to operate with multidimensional objects stored in the separable format. That allows creating a toolbox of PGD arithmetic operators that is publicly released at https://git.lacan.upc.edu/zlotnik/algebraicPGDtools. Numerical tests demonstrate the performance and efficiency of the toolbox, both for tensor data handling and operation and also in applications pertaining to the discretized version of boundary value problems.

Multiscale proper generalized decomposition based on the partition of unity

María Jesús Samper — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 11:38:38 +0100

Solutions of partial differential equations could exhibit a multiscale behavior. Standard discretization techniques are constraints to mesh up to the finest scale to predict accurately the response of the system. The proposed methodology is based on the standard proper generalized decomposition rationale; thus, the PDE is transformed into a nonlinear system that iterates between microscale and macroscale states, where the time coordinate could be viewed as a 2D time, representing the microtime and macrotime scales. The macroscale effects are taken into account because of an FEM-based macrodiscretization, whereas the microscale effects are handled with unidimensional parent spaces that are replicated throughout the domain. The proposed methodology can be seen as an alternative route to circumvent prohibitive meshes arising from the necessity of capturing fine-scale behaviors.

A local multiple proper generalized decomposition based on the partition of unity

María Jesús Samper — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 11:30:21 +0100

It is well known that model order reduction techniques that project the solution of the problem at hand onto alow-dimensional subspace present difficulties when this solution lies on a non-linear manifold. To overcomethese difficulties—notably, an undesirable augment in the number of requiredmodesin the solution—severalsolutions have been suggested. Among them we can cite the use of non-linear dimensionality reductiontechniques or, alternatively, the employ of local linear reduced order approaches. These last approachesusually present the difficulty of ensuring continuity between these local models. Here, a new method ispresented that ensures this continuity by resorting to the paradigm of the partition of unity, while employing Proper Generalized Decompositions at each local patch.

Uncertainty propagation using the full second-order approach for probabilistic fatigue crack growth life

Carlos Mallor — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 11:21:36 +0100

Uncertainty propagation of fatigue crack growth life commonly aims to provide the probability distribution of the lifespan needed for probabilistic damage tolerance analysis and for structural integrity assessment. This paper presents a novel methodology for efficiently estimating the parameters of the probability distribution of fatigue lifespan considering the Pearson distribution family. First, the full second-order approach for expected value and variance prediction of probabilistic fatigue crack growth life is extended to predict higher order statistical moments of the underlying distribution. That is, the expected value (first raw moment) and the variance (second central moment) equations are complemented with the probabilistic formulations for the skewness and for the kurtosis (third and fourth central standardized moments, respectively). Then, from these moments, the Pearson distribution type is automatically determined. Finally, the parameters of the particular Pearson distribution type are estimated making the statistical moments of the constructed lifespan distribution match the first four prescribed moments predicted by the probabilistic equations. The validity of the proposed method is verified by a numerical example regarding the fatigue crack growth in a railway axle under random bending loading. It is proven that the probability density function of the lifespan is properly derived by the methodology, without knowing or assuming the output probability distribution beforehand. The methodology presented enables an efficient and an accurate quantification of the lifespan uncertainties via its probabilistic distribution. This probabilistic description of fatigue crack growth life can be subsequently used in reliability studies or in damage tolerance assessment.

Tensor representation of non-linear models using cross approximations

María Jesús Samper — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 11:15:56 +0100

Tensor representations allow compact storage and efficient manipulation of multi-dimensional data. Based on these, tensor methods build low-rank subspaces for the solution of multi-dimensional and multi-parametric models. However, tensor methods cannot always be implemented efficiently, specially when dealing with non-linear models. In this paper, we discuss the importance of achieving a tensor representation of the model itself for the efficiency of tensor-based algorithms. We investigate the adequacy of interpolation rather than projection-based approaches as a means to enforce such tensor representation, and propose the use of cross approximations for models in moderate dimension. Finally, linearization of tensor problems is analyzed and several strategies for the tensor subspace construction are proposed. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Journal of scientific computing

A simple microstructural viscoelastic model for flowing foams

María Jesús Samper — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 11:06:46 +0100

The numerical modelling of forming processes involving the flow of foams requires taking into account the different problem scales. Thus, in industrial applications a macroscopic approach is suitable, whereas the macroscopic flow parameters depend on the cellular structure: cell size, shape, orientation, etc. Moreover, the shape and orientation of the cells are induced by the flow. A fully microscopic description remains useful to understand the foam behaviour and the topological changes induced by the cell elongation or distortion, however, from an industrial point of view, microscopic simulations remain challenging to address practical applications involving flows in complex 3D geometries. In this paper, we propose a viscoelastic flow model where the foam microstructure is represented from suitable microstructure descriptors whose evolution is governed by the macroscopic flow kinematics. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in International journal of material forming.

A locking-free face-centred finite volume (FCFV) method for linear elastostatics

María Jesús Samper — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 17:15:22 +0100

A face-centred finite volume (FCFV) method is proposed for linear elastostatic problems. The FCFV is a mixed hybrid formulation, featuring a system of first-order equations, that defines the unknowns on the faces (edges in two dimensions) of the mesh cells. The symmetry of the stress tensor is strongly enforced using the well-known Voigt notation and the displacement and stress fields inside each cell are obtained by means of explicit formulas. The resulting FCFV method is robust and locking-free in the nearly incompressible limit. Numerical experiments in two and three dimensions show optimal convergence of the displacement and the stress fields without any reconstruction. Moreover, the accuracy of the FCFV method is not sensitive to mesh distortion and stretching. Classical benchmark tests including Kirch’s plate and Cook’s membrane problems in two dimensions as well as three dimensional problems involving shear phenomenons, pressurised thin shells and complex geometries are presented to show the capability and potential of the proposed methodology.

HDG-NEFEM with degree adaptivity for stokes flows

María Jesús Samper — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 16:53:27 +0100

The NURBS-enhanced finite element method (NEFEM) combined with a hybridisable discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) approach is presented for the first time. The proposed technique completely eliminates the uncertainty induced by a polynomial approximation of curved boundaries that is common within an isoparametric approach and, compared to other DG methods, provides a significant reduction in number of degrees of freedom. In addition, by exploiting the ability of HDG to compute a postprocessed solution and by using a local a priori error estimate valid for elliptic problems, an inexpensive, reliable and computable error estimator is devised. The proposed methodology is used to solve Stokes flow problems using automatic degree adaptation. Particular attention is paid to the importance of an accurate boundary representation when changing the degree of approximation in curved elements. Several strategies are compared and the superiority and reliability of HDG-NEFEM with degree adaptation is illustrated.

A superconvergent HDG method for stokes flow with strongly enforced symmetry of the stress tensor

María Jesús Samper — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 16:17:38 +0100

This work proposes a superconvergent hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) method for the approximation of the Cauchy formulation of the Stokes equation using same degree of polynomials for the primal and mixed variables. The novel formulation relies on the well-known Voigt notation to strongly enforce the symmetry of the stress tensor. The proposed strategy introduces several advantages with respect to the existing HDG formulations. First, it remedies the suboptimal behavior experienced by the classical HDG method for formulations involving the symmetric part of the gradient of the primal variable. The optimal convergence of the mixed variable is retrieved and an element-by-element postprocess procedure leads to a superconvergent velocity field, even for low-order approximations. Second, no additional enrichment of the discrete spaces is required and a gain in computational efficiency follows from reducing the quantity of stored information and the size of the local problems. Eventually, the novel formulation naturally imposes physical tractions on the Neumann boundary. Numerical validation of the optimality of the method and its superconvergent properties is performed in 2D and 3D using meshes of different element types.

A superconvergent hybridisable discontinuous Galerkin method for linear elasticity

María Jesús Samper — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 15:34:26 +0100

The first superconvergent hybridisable discontinuous Galerkin method for linear elastic problems capable of using the same degree of approximation for both the primal and mixed variables is presented. The key feature of the method is the strong imposition of the symmetry of the stress tensor by means of the well known and extensively used Voigt notation, circumventing the use of complex mathematical concepts to enforce the symmetry of the stress tensor either weakly or strongly. A novel procedure to construct element by element a superconvergent postprocessed displacement is proposed. Contrary to other hybridisable discontinuous Galerkin formulations, the methodology proposed here is able to produce a superconvergent displacement field for low-order approximations. The resulting method is robust and locking-free in the nearly incompressible limit. An extensive set of numerical examples is utilised to provide evidence of the optimality of the method and its superconvergent properties in two and three dimensions and for different element types

An upwind cell centred Total Lagrangian finite volume algorithm for nearly incompressible explicit fast solid dynamic applications

María Jesús Samper — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 14:50:57 +0100

The paper presents a new computational framework for the numerical simulation of fast large strain solid dynamics, with particular emphasis on the treatment of near incompressibility. A complete set of first order hyperbolic conservation equations expressed in terms of the linear momentum and the minors of the deformation (namely the deformation gradient, its co-factor and its Jacobian), in conjunction with a polyconvex nearly incompressible constitutive law, is presented. Taking advantage of this elegant formalism, alternative implementations in terms of entropy-conjugate variables are also possible, through suitable symmetrisation of the original system of conservation variables. From the spatial discretisation standpoint, modern Computational Fluid Dynamics code “OpenFOAM” [http://www.openfoam.com/] is here adapted to the field of solid mechanics, with the aim to bridge the gap between computational fluid and solid dynamics. A cell centred finite volume algorithm is employed and suitably adapted. Naturally, discontinuity of the conservation variables across control volume interfaces leads to a Riemann problem, whose resolution requires special attention when attempting to model materials with predominant nearly incompressible behaviour (). For this reason, an acoustic Riemann solver combined with a preconditioning procedure is introduced. In addition, a global a posteriori angular momentum projection procedure proposed in Haider et al. (2017) is also presented and adapted to a Total Lagrangian version of the nodal scheme of Kluth and Després (2010) used in this paper for comparison purposes. Finally, a series of challenging numerical examples is examined in order to assess the robustness and applicability of the proposed methodology with an eye on large scale simulation in future works.

A face-centred finite volume method for second-order elliptic problems

María Jesús Samper — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 14:16:28 +0100

This work proposes a novel finite volume paradigm, the face-centred finite volume (FCFV) method. Contrary to the popular vertex (VCFV) and cell (CCFV) centred finite volume methods, the novel FCFV defines the solution on the mesh faces (edges in 2D) to construct locally-conservative numerical schemes. The idea of the FCFV method stems from a hybridisable discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) formulation with constant degree of approximation, thus inheriting the convergence properties of the classical HDG. The resulting FCFV features a global problem in terms of a piecewise constant function defined on the faces of the mesh. The solution and its gradient in each element are then recovered by solving a set of independent element-by-element problems. The mathematical formulation of FCFV for Poisson and Stokes equation is derived and numerical evidence of optimal convergence in 2D and 3D is provided. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the accuracy, efficiency and robustness of the proposed methodology. The results show that, contrary to other FV methods, the accuracy of the FCFV method is not sensitive to mesh distortion and stretching. In addition, the FCFV method shows its better performance, accuracy and robustness using simplicial elements, facilitating its application to problems involving complex geometries in 3D.

Proper generalized decomposition solutions within a domain decomposition strategy

María Jesús Samper — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 13:56:39 +0100

Domain decomposition strategies and proper generalized decomposition are efficiently combined to obtain a fast evaluation of the solution approximation in parameterized elliptic problems with complex geometries. The classical difficulties associated to the combination of layered domains with arbitrarily oriented midsurfaces, which may require in‐plane–out‐of‐plane techniques, are now dismissed. More generally, solutions on large domains can now be confronted within a domain decomposition approach. This is done with a reduced cost in the offline phase because the proper generalized decomposition gives an explicit description of the solution in each subdomain in terms of the solution at the interface. Thus, the evaluation of the approximation in each subdomain is a simple function evaluation given the interface values (and the other problem parameters). The interface solution can be characterized by any a priori user‐defined approximation. Here, for illustration purposes, hierarchical polynomials are used. The repetitiveness of the subdomains is exploited to reduce drastically the offline computational effort. The online phase requires solving a nonlinear problem to determine all the interface solutions. However, this problem only has degrees of freedom on the interfaces and the Jacobian matrix is explicitly determined. Obviously, other parameters characterizing the solution (material constants, external loads, and geometry) can also be incorporated in the explicit description of the solution.

A multidimensional data-driven sparse identification technique: the sparse proper generalized decomposition

María Jesús Samper — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 13:43:21 +0100

Sparse model identification by means of data is especially cumbersome if the sought dynamics live in a high dimensional space. This usually involves the need for large amount of data, unfeasible in such a high dimensional settings. This well-known phenomenon, coined as the curse of dimensionality, is here overcome by means of the use of separate representations. We present a technique based on the same principles of the Proper Generalized Decomposition that enables the identification of complex laws in the low-data limit. We provide examples on the performance of the technique in up to ten dimensions.

Simulating squeeze flows in multiaxial laminates: towards fully 3D mixed formulations

María Jesús Samper — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 13:25:55 +0100

Thermoplastic composites are widely considered in structural parts. In this paper attention is paid to squeeze flow of continuous fiber laminates. In the case of unidirectional prepregs, the ply constitutive equation is modeled as a transversally isotropic fluid, that must satisfy both the fiber inextensibility as well as the fluid incompressibility. When laminate is squeezed the flow kinematics exhibits a complex dependency along the laminate thickness requiring a detailed velocity description through the thickness. In a former work the solution making use of an in-plane-out-of-plane separated representation within the PGD – Poper Generalized Decomposition – framework was successfully accomplished when both kinematic constraints (inextensibility and incompressibility) were introduced using a penalty formulation for circumventing the LBB constraints. However, such a formulation makes difficult the calculation on fiber tractions and compression forces, the last required in rheological characterizations. In this paper the former penalty formulation is substituted by a mixed formulation that makes use of two Lagrange multipliers, while addressing the LBB stability conditions within the separated representation framework, questions never until now addressed.

MÉTODO NUMÉRICO PARA DETERMINAR EL ÁNGULO ADECUADO EN ESTRUCTURAS CON CUBIERTAS LIGERAS

Julio de la Rosa — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 19:39:02 +0100

El territorio cubano es afectado fuertemente por ciclones tropicalesque causan grandes daños a la población y la economía del país. Uno de los sectores más perjudicadoses el de la vivienda donde resaltan las estructuras que presentan cubiertas ligeras por su alta vulnerabilidad ante el embate de vientos extremos. Esta situación resulta alarmante por el alto número de hogares cubanos que utilizan este tipo de cubiertas ylas grandes pérdidas económicas que se registran anualmente por este concepto. La presente investigación tiene como objetivo elaborar un método para determinar el ángulo adecuado del techo en estructuras con cubiertas ligeras, que permita la construcción de viviendas más resistentes al impacto de vientos extremos. Utilizando la Dinámica de Fluidos Computacional (CFD) para modelar el régimen de viento, se logra determinar la respuesta del techo de la estructura para diferentes inclinaciones de la pendiente.

Vademecum-based GFEM (V-GFEM): optimal enrichment for transient problems

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 16:35:08 +0100

This paper proposes a generalized finite element method based on the use of parametric solutions as enrichment functions. These parametric solutions are precomputed off-line and stored in memory in the form of a computational vademecum so that they can be used on-line with negligible cost. This renders a more efficient computational method than traditional finite element methods at performing simulations of processes. One key issue of the proposed method is the efficient computation of the parametric enrichments. These are computed and efficiently stored in memory by employing proper generalized decompositions. Although the presented method can be broadly applied, it is particularly well suited in manufacturing processes involving localized physics that depend on many parameters, such as welding. After introducing the vademecum-generalized finite element method formulation, we present some numerical examples related to the simulation of thermal models encountered in welding processes.

Editorial Volumen 2, 2020: Ingenieros globalizados

Rodrigo F. Herrera — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 13:55:18 +0100

El equipo editorial de la Revista Iberoamericana de Educación en Ingeniería está muy agradecido de su primer año de publicación el año 2019 en donde tuvimos aportación de alto nivel que fueron aceptadas a través de la revisión por pares y luego publicadas en RIEI. Este año 2020 tenemos la meta de comenzar nuestras indexaciones en distintos buscadores, catálogos e índices, por lo que estaremos muy agradecidos de la divulgación de nuestra revista.

Real-time simulation techniques for augmented learning in science and engineering

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 13:15:44 +0100

In this paper we present the basics of a novel methodology for the development of simulation-based and augmented learning tools in the context of applied science and engineering. It is based on the extensive use of model order reduction, and particularly, of the so-called Proper Generalized Decomposition (PGD) method. This method provides a sort of meta-modeling tool without the need for prior computer experiments that allows the user to obtain real-time response in the solution of complex engineering or physical problems. This real-time capability also allows for its implementation in deployed, touch-screen, handheld devices or even to be immersed into electronic textbooks. We explore here the basics of the proposed methodology and give examples on a few challenging applications never until now explored, up to our knowledge.

Elliptic harbor wave model with perfectly matched layer and exterior bathymetry effects

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 13:06:29 +0100

Standard strategies for dealing with the Sommerfeld condition in elliptic mild-slope models require strong assumptions on the wave field in the region exterior to the computational domain. More precisely, constant bathymetry along (and beyond) the open boundary, and parabolic approximations–based boundary conditions are usually imposed. Generally, these restrictions require large computational domains, implying higher costs for the numerical solver. An alternative method for coastal/harbor applications is proposed here. This approach is based on a perfectly matched layer (PML) that incorporates the effects of the exterior bathymetry. The model only requires constant exterior depth in the alongshore direction, a common approach used for idealizing the exterior bathymetry in elliptic models. In opposition to standard open boundary conditions for mild-slope models, the features of the proposed PML approach include (1) completely noncollinear coastlines, (2) better representation of the real unbounded domain using two different lateral sections to define the exterior bathymetry, and (3) the generation of reliable solutions for any incoming wave direction in a small computational domain. Numerical results of synthetic tests demonstrate that solutions are not significantly perturbed when open boundaries are placed close to the area of interest. In more complex problems, this provides important performance improvements in computational time, as shown for a real application of harbor agitation.

Space‐time NURBS‐enhanced finite elements for free‐surface flows in 2D

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 12:03:34 +0100

The accuracy of numerical simulations of free‐surface flows depends strongly on the computation of geometric quantities like normal vectors and curvatures. This geometrical information is additional to the actual degrees of freedom and usually requires a much finer discretization of the computational domain than the flow solution itself. Therefore, the utilization of a numerical method, which uses standard functions to discretize the unknown function in combination with an enhanced geometry representation is a natural step to improve the simulation efficiency. An example of such method is the NURBS‐enhanced finite element method (NEFEM), recently proposed by Sevilla et al. The current paper discusses the extension of the spatial NEFEM to space‐time methods and investigates the application of space‐time NURBS‐enhanced elements to free‐surface flows. Derived is also a kinematic rule for the NURBS motion in time, which is able to preserve mass conservation over time. Numerical examples show the ability of the space‐time NEFEM to account for both pressure discontinuities and surface tension effects and compute smooth free‐surface forms. For these examples, the advantages of the NEFEM compared with the classical FEM are shown.

Proper generalized decomposition for parameterized Helmholtz problems in heterogeneous and unbounded domains: application to harbor agitation

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 11:50:19 +0100

Solving the Helmholtz equation for a large number of input data in an heterogeneous media and unbounded domain still represents a challenge. This is due to the particular nature of the Helmholtz operator and the sensibility of the solution to small variations of the data. Here a reduced order model is used to determine the scattered solution everywhere in the domain for any incoming wave direction and frequency. Moreover, this is applied to a real engineering problem: water agitation inside real harbors for low to mid-high frequencies. The Proper Generalized Decomposition (PGD) model reduction approach is used to obtain a separable representation of the solution at any point and for any incoming wave direction and frequency. Here, its applicability to such a problem is discussed and demonstrated. More precisely, the contributions of the paper include the PGD implementation into a Perfectly Matched Layer framework to model the unbounded domain, and the separability of the operator which is addressed here using an efficient higher-order projection scheme. Then, the performance of the PGD in this framework is discussed and improved using the higher-order projection and a Petrov-Galerkin approach to construct the separated basis. Moreover, the efficiency of the higherorder projection scheme is demonstrated and compared with the higher-order singular value decomposition.

Real-time monitoring of thermal processes by reduced order modeling

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 11:08:25 +0100

This work presents a simple technique for real-time monitoring of thermal processes. Real-time simulationbased control of thermal processes is a big challenge because high-fidelity numerical simulations are costly and cannot be used, in general, for real-time decision making. Very often, processes are monitored or controlled with a few measurements at some specific points. Thus, the strategy presented here is centered on fast evaluation of the response only where it is needed. To accomplish this, classical harmonic analysis is combined with recent model reduction techniques. This leads to an advanced harmonic methodology, which solves in real-time the transient heat equation at the monitored point. In order to apply the reciprocity principle, harmonic analysis is used in the space-frequency domain. Then, Proper Generalized Decomposition, a reduced order approach, pre-computes a transfer function able to produce the output response for a given excitation. This transfer function is computed offline and only once. The response at the monitoring point can be recovered performing a computationally inexpensive post-processing step. This last step can be performed online for real-time monitoring of the thermal process. Examples show the applicability of this approach for a wide range of problems ranging from fast temperature evaluation to inverse problems.

Hybridizable Discontinuous Galerkin with degree adaptivity for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 11:01:32 +0100

A degree adaptive Hybridizable Discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) method for the solution of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations is presented. The key ingredient is an accurate and computationally inexpensive a posteriori error estimator based on the super-convergence properties of HDG. The error estimator drives the local modification of the approximation degree in the elements and faces of the mesh, aimed at obtaining a uniform error distribution below a user-given tolerance in a given output of interest. Three 2D numerical examples are presented. High efficiency of the proposed error estimator is found, and an important reduction of the computational effort is shown with respect to non-adaptive computations, both for steady state and transient simulations.

On the natural stabilization of convection dominated problems using high order Bubnov–Galerkin finite elements

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 10:51:11 +0100

In the case of dominating convection, standard Bubnov–Galerkin finite elements are known to deliver oscillating discrete solutions for the convection–diffusion equation. This paper demonstrates that increasing the polynomial degree (p-extension) limits these artificial numerical oscillations. This is contrary to a widespread notion that an increase of the polynomial degree destabilizes the discrete solution. This treatise also provides explicit expressions as to which polynomial degree is sufficiently high to obtain stable solutions for a given Péclet number at the nodes of a mesh.

Parametric solutions involving geometry: a step towards efficient shape optimization

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 10:24:50 +0100

Optimization of manufacturing processes or structures involves the optimal choice of many parameters (process parameters, material parameters or geometrical parameters). Usual strategies proceed by defining a trial choice of those parameters and then solving the resulting model. Then, an appropriate cost function is evaluated and its optimality checked. While the optimum is not reached, the process parameters should be updated by using an appropriate optimization procedure, and then the model must be solved again for the updated process parameters. Thus, a direct numerical solution is needed for each choice of the process parameters, with the subsequent impact on the computing time. In this work we focus on shape optimization that involves the appropriate choice of some parameters defining the problem geometry. The main objective of this work is to describe an original approach for computing an off-line parametric solution. That is, a solution able to include information for different parameter values and also allowing to compute readily the sensitivities. The curse of dimensionality is circumvented by invoking the Proper Generalized Decomposition (PGD) introduced in former works, which is applied here to compute geometrically parametrized solutions

High-order continuous and discontinuous Galerkin methods for wave problems

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 10:12:32 +0100

Three Galerkin methods-continuous Galerkin, Compact Discontinuous Galerkin, and hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin-are compared in terms of performance and computational efficiency in 2-D scattering problems for low and high-order polynomial approximations. The total number of DOFs and the total runtime are used for this correlation as well as the corresponding precision. The comparison is carried out through various numerical examples. The superior performance of high-order elements is shown. At the same time, similar capabilities are shown for continuous Galerkin and hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin, when high-order elements are adopted, both of them clearly outperforming compact discontinuous Galerkin. hree Galerkin methods—continuous Galerkin, Compact Discontinuous Galerkin, and hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin—are compared in terms of performance and computational efficiency in 2-D scattering problems for low and high-order polynomial approximations. The total number of DOFs and the total runtime are used for this correlation as well as the corresponding precision. The comparison is carried out through various numerical examples. The superior performance of high-order elements is shown. At the same time, similar capabilities are shown for continuous Galerkin and hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin, when high-order elements are adopted, both of them clearly outperforming compact discontinuous Galerkin

Efficiency of high-order elements for continuous and discontinuous Galerkin methods

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 10:07:19 +0100

To evaluate the computational performance of high-order elements, a comparison based on operation count is proposed instead of runtime comparisons. More specifically, linear versus high-order approximations are analyzed for implicit solver under a standard set of hypotheses for the mesh and the solution. Continuous and discontinuous Galerkin methods are considered in two-dimensional and three-dimensional domains for simplices and parallelotopes. Moreover, both element-wise and global operations arising from different Galerkin approaches are studied. The operation count estimates show, that for implicit solvers, high-order methods are more efficient than linear ones.

Stability of anchored sheet wall in cohesive-frictional soils by FE limit analysis

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 09:47:12 +0100

This study extends the limit analysis techniques used for the computation of strict bounds of the load factors in solids to stability problems with interfaces, anchors and joints. The cases considered include the pull-out capacity of multibelled anchors and the stability of retaining walls for multiple conditions at the anchor/soil and wall/soil interfaces. Three types of wall supports are examined: free standing wall, simply supported wall and anchored wall. The results obtained are compared against available experimental and numerical data. The conclusion drawn confirms the validity of numerical limit analysis for the computation of accurate bounds on limit loads and capturing failure modes of structures with multiple inclusions of complex interface and support conditions.

Dimensionless analysis of HSDM and application to simulation of breakthrough curves of highly adsorbent porous media

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 09:41:13 +0100

The homogeneous surface diffusion model (HSDM) is widely used for adsorption modeling of aqueous solutions. The Biot number is usually used to characterize model behavior. However, some limitations of this characterization have been reported recently, and the Stanton number has been proposed as a complement to be considered. In this work, a detailed dimensionless analysis of HSDM is presented and limit behaviors of the model are characterized, confirming but extending previous results. An accurate and efficient numerical solver is used for these purposes. The intraparticle diffusion equation is reduced to a system of two ordinary differential equations, the transport-reaction equation is discretized by using a discontinuous Galerkin method, and the overall system evolution is integrated with a time-marching scheme. This approach facilitates the simulation of HSDM with a wide range of dimensionless numbers and with a correct treatment of shocks, which appear with nonlinear adsorption isotherms and with large Biot numbers and small surface diffusivity modulus. The approach is applied to simulate the breakthrough curves of granular ferric hydroxide. Published experimental data is adequately simulated.

PGD-Based computational vademecum for efficient design, optimization and control

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 09:31:18 +0100

In this paper we are addressing a new paradigm in the field of simulation-based engineering sciences (SBES) to face the challenges posed by current ICT technologies. Despite the impressive progress attained by simulation capabilities and techniques, some challenging problems remain today intractable. These problems, that are common to many branches of science and engineering, are of different nature. Among them, we can cite those related to high-dimensional problems, which do not admit mesh-based approaches due to the exponential increase of degrees of freedom. We developed in recent years a novel technique, called Proper Generalized Decomposition (PGD). It is based on the assumption of a separated form of the unknown field and it has demonstrated its capabilities in dealing with high-dimensional problems overcoming the strong limitations of classical approaches. But the main opportunity given by this technique is that it allows for a completely new approach for classic problems, not necessarily high dimensional. Many challenging problems can be efficiently cast into a multidimensional framework and this opens new possibilities to solve old and new problems with strategies not envisioned until now. For instance, parameters in a model can be set as additional extra-coordinates of the model. In a PGD framework, the resulting model is solved once for life, in order to obtain a general solution that includes all the solutions for every possible value of the parameters, that is, a sort of computational vademecum. Under this rationale, optimization of complex problems, uncertainty quantification, simulation-based control and real-time simulation are now at hand, even in highly complex scenarios, by combining an off-line stage in which the general PGD solution, the vademecum, is computed, and an on-line phase in which, even on deployed, handheld, platforms such as smartphones or tablets, real-time response is obtained as a result of our queries.

Hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin p-adaptivity for wave propagation problems

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 09:25:42 +0100

A p-adaptive hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin method for the solution of wave problems is presented in a challenging engineering problem. Moreover, its performance is compared with a high-order continuous Galerkin. The hybridization technique allows to reduce the coupled degrees of freedom to only those on the mesh element boundaries, whereas the particular choice of the numerical fluxes opens the path to a superconvergent postprocessed solution. This superconvergent postprocessed solution is used to construct a simple and inexpensive error estimator. The error estimator is employed to obtain solutions with the prescribed accuracy in the area (or areas) of interest and also drives a proposed iterative mesh adaptation procedure. The proposed method is applied to a nonhomogeneous scattering problem in an unbounded domain. This is a challenging problem because, on the one hand, for high frequencies, numerical difficulties are an important issue because of the loss of the ellipticity and the oscillatory behavior of the solution. And on the other hand, it is applied to real harbor agitation problems. That is, the mild slope equation in frequency domain (Helmholtz equation with nonconstant coefficients) is solved on real geometries with the corresponding perfectly matched layer to damp the diffracted waves. The performance of the method is studied on two practical examples. The adaptive hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin method exhibits better efficiency compared with a high-order continuous Galerkin method using static condensation of the interior nodes.

PGD-based “Computational Vademecum” for efficient design, optimization and control

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 09:14:25 +0100

D espite the impressive progresses attained by simulation capabilities and techniques, some challenging problems remain today intractable. These prob- lems, that are common to many branches of science and engineering, are of differ- ent nature. Among them, we can cite those related to high-dimensional models, on which mesh-based approaches fail due to the exponential increase of degrees of freedom. Other challenging scenarios concern problems requiring many direct solutions (optimization, inverse identifica- tion, uncertainty quantification ! ) or those needing very fast solutions (real time simulation, simulation based control ! ).

Dynamic model and numerical simulation for a new eccentric rotary multiphase pump

Fei Wang — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 04:29:26 +0100

In order to simplify the manufacture of multiphase pump and improve the operating flexibility for gas void fraction (GVF) of the multiphase fluids that the pump transported, an eccentric rotary multiphase pump (ERMP) is presented. In this study, the structural characteristics and working principle of the ERMP are presented first. Then, the kinematic and force models are established for the key components- sliding vane and rotor. The velocity, acceleration, and force equations with shaft rotation angle are derived for each component. Based on the established models, simulations are performed for an ERMP prototype. The simulated results show that the areas opposite the sliding vane and apart from the center of the rotor have larger velocities and wear problem. Moreover, the binding force, pressure difference induced force and the normal force exercise a negative effect on the friction at the sliding vane sides and rotor. Lower shaft speed and smaller eccentric distance of the crankshaft are helpful to reduce this effect. The findings confirm that the proposed ERMP is suitable for multiphase transportation and has a higher mechanical efficiency for its advanced structure and working principle.

Estimation of crack opening from a two-dimensional continuum-based finite element computation

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 16:26:22 +0100

Damage models are capable of representing crack initiation and mimicking crack propagation within a continuum framework. Thus, in principle, they do not describe crack openings. In durability analyses of concrete structures however, transfer properties are a key issue controlled by crack propagation and crack opening. We extend here a one dimensional approach for estimating a crack opening from a continuum based fi nite element calculation to two dimensional cases. The technique operates in the case of mode I cracking described in a continuum setting by a nonlocal isotropic damage model. We used the global tracking method to compute the idealized crack location as a post treatment procedure. The orig inal one dimensional problem devised in Dufour et al . [4] is recovered as pro fi les of deformation orthog onal to the idealized crack direction are computed. An estimate of the crack opening and an error indicator are computed by comparing fi nite element deformation pro fi les and theoretical pro fi les corresponding to a displacement discontinuity. Two estimates have been considered: In the strong approach, the maxima of the pro fi les are assumed to be equal; in the weak approach, the integrals of each pro fi le are set equal. Two dimensional numerical calculations show that the weak estimates perform better than do the strong ones. Error indicators, de fi ned as the distance between the numerical and theoretical pro fi les, are less than a few percentages. In the case of a three point bending, test results are in good agreement with experimental data, with an error lower than 10% for widely opened crack ( > 40 m m )

High-order implicit time integration for unsteady incompressible flows

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 16:20:45 +0100

The spatial discretization of unsteady incompressible Navier–Stokes equations is stated as a system of differential algebraic equations, corresponding to the conservation of momentum equation plus the constraint due to the incompressibility condition. Asymptotic stability of Runge–Kutta and Rosenbrock methods applied to the solution of the resulting index-2 differential algebraic equations system is analyzed. A critical comparison of Rosenbrock, semi-implicit, and fully implicit Runge–Kutta methods is performed in terms of order of convergence and stability. Numerical examples, considering a discontinuous Galerkin formulation with piecewise solenoidal approximation, demonstrate the applicability of the approaches and compare their performance with classical methods for incompressible flows.

A note on upper bound formulations in limit analysis

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 15:34:16 +0100

In this paper we study some recent formulations for the computation of upper bounds in limit analysis. We show that a previous formulation presented by the authors does not guarantee the strictness of the upper bound, nor does it provide a velocity field that satisfies the normality rule everywhere. We show that these deficiencies are related to the quadrature employed for the evaluation of the dissipation power. We derive a formulation that furnishes a strict upper bound of the load factor, which in fact coincides with a formulation reported in the literature. From the analysis of these formulations we propose a post-process which consists in computing exactly the dissipation power for the optimum upper bound velocity field. This post-process may further reduce the strict upper bound of the load factor in particular situations. Finally, we also determine the quadratures that must be used in the elemental and edge gap contributions so that they are always positive and their addition equals the global bound gap.

A simple shock-capturing technique for high-order discontinuous Galerkin methods

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 15:22:01 +0100

This article presents a novel shock-capturing technique for the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method. The technique is designed for compressible flow problems, which are usually characterized by the presence of strong shocks and discontinuities. The inherent structure of standard DG methods seems to suggest that they are especially adapted to capture shocks because of the numerical fluxes based on suitable approximate Riemann solvers, which, in practice, introduces some stabilization. However, the usual numerical fluxes are not sufficient to stabilize the solution in the presence of shocks for large high-order elements. Here, a new basis of shape functions is introduced. It has the ability to change locally between a continuous or discontinuous interpolation depending on the smoothness of the approximated function. In the presence of shocks, the new discontinuities inside an element introduce the required stabilization because of numerical fluxes. Large high-order elements can therefore be used and shocks captured within a single element, avoiding adaptive mesh refinement and preserving the locality and compactness of the DG scheme. Several numerical examples for transonic and supersonic flows are studied to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed approach.

One-dimensional shock-capturing for high-order discontinuous Galerkin methods

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 15:12:18 +0100

Discontinuous Galerkin methods have emerged in recent years as an alternative for nonlinear conservation equations. In particular, their inherent structure (a numerical flux based on a suitable approximate Riemann solver introduces some stabilization) suggests that they are specially adapted to capture shocks. However, numerical fluxes are not sufficient to stabilize the solution in the presence of shocks. Thus, slope limiter methods, which are extensions of finite volume methods, have been proposed. These techniques require, in practice, mesh adaption to localize the shock structure. This is is more obvious for large elements typical of high-order approximations. Here, a new approach based on the introduction of artificial diffusion into the original equations is presented. The order is not systematically decreased to one in the presence of the shock, large high-order elements can be used, and several linear and nonlinear tests demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed methodology.

Are High-order and Hybridizable Discontinuous Galerkin methods competitive?

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 15:05:23 +0100

The talk covered several issues motivated by a practical engineering wave propagation problem: real-time evaluation of wave agitation in harbors. The first part, presented the application of a reduced order model in the framework of a Helmholtz equation with non-constant coefficients in an unbounded domain. This problem requires large numbers of degrees of freedom (ndof) because relatively high frequencies with small (compared with the domain size) geometric features must be considered

Interactive simulation on a smart Phone

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 14:58:13 +0100

Traditionally, Simulationbased Engineering Sciences (SBES) made use of static data inputs to perform the simulations. Namely parameters of the model, boundary conditions, etc. were traditionally obtained by experimentation and could not be modified during the course of the simulation. More recently, large efforts have been invested in developing dynamic datadriven application systems (DDDAS): systems in which measurements and simulations are continuously influencing each other in a symbiotic manner. It should be understood that measurements should be incorporated in real time to the simulations, while simulations could eventually control the way in which measurements are done.

Proper generalized decomposition based dynamic data-driven control of material forming processes

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 14:51:58 +0100

Dynamic Data-Driven Application Systems—DDDAS—appear as a new paradigm in the field of applied sciences and engineering, and in particular in Simulation-based Engineering Sciences. By DDDAS we mean a set of techniques that allow to link simulation tools with measurement devices for real-time control of systems and processes. In this paper a novel simulation technique is developed with an eye towards its employ in the field of DDDAS. The main novelty of this technique relies in the consideration of parameters of the model as new dimensions in the parametric space. Such models often live in highly multidimensional spaces suffering the so-called curse of dimensionality. To avoid this problem related to mesh-based techniques, in this work an approach based upon the Proper Generalized Decomposition—PGD—is developed, which is able to circumvent the redoubtable curse of dimensionality. The approach thus developed is composed by a marriage of DDDAS concepts and a combination of PGD “off-line” computations, linked to “on-line” post-processing. In this work we explore some possibilities in the context of process control, malfunctioning identification and system reconfiguration in real time, showing the potentialities of the technique in real engineering contexts.

NURBS-Enhanced Finite Element Method (NEFEM)

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 14:36:23 +0100

The development of NURBS-Enhanced Finite Element Method (NEFEM) is revisited. This technique allows a seamless integration of the CAD boundary representation of the domain and the finite element method (FEM). The importance of the geometrical model in finite element simulations is addressed and the benefits and potential of NEFEM are discussed and compared with respect to other curved finite element techniques.

3D NURBS-enhanced finite element method (NEFEM)

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 14:28:25 +0100

This paper presents the extension of the recently proposed NURBS-enhanced finite element method (NEFEM) to 3D domains. NEFEM is able to exactly represent the geometry of the computational domain by means of its CAD boundary representation with non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS) surfaces. Specific strategies for interpolation and numerical integration are presented for those elements affected by the NURBS boundary representation. For elements not intersecting the boundary, a standard finite element rationale is used, preserving the efficiency of the classical FEM. In 3D NEFEM special attention must be paid to geometric issues that are easily treated in the 2D implementation. Several numerical examples show the performance and benefits of NEFEM compared with standard isoparametric or cartesian finite elements. NEFEM is a powerful strategy to efficiently treat curved boundaries and it avoids excessive mesh refinement to capture small geometric features.

Comparison of high-order curved finite elements

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 14:15:09 +0100

Several finite element techniques used in domains with curved boundaries are discussed and compared, with particular emphasis in two issues: the exact boundary representation of the domain and the consistency of the approximation. The influence of the number of integration points on the accuracy of the computation is also studied. Two-dimensional numerical examples, solved with continuous and discontinuous Galerkin formulations, are used to test and compare all these methodologies. In every example shown, the recently proposed NURBS-enhanced finite element method (NEFEM) provides the maximum accuracy for a given spatial discretization, at least one order of magnitude more accurate than classical isoparametric finite element method (FEM). Moreover, NEFEM outperforms Cartesian FEM and p-FEM, stressing the importance of the geometrical model as well as the relevance of a consistent approximation in finite element simulations.

Discontinuous Galerkin methods for the Navier–Stokes equations using solenoidal approximations

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 14:00:24 +0100

An interior penalty method and a compact discontinuous Galerkin method are proposed and compared for the solution of the steady incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. Both compact formulations can be easily applied using high-order piecewise divergence-free approximations, leading to two uncoupled problems: one associated with velocity and hybrid pressure, and the other one only concerned with the computation of pressures in the elements interior. Numerical examples compare the efficiency and the accuracy of both proposed methods.

A new least-squares approximation of affine mappings for sweep algorithms

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:51:57 +0100

This paper presents a new algorithm to generate hexahedral meshes in extrusion geometries. Several algorithms have been devised to generate hexahedral meshes by projecting the cap surfaces along a sweep path. In all of these algorithms the crucial step is the placement of the inner layer of nodes. That is, the projection of the source surface mesh along the sweep path. From the computational point of view, sweep methods based on a least-squares approximation of an affine mapping are the fastest alternative to compute these projections. Several functionals have been introduced to perform the least-squares approximation. However, for very simple and typical geometrical configurations they may generate low-quality projected meshes. For instance, they may induce skewness and flattening effects on the projected discretizations. In addition, for these configurations the minimization of these functionals may lead to a set of normal equations with singular system matrix. In this work we analyze previously defined functionals. Based on this analysis we propose a new functional and show that its minimization overcomes these drawbacks. Finally, we present several examples to assess the properties of the proposed functional.

Extraction of a crack opening from a continuous approach using regularized damage models

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:32:02 +0100

Crack opening governs many transfer properties that play a pivotal role in durability analyses. Instead of trying to combine continuum and discrete models in computational analyses, it would be attractive to derive from the continuum approach an estimate of crack opening, without considering the explicit description of a discontinuous displacement field in the computational model. This is the prime objective of this contribution. The derivation is based on the comparison between two continuous variables: the distribution if the effective non local strain that controls damage and an analytical distribution of the effective non local variable that derives from a strong discontinuity analysis. Close to complete failure, these distributions should be very close to each other. Their comparison provides two quantities: the displacement jump across the crack [U] and the distance between the two profiles. This distance is an error indicator defining how close the damage distribution is from that corresponding to a crack surrounded by a fracture process zone. It may subsequently serve in continuous/discrete models in order to define the threshold below which the continuum approach is close enough to the discrete one in order to switch descriptions. The estimation of the crack opening is illustrated on a one-dimensional example and the error between the profiles issued from discontinuous and FE analyses is found to be of a few percents close to complete failure.

NURBS-enhanced finite element method (NEFEM)

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:15:39 +0100

An improvement to the classical finite element (FE) method is proposed. It is able to exactly represent the geometry by means of the usual CAD description of the boundary with non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS). Here, the 2D case is presented. For elements not intersecting the boundary, a standard FE interpolation and numerical integration are used. But elements intersecting the NURBS boundary need a specifically designed piecewise polynomial interpolation and numerical integration. A priori error estimates are also presented. Finally, some examples demonstrate the applicability and benefits of the proposed methodology. NURBS-enhanced finite element method (NEFEM) is at least one order of magnitude more precise than the corresponding isoparametric FE in every numerical example shown. This is the case for both continuous and discontinuous Galerkin formulations. Moreover, for a desired precision, NEFEM is also more computationally efficient, as shown in the numerical examples. The use of NEFEM is strongly recommended in the presence of curved boundaries and/or when the boundary of the domain has complex geometric details. The possibility of computing an accurate solution with coarse meshes and high-order interpolations makes NEFEM a more efficient strategy than classical isoparametric FE.

Upper and lower bounds in limit analysis: adaptive meshing strategies and discontinuous loading

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:05:07 +0100

Upper and lower bounds of the collapse load factor are here obtained as the optimum values of two discrete constrained optimization problems. The membership constraints for Von Mises and Mohr–Coulomb plasticity criteria are written as a set of quadratic constraints, which permits one to solve the optimization problem using specific algorithms for Second‐Order Conic Program (SOCP). From the stress field at the lower bound and the velocities at the upper bound, we construct a novel error estimate based on elemental and edge contributions to the bound gap. These contributions are employed in an adaptive remeshing strategy that is able to reproduce fan‐type mesh patterns around points with discontinuous surface loading. The solution of this type of problems is analysed in detail, and from this study some additional meshing strategies are also described. We particularise the resulting formulation and strategies to two‐dimensional problems in plane strain and we demonstrate the effectiveness of the method with a set of numerical examples extracted from the literature.

NURBS-enhanced finite element method for Euler equations

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:57:50 +0100

In this work, the NURBS-enhanced finite element method (NEFEM) is combined with a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) formulation for the numerical solution of Euler equations of gas dynamics. With NEFEM, numerical fluxes along curved boundaries are computed much more accurately due to the exact geometric representation of the computational domain. The proper implementation of the wall boundary condition and the exact geometry provide accurate results even with a linear approximation of the solution. A detailed comparison of NEFEM in front of isoparametric finite elements is presented, demonstrating the superiority of NEFEM approach for both linear and higher-order computations

Discontinuous Galerkin methods for the Stokes equations using divergence-free approximations

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:52:36 +0100

A discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method with solenoidal approximation for the simulation of incompressible flow is proposed. It is applied to the solution of the Stokes equations. The interior penalty method is employed to construct the DG weak form. For every element, the approximation space for the velocity field is decomposed as the direct sum of a solenoidal space and an irrotational space. This allows to split the DG weak form into two uncoupled problems: the first one solves for the velocity and the hybrid pressure (pressure along the mesh edges) and the second one allows the computation of the pressure in the element interior. Furthermore, the introduction of an extra penalty term leads to an alternative DG formulation for the computation of solenoidal velocities with no presence of pressure terms. Pressure can then be computed as a post-process of the velocity solution. Numerical examples demonstrate the applicability of the proposed methodologies.

Stability of incompressible formulations enriched with X-FEM

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:41:26 +0100

The treatment of (near-)incompressibility is a major concern for applications involving rubber-like materials, or when important plastic ows occurs as in forming processes. The use of mixed nite element methods is known to prevent the locking of the nite element approximation in the incompressible limit. However, it also introduces a critical condition for the stability of the formulation, called the infsup or LBB condition. Recently, the nite element method has evolved with the introduction of the partition of unity. The eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) uses the partition of unity to remove the need to mesh physical surfaces or to remesh them as they evolve. The enrichment of the displacement eld makes it possible to treat surfaces of discontinuity inside nite elements. In this paper, some strategies are proposed for the enrichment of mixed nite element approximations in the incompressible setting. The case of holes, material interfaces and cracks are considered. Numerical examples show that for well chosen enrichment strategies, the nite element convergence rate is preserved and the inf-sup condition is passed.

Mathematical e-Learning: state of the art and experiences at the Open University of Catalonia

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:10:03 +0100

In this article we present a review of the state of the art in mathematical e-learning and some personal experiences on this area developed during the last eleven years at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), a completely online university located in Spain. The article discusses important aspects related to online mathematics courses offered in higher education programs, including: benefits and challenges, universities offering this type of education, methodological considerations, emergent technologies, learning projects and environments, etc. Also, key aspects of the UOC mathematical e-learning model and its historical evolution are described and analysed. Special attention is paid to mathematical curricula in computer sciences degrees, where a lot of work needs to be done in order to adapt mathematics courses to the continuously changing educational necessities of students. A curricula design proposal, based on a top-down approach, is presented as a best practice. Finally, some trends and future perspectives on the subject are suggested.

Hydraulic behaviour of a representative structural volume for containment buildings

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 10:58:52 +0100

For particular structures like containment buildings of nuclear power plants, the study of the hydraulic behaviour is of great concern. These structures are indeed the third barrier used to protect the environment in case of accidents. The evolution of the leaking rate through the porous medium is closely related to the changes in the permeability during the ageing process of the structure. It is thus essential to know the relation between concrete degradation and the transfer property when the consequences of a mechanical loading on the hydraulic behaviour have to be evaluated. A chained approach is designed for this purpose. The mechanical behaviour is described by an elastic plastic damage formulation, where damage is responsible for the softening evolution while plasticity accounts for the development of irreversible strains. The drying process is evaluated according to a non-linear equation of diffusion. From the knowledge of the damage and the degree of saturation, a relation is proposed to calculate the permeability of concrete. Finally, the non-homogeneous distribution of the hydraulic conductivity is included in the hydraulic problem which is in fact the association of the mass balance equation for gas phase and Darcy law. From this methodology, it is shown how an indicator for the hydraulic flows can be deduced.

Goal oriented error estimation for the element free Galerkin method

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 10:54:49 +0100

A novel approach for implicit residual-type error estimation in meshfree methods is presented. This allows to compute upper and lower bounds of the error in energy norm with the ultimate goal of obtaining bounds for outputs of interest. The proposed approach precludes the main drawbacks of standard residual type estimators circumventing the need of flux-equilibration and resulting in a simple implementation that avoids integrals on edges/sides of a domain decomposition (mesh). This is especially interesting for mesh-free methods.

Stabilized updated Lagrangian corrected SPH for explicit dynamic problems

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 10:46:15 +0100

Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics with a total Lagrangian formulation are, in general, more robust than nite elements for large distortion problems. Nevertheless, updating the reference con¯guration may still be necessary in some problems involving extremely large distortions. However, as discussed here a standard updated formulation suffers the presence of zero energy modes that are activated and may spoil completely the solution. It is important to note that, unlike an Eulerian formulation,the updated Lagrangian does not present tension instability but only zero energy modes. Here an stabilization technique is incorporated to the updated formulation to obtain an improved method without mechanisms and capable to solve problems with extremely large distortions.

Updated Lagrangian formulation for corrected smooth particle hydrodynamics

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 10:40:53 +0100

Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) are, in general, more robust than finite elements for large distortion problems. Nevertheless, updating the reference configuration may be necessary in some problems involving extremely large distortions. If a standard updated formulation is implemented in SPH zero energy modes are activated and spoil the solution. It is important to note that the updated Lagrangian does not present tension instability but only zero energy modes. Here an stabilization technique is incorporated to the updated formulation to obtain an improved method without mechanisms.

An elastic plastic damage formulation for concrete: application to elementary and structural tests

María Jesús Samper — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 10:35:17 +0100

Pure elastic damage models or pure elastic plastic constitutive laws are not totally satisfactory to describe the behaviour of concrete. They indeed fail to reproduce the unloading slopes during cyclic loading which define experimentally the value of the damage in the material. When coupled effects are considered, in particular in hydro-mechanical problems, the capability of numerical models to reproduce the unloading behaviour is essential, because an accurate value of the damage, which controls the material permeability, is needed. In the context of very large size calculations that are needed for 3D massive structures heavily reinforced and pre-stressed (such as containment vessels), constitutive relations ought also to be as simple as possible. Here an elastic plastic damage formulation is proposed to circumvent the disadvantages of pure plastic and pure damage approaches. It is based on an isotropic damage model combined with a hardening yield plastic surface in order to reach a compromise as far as simplicity is concerned. Three elementary tests are first considered for validation. A tension test, a cyclic compression test and triaxial tests illustrate the improvements achieved by the coupled law compared to a simple damage model (plastic strains, change of volumetric behaviour, decrease in the elastic slope under hydrostatic pressures). Finally, one structural application is also considered: a concrete column wrapped in a steel tube.

Étude de la stabilité d'une formulation incompressible traitée par X-FEM

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 17:33:20 +0100

The treatment of (near-)incompressibility is a major concern for the simulation of rubber-like parts, or forming processes. The use of mixed finite element methods is known to prevent the locking of the F.E. approximation in the incompressible limit. However, the stability of these formulations is conditionned by the fullfilment of the inf-sup condition. Recently, finite elements method has evolved with the introduction of the partition of unity. The X-FEM uses it to remove the need to mesh (and remesh) physical surfaces. In this paper, a strategy is proposed for the treatment of holes within X-FEM in the incompressible setting. Numerical examples show that F.E. convergence rate is preserved and that the inf-sup condition is passed.

Mesh projection between parametric surfaces

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 17:21:05 +0100

This paper presents a new algorithm to map a given mesh over a source surface onto a target surface. This projection is determined by means of a least-squares approximation of a transformation defined between the loops of boundary nodes of the cap surfaces in the parametric spaces. Once the new mesh is obtained on the parametric space of the target surface, it is mapped to the target surface according to its parameterization. Therefore, in contrast with the usual techniques, the developed algorithm does not require solving any root finding problem to ensure that the projected nodes are on the target surface. Finally, this projection algorithm is extended to three-dimensional cases and included in a sweep meshing tool in order to generate the inner layers of elements in the physical space.

The computation of bounds for linear-functional outputs of weak solutions to the two-dimensional elasticity equations

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 17:11:31 +0100

We present a method for the computation of upper and lower bounds for linear-functional outputs of the exact solutions to the two dimensional elasticity equations. The method can be regarded as a generalization of the well known complementary energy principle. The desired output is cast as the supremum of a quadratic-linear convex functional over an infinite dimensional domain. Using duality the computation of an upper bound for the output of interest is reduced to a feasibility problem for the complementary, or dual, problem. In order to make the problem tractable from a computational perspective two additional relaxations that preserve the bounding properties are introduced. First, the domain is triangulated and a domain decomposition strategy is used to generate a sequence of independent problems to be solved over each triangle. The Lagrange multipliers enforcing continuity are approximated using piecewise linear functions over the edges of the triangulation. Second, the solution of the adjoint problem is approximated over the triangulation using a standard Galerkin finite element approach. A lower bound for the output of interest is computed by repeating the process for the negative of the output. Reversing the sign of the computed upper bound for the negative of the output yields a lower bound for the actual output. The method can be easily generalized to three dimensions. However, a constructive proof for the existence of feasible solutions for the outputs of interest is only given in two dimensions. The computed bound gaps are found to converge optimally, that is, at the same rate as the finite element approximation. An attractive feature of the proposed approach is that it allows for a data set to be generated that can be used to certify and document the computed bounds. Using this data set and a simple algorithm, the correctness of the computed bounds can be established without recourse to the original code used to compute them. In the present paper, only computational domains whose boundary is made up of straight sided segments and polynomially varying loads are considered. Two examples are given to illustrate the proposed methodology.

Continuous blending of SPH with finite elements

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 16:41:03 +0100

This paper proposes a methodology for the continuous blending of the finite element method and smooth particle hydrodynamics. The coupled approximation with finite elements and particles, and the discretization of the boundary value problem with a coupled integration, are described. An integration correction is also proposed to stabilize the solution. Some numerical examples demonstrate the applicability of the method.

A new damage model based on non-local displacements

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 16:34:18 +0100

A new non-local damage model is presented. Non-locality (of integral or gradient type) is incorporated into the model by means of non-local displacements. This contrasts with existing damage models, where a non-local strain or strain-related state variable is used. The new model is very attractive from a computational viewpoint, especially regarding the computation of the consistent tangent matrix needed to achieve quadratic convergence in Newton iterations. At the same time, its physical response is very similar to that of the standard models, including its regularization capabilities. All these aspects are discussed in detail and illustrated by means of numerical examples.

Benchmarks for the validation of a non local model

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 16:26:43 +0100

The aim of this contribution is to present a series of organised benchmarks that helps at validating the robustness of the FE implementation of a constitutive relation, its pertinence with respect to experiments, and quantitative and qualitative comparisons of structural elements. It is applied to an isotropic damage model used for concrete, coupled with a non local gradient formulation to avoid a spurious description of strain localisation. After the elementary (uniaxial monotonic, cyclic or triaxial loading) and structural (three point bending tests) simulations, an industrial application is presented in the form of a representative structural volume of a containment building for French nuclear power plants.

Efficient and reliable nonlocal damage models

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 15:35:32 +0100

We present an efficient and reliable approach for the numerical modelling of failure with nonlocal damage models. The two major numerical challenges––the strongly nonlinear, highly localized and parameter-dependent structural response of quasi-brittle materials, and the interaction between nonadjacent finite elements associated to nonlocality––are addressed in detail. Reliability of the numerical results is ensured by an h-adaptive strategy based on error estimation. We use a residual-type error estimator for nonlinear FE analysis based on local computations, which, at the same time, accounts for the nonlocality of the damage model. Efficiency is achieved by a proper combination of load-stepping control technique and iterative solver for the nonlinear equilibrium equations. A major issue is the computation of the consistent tangent matrix, which is nontrivial due to nonlocal interaction between Gauss points. With computational efficiency in mind, we also present a new nonlocal damage model based on the nonlocal average of displacements. For this new model, the consistent tangent matrix is considerably simpler to compute than for current models. The various ideas discussed in the paper are illustrated by means of three application examples: the uniaxial tension test, the three-point bending test and the single-edge notched beam test.

A comparison of two formulations to blend finite elements and mesh-free methods

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 15:28:34 +0100

Mesh-free methods have since their early developments been blended to the finite element formulation in order to benefit from the advantages of both numerical techniques. In this paper, two recently proposed formulations to couple mesh-free and finite element methods are discussed and compared.

Imposing essential boundary conditions in mesh-free methods

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 15:23:21 +0100

Imposing essential boundary conditions is a key issue in mesh-free methods. The mesh-free interpolation does not verify the Kronecker delta property and, therefore, the imposition of prescribed values is not as straightforward as for the finite element method. The aim of this paper is to present a general overview on the existing techniques to enforce essential boundary conditions in Galerkin based mesh-free methods. Special attention is paid to the mesh-free coupling with finite elements for the imposition of prescribed values and to methods based on a modification of the Galerkin weak form. Particular examples are used to analyze and compare their performance in different situations.

Pseudo-divergence-free element free Galerkin method for incompressible fluid flow

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 15:17:05 +0100

Incompressible modeling in finite elements has been a major concern since its early developments and has been extensively studied. However, incompressibility in mesh-free methods is still an open topic. Thus, instabilities or locking can preclude the use of mesh-free approximations in such problems. Here, a novel mesh-free formulation is proposed for incompressible flow. It is based on defining a pseudo-divergence-free interpolation space. That is, the finite dimensional interpolation space approaches a divergence-free space when the discretization is refined. Note that such an interpolation does not include any overhead in the computations. The numerical evaluations are performed using the inf–sup numerical test and two well-known benchmark examples for Stokes flow.

Computing bounds for linear functionals of exact weak solutions to Poisson's equation

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 15:04:33 +0100

We present a method for Poisson’s equation that computes guaranteed upper and lower bounds for the values of piecewise-polynomial linear functional outputs of the exact weak solution of the infinite-dimensional continuum problem with piecewise-polynomial forcing. The method results from exploiting the Lagrangian saddle point property engendered by recasting the output problem as a constrained minimization problem. Localization is achieved by Lagrangian relaxation and the bounds are computed by appeal to a local dual problem. The proposed method computes approximate Lagrange multipliers using traditional finite element approximations to calculate a primal and an adjoint solution along with well known hybridization techniques to calculate interelement continuity multipliers. The computed bounds hold uniformly for any level of refinement, and in the asymptotic convergence regime of the finite element method, the bound gap decreases at twice the rate of the energy norm measure of the error in the finite element solution. Given a finite element solution and its output adjoint solution, the method can be used to provide a certificate of precision for the output with an asymptotic complexity that is linear in the number of elements in the finite element discretization. The elemental contributions to the bound gap are always positive and hence lend themselves to be used as adaptive indicators, as we demonstrate with a numerical example.

Numerical modelling of void inclusions in porous media

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 14:43:32 +0100

Numerical modelling of porous flow in a low‐permeability matrix with high‐permeability inclusions is a challenging task because the large ratio of permeabilities ill‐conditions the finite element system of equations. We propose a coupled model where Darcy flow is used for the porous matrix and potential flow is used for the inclusions. We discuss appropriate interface conditions in detail and show that the head drop in the inclusions can be prescribed in a very simple way. Algorithmic aspects are treated in full detail. Numerical examples show that this coupled approach precludes ill‐conditioning and is more efficient than heterogeneous Darcy flow.

Locking in the incompressible limit: pseudo-divergence-free element free Galerkin

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 14:37:04 +0100

Locking in finite elements has been a major concern since its early developments. It appears because poor numerical interpolation leads to an over-constrained system. This paper proposes a new formulation that asymptotically suppresses locking for the element free Galerkin (EFG) method in incompressible limit, i.e. the so-called volumetric locking. Originally it was claimed that EFG did not present volumetric locking. However, recently, performing a modal analysis, the senior author has shown that EFG presents volumetric locking. In fact, it is concluded that an increase of the dilation parameter attenuates, but never suppresses, the volumetric locking and that, as in standard finite elements, an increase in the order of reproducibility (interpolation degree) reduces the relative number of locking modes. Here an improved formulation of the EFG method is proposed in order to alleviate volumetric locking.Diffuse derivatives are defined in the thesis of the second author and their convergence to the derivatives of the exact solution, when the radius of the support goes to zero (for a fixed dilation parameter), it is proved. Therefore, diffuse divergence converges to the exact divergence. Since the diffuse divergence-free condition can be imposed a priori, new interpolation functions are defined that asymptotically verify the incompressibility condition. Modal analysis and numerical results for classical benchmark tests in solids corroborate this issue.

Numerical representation of the quality measures of triangles and triangular meshes

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 14:26:56 +0100

In this note a new procedure to represent the quality measure for triangles is proposed. The triangles are identified by their three angles and are represented in a bounded domain, called angle representation region, according to the area co-ordinates, which are common and well known by finite element users. The developed representation can also be used in order to visualize the characteristics of any quality measure. This new procedure is extended to graphically represent triangular meshes in the angle representation region.

Efficient and accurate approach for powder compaction problems

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 14:18:19 +0100

In this paper, a new approach for powder cold compaction simulations is presented. A density-dependent plastic model within the framework of finite strain multiplicative hyperelastoplasticity is used to describe the highly nonlinear material behaviour; the Coulomb dry friction model is used to capture friction effects at die-powder contact; and an Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) formulation is used to avoid the (usual) excessive distortion of Lagrangian meshes caused by large mass fluxes. Several representative examples, involving structured and unstructured meshes are simulated. The results obtained agree with the experimental data and other numerical results reported in the literature. It is shown that, contrary to other Lagrangian and adaptive h-remeshing approaches recently reported for this type of problems, the present approach verifies the mass conservation principle with very low relative errors (less than 1% in all ALE examples and exactly in the pure Lagrangian examples). Moreover, thanks to the use of an ALE formulation and in contrast with other simulations, the presented density distributions do not present spurious oscillations.

Time accurate consistently stabilized mesh-free methods for convection dominated problems

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 14:10:33 +0100

The behaviour of high‐order time stepping methods combined with mesh‐free methods is studied for the transient convection–diffusion equation. Particle methods, such as the element‐free Galerkin (EFG) method, allow to easily increase the order of consistency and, thus, to formulate high‐order schemes in space and time. Moreover, second derivatives of the EFG shape functions can be constructed with a low extra cost and are well defined, even for linear interpolation. Thus, consistent stabilization schemes can be considered without loss in the convergence rates.

Locking in the incompressible limit: pseudo-divergence-free element free Galerkin

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 13:58:06 +0100

Locking in finite elements has been a major concern since its early developments and has been extensively studied. However, locking in mesh-free methods is still an open topic. Until now the remedies proposed in the literature are extensions of already developed methods for finite elements. Here a new approach is explored and an improved formulation that asymptotically suppresses volumetric locking for the EFG method is proposed. The diffuse divergence converges to the exact divergence. Since the diffuse divergence-free condition can be imposed a priori, new interpolation functions are defined that asymptotically verify the incompressibility condition. Modal analysis and numerical results for classical benchmark tests in solids and fluids corroborate this issue.

The efficient computation of bounds for functionals of finite element solutions in large strain elasticity

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 13:47:03 +0100

We present an implicit a posteriori finite element procedure to compute bounds for functional outputs of finite element solutions in large strain elasticity. The method proposed relies on the existence of a potential energy functional whose local minima, over a space of suitably chosen continuous functions, corresponds to the problem solution. The output of interest is cast as a constrained minimization problem over an enlarged discontinuous finite element space. A Lagrangian is formed were the multipliers are an adjoint solution, which enforces equilibrium, and hybrid fluxes, which constrain the solution to be continuous. By computing approximate values for the multipliers on a coarse mesh, strict upper and lower bounds for the output of interest on a suitably refined mesh, are obtained. This requires a minimization over a discontinuous space, which can be carried out locally at low cost. The computed bounds are uniformly valid regardless of the size of the underlying coarse discretization. The method is demonstrated with two applications involving large strain plane stress incompressible neo-Hookean hyperelasticity.

Time‐accurate solution of stabilized convection–diffusion–reaction equations: II. Accuracy analysis and examples

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 13:39:18 +0100

The paper addresses the development of time‐accurate methods for solving transient convection–diffusion –reaction problems using finite elements. The accuracy characteristics of the spatially stabilized implicit multi‐stage time‐stepping schemes developed in a companion paper (Part I of this work) are analysed and compared here. This is done by means of a Fourier analysis. An important improvement is observed when the order of the method is increased. Moreover, the stabilization techniques proposed (streamline‐upwind Petrov–Galerkin (SUPG), Galerkin least‐square (GLS), sub‐grid scale (SGS) and least squares) do not degrade the phase accuracy. Finally, some examples are presented to show the applicability of these schemes.

Time-accurate solution of stabilized convection-difusion-reaction equations: I. Time and space discretization

María Jesús Samper — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 13:19:46 +0100

The paper addresses the development of time-accurate methods for solving transient convection-diffusion-reaction problems using finite elements. Multi-stage time-stepping schemes of high accuracy are used. They are first combined with a Galerkin formulation to briefly recall the time-space discretization. Then spatial stabilization techniques are combined with high-order time-stepping schemes. Moreover, a least-squares formulation is also developed for these high-order time schemes combined with C0 finite elements (in spite of the diffusion operator and without reducing the strong form into a system of first-order differential equations). The weak forms induced by the SUPG, GLS, SGS and least-squares formulations are presented and compared. In a companion paper (Part II of this work), the phase and damping properties of the developed schemes are analysed and numerical examples are included to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed methodology for solving time-dependent convection-diffusion-reaction problems.

Quantitative analysis of microvascular invasion preoperative prediction in solitary small hepatocellular carcinoma on dynamic enhancement MRI

Xueyan Zhou — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 08:16:05 +0100

The purpose of this study is to predict preoperatively microvascular invasion (MVI) of solitary small hepatocellular cancer (sHCC) by using the kinetic parameters analysis on dynamic enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients (n = 61) with known solitary sHCC(≤3cm) were preoperatively examined with Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI first before hepatic resection. The arterial peritumoral enhancement measured from the dynamic enhancement-MRI was analyzed by using quantitative kinetic parameters, including initial enhancement (E1), peak enhancement (E''peak''), and enhancement ratio (E''R'') calculated. Correlations between quantitative kinetic parameters and MVI were evaluated and differences between MVI positive and negative groups were assessed. Histopathological analysis of liver resection confirmed that 19 patients had sHCC with MVI and that 42 patients had sHCC without MVI. Average (± standard deviation) E1 is 0.36±0.12 and 0.46±0.09, E''peak'' is 0.78±0.24 and 0.74±0.18, and E''R'' is 0.42±0.20 and 0.56±0.17 for negative and positive group, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that average E1 and ER for the positive group were significantly higher (p less than 0.05) than the negative group. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis between the two groups had area under the curve of 0.74 and 0.71 for E1 and E''R'', respectively. Quantitative kinetic parameters analysis for the arterial peritumoral enhancement is feasibility to the prediction and assist diagnosis of MVI in clinical practice.

Error estimation and adaptivity for nonlinear FE analysis

María Jesús Samper — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 09:47:29 +0100

An adaptive strategy for nonlinear finite-element analysis, based on the combination of error estimation and h-remeshing, is presented. Its two main ingredients are a residual-type error estimator and an unstructured quadrilateral mesh generator. The error estimator is based on simple local computations over the elements and the so-called patches. In contrast to other residual estimators, no flux splitting is required. The adaptive strategy is illustrated by means of a complex nonlinear problem: the failure analysis of a single-edge notched beam. The quasi-brittle response of concrete is modelled by means of a nonlocal damage model.

Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) formulation for hyperelastoplasticity

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 16:40:55 +0100

The arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) description in non‐linear solid mechanics is nowadays standard for hypoelastic–plastic models. An extension to hyperelastic–plastic models is presented here. A fractional‐step method—a common choice in ALE analysis—is employed for time‐marching: every time‐step is split into a Lagrangian phase, which accounts for material effects, and a convection phase, where the relative motion between the material and the finite element mesh is considered. In contrast to previous ALE formulations of hyperelasticity or hyperelastoplasticity, the deformed configuration at the beginning of the time‐step, not the initial undeformed configuration, is chosen as the reference configuration. As a consequence, convecting variables are required in the description of the elastic response. This is not the case in previous formulations, where only the plastic response contains convection terms. In exchange for the extra convective terms, however, the proposed ALE approach has a major advantage: only the quality of the mesh in the spatial domain must be ensured by the ALE remeshing strategy; in previous formulations, it is also necessary to keep the distortion of the mesh in the material domain under control. Thus, the full potential of the ALE description as an adaptive technique can be exploited here. These aspects are illustrated in detail by means of three numerical examples: a necking test, a coining test and a powder compaction test.

Coupling finite elements and particles for adaptivity: an application to consistently stabilized convection–diffusion

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 16:33:26 +0100

A mixed approximation coupling finite elements and mesh-less methods is presented. It allows selective refinement of the finite element solution without remeshing cost. The distribution of particles can be arbitrary. Continuity and consistency is preserved. The behaviour of the mixed interpolation in the resolution of the convection-diffusion equation is analyzed.

Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian simulation of powder compaction processes

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 15:30:24 +0100

In this paper, a new strategy for the simulation of quasi-static cold compaction processes of powders is presented. A material model formulated within the framework of isotropic finite strain multiplicative hyperelastoplasticity is used. An elliptic plastic model expressed in terms of the Kirchhoff stresses and the relative density models the transition between the loose powder and the compacted sample. The Coulomb dry friction model is used to capture friction effects at powder-die contact. Excessive distortion of Lagrangian meshes due to large mass fluxes is usual in powder compaction problems. Moreover, Lagrangian approaches cannot deal properly with mass fluxes around sharp corners. For these reasons, an Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) formulation is used here. The present results illustrate that this approach allows simulating highly demanding powder compaction processes without mesh distortion and spurious oscillations in the results. Moreover, it is shown that the mass conservation principle is verified with a low relative error.

Consistent tangent matrices for density-dependent finite plasticity models

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 15:16:41 +0100

The consistent tangent matrix for density-dependent plastic models within the theory of isotropic multiplicative hyperelastoplasticity is presented here. Plastic equations expressed as general functions of the Kirchhoff stresses and density are considered. They include the Cauchy-based plastic models as a particular case. The standard exponential return-mapping algorithm is applied, with the density playing the role of a fixed parameter during the nonlinear plastic corrector problem. The consistent tangent matrix has the same structure as in the usual density-independent plastic models. A simple additional term takes into account the influence of the density on the plastic corrector problem. Quadratic convergence results are shown for several representative examples involving geomaterial and powder constitutive models.

Consistent tangent matrices for substepping schemes

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 15:05:53 +0100

A very simple and general expression of the consistent tangent matrix for substepping time-integration schemes is presented. If needed, the derivatives required for the computation of the consistent tangent moduli can be obtained via numerical differentiation. These two strategies (substepping and numerical differentiation) lead to quadratic convergence in complex nonlinear inelasticity problems.

Adaptive analysis based on error estimation for nonlocal damage models

María Jesús Samper — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 14:51:59 +0100

An adaptive finite element strategy for nonlocal damage computations is presented. The proposed approach is based on the combination of a residual-type error estimator and quadrilateral h-remeshing. A distinctive feature of the error estimator is that it consists in solving simple local problems over elements and so-called patches. The paper focuses on how the nonlocality of the constitutive model should be accounted for when solving these local problems. It is shown that the nonlocal damage models must be slightly modified. The resulting adaptive strategy is illustrated by means of some numerical examples involving the single-edge notched beam test.