Simulation of cell movement through evolving environment: a fictitious domain approach

A numerical method for simulating the movement of unicellular organisms which respond to chemical signals is presented. Cells are modelled as objects of finite size while the extracellular space is described by reaction-diffusion partial differential equations. This modular simulation allows the implementation of different models at the different scales encountered in cell biology and couples them in one single framework. The global computational cost is contained thanks to the use of the fictitious domain method for finite elements, allowing the efficient solve of partial differential equations in moving domains. Finally, a mixed formulation is adopted in order to better monitor the flux of chemicals, specifically at the interface between the cells and the extracellular domain

SOLID-SHELL FINITE ELEMENT MODELS FOR EXPLICIT SIMULATIONS OF CRACK PROPAGATION IN THIN STRUCTURES

Crack propagation in thin shell structures due to cutting is conveniently simulated using explicit finite element approaches, in view of the high nonlinearity of the problem. Solidshell elements are usually preferred for the discretization in the presence of complex material behavior and degradation phenomena such as delamination, since they allow for a correct representation of the thickness geometry. However, in solid-shell elements the small thickness leads to a very high maximum eigenfrequency, which imply very small stable time-steps. A new selective mass scaling technique is proposed to increase the time-step size without affecting accuracy. New ”directional” cohesive interface elements are used in conjunction with selective mass scaling to account for the interaction with a sharp blade in cutting processes of thin ductile shells

Progress in particle-based multiscale and hybrid methods for flow applications

This work focuses on the review of particle-based multiscale and hybrid methods that have surfaced in the field of fluid mechanics over the last 20 years. We consider five established particle methods: molecular dynamics, direct simulation Monte Carlo, lattice Boltzmann method, dissipative particle dynamics and smoothed-particle hydrodynamics. A general description is given on each particle method in conjunction with multiscale and hybrid applications. An analysis on the length scale separation revealed that current multiscale methods only bridge across scales which are of the order of O(102)−O(103) and that further work on complex geometries and parallel code optimisation is needed to increase the separation. Similarities between methods are highlighted and combinations discussed. Advantages, disadvantages and applications of each particle method have been tabulated as a reference

A Lifting Relation from Macroscopic Variables to Mesoscopic Variables in Lattice Boltzmann Method: Derivation, Numerical Assessments and Coupling Computations Validation

In this paper, analytic relations between the macroscopic variables and the mesoscopic variables are derived for lattice Boltzmann methods (LBM). The analytic relations are achieved by two different methods for the exchange from velocity fields of finite-type methods to the single particle distribution functions of LBM. The numerical errors of reconstructing the single particle distribution functions and the non-equilibrium distribution function by macroscopic fields are investigated. Results show that their accuracy is better than the existing ones. The proposed reconstruction operator has been used to implement the coupling computations of LBM and macro-numerical methods of FVM. The lid-driven cavity flow is chosen to carry out the coupling computations based on the numerical strategies of domain decomposition methods (DDM). The numerical results show that the proposed lifting relations are accurate and robust