2,005 research outputs found
An anisotropic mesh adaptation method for the finite element solution of heterogeneous anisotropic diffusion problems
Heterogeneous anisotropic diffusion problems arise in the various areas of
science and engineering including plasma physics, petroleum engineering, and
image processing. Standard numerical methods can produce spurious oscillations
when they are used to solve those problems. A common approach to avoid this
difficulty is to design a proper numerical scheme and/or a proper mesh so that
the numerical solution validates the discrete counterpart (DMP) of the maximum
principle satisfied by the continuous solution. A well known mesh condition for
the DMP satisfaction by the linear finite element solution of isotropic
diffusion problems is the non-obtuse angle condition that requires the dihedral
angles of mesh elements to be non-obtuse. In this paper, a generalization of
the condition, the so-called anisotropic non-obtuse angle condition, is
developed for the finite element solution of heterogeneous anisotropic
diffusion problems. The new condition is essentially the same as the existing
one except that the dihedral angles are now measured in a metric depending on
the diffusion matrix of the underlying problem. Several variants of the new
condition are obtained. Based on one of them, two metric tensors for use in
anisotropic mesh generation are developed to account for DMP satisfaction and
the combination of DMP satisfaction and mesh adaptivity. Numerical examples are
given to demonstrate the features of the linear finite element method for
anisotropic meshes generated with the metric tensors.Comment: 34 page
Anisotropic Mesh Adaptation for the Finite Element Solution of Anisotropic Diffusion Problems
Anisotropic diffusion problems arise in many fields of science and engineering and are modeled by partial differential equations (PDEs) or represented in variational formulations. Standard numerical schemes can produce spurious oscillations when they are used to solve those problems. A common approach is to design a proper numerical scheme or a proper mesh such that the numerical solution satisfies discrete maximum principle (DMP). For problems in variational formulations, numerous research has been done on isotropic mesh adaptation but little work has been done for anisotropic mesh adaptation. In this dissertation, anisotropic mesh adaptation for the finite element solution of anisotropic diffusion problems is investigated. A brief introduction for the related topics is provided. The anisotropic mesh adaptation based on DMP satisfaction is then discussed. An anisotropic non-obtuse angle condition is developed which guarantees that the linear finite element approximation of the steady state problem satisfies DMP. A metric tensor is derived for use in mesh generation based on the anisotropic non-obtuse angle condition. Then DMP satisfaction and error based mesh adaptation are combined together for the first time. For problems in variational formulations, two metric tensors for anisotropic mesh adaptation and one for isotropic mesh adaptation are developed. For anisotropic mesh adaptation, one metric tensor (based on Hessian recovery) is semi-a posterior and the other (based on hierarchical basis error estimator) is completely a posterior. The metric tensor for isotropic mesh adaptation is completely a posterior. All the metric tensors incorporate structural information of the underlying problem into their design and generate meshes that adapt to changes in the structure. The application of anisotropic diffusion filter in image processing is briefly discussed. Numerical examples demonstrate that anisotropic mesh adaptation can significantly improve computational efficiency while still providing good quality result. More research is needed to investigate DMP satisfaction for parabolic problems
Verification of Unstructured Grid Adaptation Components
Adaptive unstructured grid techniques have made limited impact on production analysis workflows where the control of discretization error is critical to obtaining reliable simulation results. Recent progress has matured a number of independent implementations of flow solvers, error estimation methods, and anisotropic grid adaptation mechanics. Known differences and previously unknown differences in grid adaptation components and their integrated processes are identified here for study. Unstructured grid adaptation tools are verified using analytic functions and the Code Comparison Principle. Three analytic functions with different smoothness properties are adapted to show the impact of smoothness on implementation differences. A scalar advection-diffusion problem with an analytic solution that models a boundary layer is adapted to test individual grid adaptation components. Laminar flow over a delta wing and turbulent flow over an ONERA M6 wing are verified with multiple, independent grid adaptation procedures to show consistent convergence to fine-grid forces and a moment. The scalar problems illustrate known differences in a grid adaptation component implementation and a previously unknown interaction between components. The wing adaptation cases in the current study document a clear improvement to existing grid adaptation procedures. The stage is set for the infusion of verified grid adaptation into production fluid flow simulations
Geometry Modeling for Unstructured Mesh Adaptation
The quantification and control of discretization error is critical to obtaining reliable simulation results. Adaptive mesh techniques have the potential to automate discretization error control, but have made limited impact on production analysis workflow. Recent progress has matured a number of independent implementations of flow solvers, error estimation methods, and anisotropic mesh adaptation mechanics. However, the poor integration of initial mesh generation and adaptive mesh mechanics to typical sources of geometry has hindered adoption of adaptive mesh techniques, where these geometries are often created in Mechanical Computer- Aided Design (MCAD) systems. The difficulty of this coupling is compounded by two factors: the inherent complexity of the model (e.g., large range of scales, bodies in proximity, details not required for analysis) and unintended geometry construction artifacts (e.g., translation, uneven parameterization, degeneracy, self-intersection, sliver faces, gaps, large tolerances be- tween topological elements, local high curvature to enforce continuity). Manual preparation of geometry is commonly employed to enable fixed-grid and adaptive-grid workflows by reducing the severity and negative impacts of these construction artifacts, but manual process interaction inhibits workflow automation. Techniques to permit the use of complex geometry models and reduce the impact of geometry construction artifacts on unstructured grid workflows are models from the AIAA Sonic Boom and High Lift Prediction are shown to demonstrate the utility of the current approach
Galerkin projection of discrete fields via supermesh construction
Interpolation of discrete FIelds arises frequently in computational physics.
This thesis focuses on the novel implementation and analysis of Galerkin
projection, an interpolation technique with three principal advantages over
its competitors: it is optimally accurate in the L2 norm, it is conservative,
and it is well-defined in the case of spaces of discontinuous functions.
While these desirable properties have been known for some time, the implementation
of Galerkin projection is challenging; this thesis reports the first
successful general implementation.
A thorough review of the history, development and current frontiers of
adaptive remeshing is given. Adaptive remeshing is the primary motivation
for the development of Galerkin projection, as its use necessitates the interpolation
of discrete fields. The Galerkin projection is discussed and the
geometric concept necessary for its implementation, the supermesh, is introduced.
The efficient local construction of the supermesh of two meshes
by the intersection of the elements of the input meshes is then described.
Next, the element-element association problem of identifying which elements
from the input meshes intersect is analysed. With efficient algorithms for
its construction in hand, applications of supermeshing other than Galerkin
projections are discussed, focusing on the computation of diagnostics of simulations
which employ adaptive remeshing. Examples demonstrating the effectiveness
and efficiency of the presented algorithms are given throughout.
The thesis closes with some conclusions and possibilities for future work
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