Some comments on global-local analyses

The main theme concerns methods that may be classified as global (approximate) and local (exact). Some specific applications of these methods are found in: fracture and fatigue analysis of structures with 3-D surface flaws; large-deformation, post-buckling analysis of large space trusses and space frames, and their control; and stresses around holes in composite laminates

The Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) Method: A Simple & Less-costly Alternative to the Finite Element and Boundary Element Methods

A comparison study of the efficiency and accuracy of a variety of meshless trial and test functions is presented in this paper, based on the general concept of the meshless local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) method. 5 types of trial functions, and 6 types of test functions are explored. Different test functions result in different MLPG methods, and six such MLPG methods are presented in this paper. In all these six MLPG methods, absolutely no meshes are needed either for the interpolation of the trial and test functions, or for the integration of the weak-form; while other meshless methods require background cells. Because complicated shape functions for the trial function are inevitable at the present stage, in order to develop a fast and robust meshless method, we explore ways to avoid the use of a domain integral in the weak-form, by choosing an appropriate test function. The MLPG5 method (wherein the local, nodal-based test function, over a local sub-domain Ωs (or Ωte) centered at a node, is the Heaviside step function) avoids the need for both a domain integral in the attendant symmetric weak-form as well as a singular integral. Convergence studies in the numerical examples show that all of the MLPG methods possess excellent rates of convergence, for both the unknown variables and their derivatives. An analysis of computational costs shows that the MLPG5 method is less expensive, both in computational costs as well as definitely in human-labor costs, than the FEM, or BEM. Thus, due to its speed, accuracy and robustness, the MLPG5 method may be expected to replace the FEM, in the near future

A Unification of the Concepts of the Variational Iteration, Adomian Decomposition and Picard Iteration Methods; and a Local Variational Iteration Method

This paper compares the variational iteration method (VIM), the Adomian decomposition method (ADM) and the Picard iteration method (PIM) for solving a system of first order nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). A unification of the concepts underlying these three methods is attempted by considering a very general iterative algorithm for VIM. It is found that all the three methods can be regarded as special cases of using a very general matrix of Lagrange multipliers in the iterative algorithm of VIM. The global variational iteration method is briefly reviewed, and further recast into a Local VIM, which is much more convenient and capable of predicting long term complex dynamic responses of nonlinear systems even if they are chaotic

Double Optimal Regularization Algorithms for Solving Ill-Posed Linear Problems under Large Noise

A double optimal solution of an n-dimensional system of linear equations Ax = b has been derived in an affine m « n. We further develop a double optimal iterative algorithm (DOIA), with the descent direction z being solved from the residual equation Az = r0 by using its double optimal solution, to solve ill-posed linear problem under large noise. The DOIA is proven to be absolutely convergent step-by-step with the square residual error ||r||2 = ||b - Ax||2 being reduced by a positive quantity ||Azk||2 at each iteration step, which is found to be better than those algorithms based on the minimization of the square residual error in an m-dimensional Krylov subspace. In order to tackle the ill-posed linear problem under a large noise, we also propose a novel double optimal regularization algorithm (DORA) to solve it, which is an improvement of the Tikhonov regularization method. Some numerical tests reveal the high performance of DOIA and DORA against large noise. These methods are of use in the ill-posed problems of structural health-monitoring

Analysis of Elastic-PlasticWaves in a Thin-Walled Tube By a Novel Lie-Group Differential Algebraic Equations Method

In this paper, we adopt the viewpoint of a nonlinear complementarity problem (NCP) to derive an index-one differential algebraic equations (DAEs) system for the problem of elastic-plastic wave propagation in an elastic-plastic solid undergoing small deformations. This is achieved by recasting the pointwise complementary trio in the elastic-plastic constitutive equations into an algebraic equation through the Fischer-Burmeister NCP-function. Then, for an isotropicallyhardening/ softening material under prescribed impulse loadings on a thin-walled tube with combined axial-torsional stresses, we can develop a novel algorithm based on the Lie-group differential algebraic equations (LGDAE) method to iteratively solve the resultant DAEs at each time marching step, which converges very fast. The one-dimensional axial-torsional wave propagation problems under different imposed dynamical loading conditions and initial conditions are solved, to assess the performance of the LGDAE

On Improving the Celebrated Paris’ Power Law for Fatigue, by Using Moving Least Squares

In this study, we propose to approximate the a－n relation as well as the da/dn－∆K relation, in fatigue crack propagation, by using the Moving Least Squares (MLS) method. This simple approach can avoid the internal inconsistencies caused by the celebrated Paris’ power law approximation of the da/dn－∆K relation, as well as the error caused by a simple numerical differentiation of the noisy data for a－n measurements in standard fatigue tests. Efficient, accurate and automatic simulations of fatigue crack propagation can, in general, be realized by using the currently developed MLS law as the “fatigue engine” [da/dn versus ∆K], and using a high-performance “fracture engine” [computing the K-factors] such as the Finite Element Alternating Method. In the present paper, the “fatigue engine” based on the present MLS law, and the “fracture engine” based on the SafeFlaw computer program developed earlier by the authors, in conjunction with the COTS software ANSYS, were used for predicting the total life of arbitrarily cracked structures. By comparing the numerical simulations with experimental tests, it is demonstrated that the current approach can give excellent predictions of the total fatigue life of a cracked structure, while the celebrated Paris’ Power Law may miscalculate the total fatigue life by a very large amount

Stochastic Macro Material Properties, Through Direct Stochastic Modeling of Heterogeneous Microstructures with Randomness of Constituent Properties and Topologies, by Using Trefftz Computational Grains (TCG)

In this paper, a simple and reliable procedure of stochastic computation is combined with the highly accurate and efficient Trefftz Computational Grains (TCG), for a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of heterogeneous materials with microscopic randomness. Material properties of each material phase, and geometrical properties such as particles sizes and distribution, are considered to be stochastic with either a uniform or normal probabilistic distributions. The objective here is to determine how this microscopic randomness propagates to the macroscopic scale, and affects the stochastic characteristics of macroscopic material properties. Four steps are included in this procedure: (1) using the Latin hypercube sampling, to generate discrete experimental points considering each contributing factor (material parameters and volume fraction of each phase, etc.); (2) randomly generating Representative Volume Elements (RVEs) of the microstructure for each discrete experimental point, and compute the effective macro-scale material properties at these points, using the computationally most efficient Trefftz Computational Grains; (3) relating the macro-scale material properties to the microscale random variables using the Kriging method; (4) taking advantage of the approximate macro-micro relation, and using the Monte Carlo simulation, to establish the probabilistic distribution of the macro-scale material properties. By considering the Al/SiC composite as an example, we give step-by step demonstration of the procedure, and give some comparisons with experimental results. The obtained probabilistic distributions of the effective macro-scale material properties have fundamental engineering merits, which can be used for reliability-based material optimization, and integrated-design of micro- as well as macro-structures. The studies in this paper are germane to the concepts of the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI), and Integrated Materials Science, Mathematics, Modeling, and Engineering (IMSMME)

Spherical nano-inhomogeneity with the Steigmann-Ogden interface model under general uniform far-field stress loading

An explicit solution, considering the interface bending resistance as described by the Steigmann-Ogden interface model, is derived for the problem of a spherical nano-inhomogeneity (nanoscale void/inclusion) embedded in an infinite linear-elastic matrix under a general uniform far-field-stress (including tensile and shear stresses). The Papkovich-Neuber (P-N) general solutions, which are expressed in terms of spherical harmonics, are used to derive the analytical solution. A superposition technique is used to overcome the mathematical complexity brought on by the assumed interfacial residual stress in the Steigmann-Ogden interface model. Numerical examples show that the stress field, considering the interface bending resistance as with the Steigmann-Ogden interface model, differs significantly from that considering only the interface stretching resistance as with the Gurtin-Murdoch interface model. In addition to the size-dependency, another interesting phenomenon is observed: some stress components are invariant to interface bending stiffness parameters along a certain circle in the inclusion/matrix. Moreover, a characteristic line for the interface bending stiffness parameters is presented, near which the stress concentration becomes quite severe. Finally, the derived analytical solution with the Steigmann-Ogden interface model is provided in the supplemental MATLAB code, which can be easily executed, and used as a benchmark for semi-analytical solutions and numerical solutions in future studies.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1907.0059