Hybrid mimetic finite-difference and virtual element formulation for coupled poromechanics

We present a hybrid mimetic finite-difference and virtual element formulation for coupled single-phase poromechanics on unstructured meshes. The key advantage of the scheme is that it is convergent on complex meshes containing highly distorted cells with arbitrary shapes. We use a local pressure-jump stabilization method based on unstructured macro-elements to prevent the development of spurious pressure modes in incompressible problems approaching undrained conditions. A scalable linear solution strategy is obtained using a block-triangular preconditioner designed specifically for the saddle-point systems arising from the proposed discretization. The accuracy and efficiency of our approach are demonstrated numerically on two-dimensional benchmark problems.Comment: 25 pages, 17 figure

Schnelle Löser für partielle Differentialgleichungen

[no abstract available

Parallel Algorithms for the Solution of Large-Scale Fluid-Structure Interaction Problems in Hemodynamics

This thesis addresses the development and implementation of efficient and parallel algorithms for the numerical simulation of Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) problems in hemodynamics. Indeed, hemodynamic conditions in large arteries are significantly affected by the interaction of the pulsatile blood flow with the arterial wall. The simulation of fluid-structure interaction problems requires the approximation of a coupled system of Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) and the set up of efficient numerical solution strategies. Blood is modeled as an incompressible Newtonian fluid whose dynamics is governed by the Navier-Stokes equations. Different constituive models are used to describe the mechanical response of the arterial wall; specifically, we rely on hyperelastic isotropic and anistotropic material laws. The finite element method is used for the space discretization of both the fluid and structure problems. In particular, for the Navier-Stokes equations we consider a semi-discrete formulation based on the Variational Multiscale (VMS) method. Among a wide range of possible solution strategies for the FSI problem, here we focus on strongly coupled monolithic approaches wherein the nonlinearities are treated in a fully implicit mode. To cope with the high computational complexity of the three dimensional FSI problem, a parallel solution framework is often mandatory. To this end, we develop a new block parallel preconditioner for the coupled linearized FSI system obtained after space and time discretization. The proposed preconditioner, named FaCSI, exploits the factorized form of the FSI Jacobian matrix, the use of static condensation to formally eliminate the interface degrees of freedom of the fluid equations, and the use of a SIMPLE preconditioner for unsteady Navier-Stokes equations. In FSI problems, the different resolution requirements in the fluid and structure physical domains, as well as the presence of complex interface geometries make the use of matching fluid and structure meshes problematic. In such situations, it is much simpler to deal with discretizations that are nonconforming at the interface, provided however that the matching conditions at the interface are properly fulfilled. In this thesis we develop a novel interpolation-based method, named INTERNODES, for numerically solving partial differential equations by Galerkin methods on computational domains that are split into two (or several) subdomains featuring nonconforming interfaces. By this we mean that either a priori independent grids and/or local polynomial degrees are used to discretize each subdomain. INTERNODES can be regarded as an alternative to the mortar element method: it combines the accuracy of the latter with the easiness of implementation in a numerical code. The aforementioned techniques have been applied for the numerical simulation of large-scale fluid-structure interaction problems in the context of biomechanics. The parallel algorithms developed showed scalability up to thousands of cores utilized on high performance computing machines

Schnelle Löser für Partielle Differentialgleichungen

This workshop was well attended by 52 participants with broad geographic representation from 11 countries and 3 continents. It was a nice blend of researchers with various backgrounds

Advanced Newton Methods for Geodynamical Models of Stokes Flow with Viscoplastic Rheologies

Strain localization and resulting plasticity and failure play an important role in the evolution of the lithosphere. These phenomena are commonly modeled by Stokes flows with viscoplastic rheologies. The nonlinearities of these rheologies make the numerical solution of the resulting systems challenging, and iterative methods often converge slowly or not at all. Yet accurate solutions are critical for representing the physics. Moreover, for some rheology laws, aspects of solvability are still unknown. We study a basic but representative viscoplastic rheology law. The law involves a yield stress that is independent of the dynamic pressure, referred to as von Mises yield criterion. Two commonly used variants, perfect/ideal and composite viscoplasticity, are compared. We derive both variants from energy minimization principles, and we use this perspective to argue when solutions are unique. We propose a new stress-velocity Newton solution algorithm that treats the stress as an independent variable during the Newton linearization but requires solution only of Stokes systems that are of the usual velocity-pressure form. To study different solution algorithms, we implement 2D and 3D finite element discretizations, and we generate Stokes problems with up to 7 orders of magnitude viscosity contrasts, in which compression or tension results in significant nonlinear localization effects. Comparing the performance of the proposed Newton method with the standard Newton method and the Picard fixed-point method, we observe a significant reduction in the number of iterations and improved stability with respect to problem nonlinearity, mesh refinement, and the polynomial order of the discretization.Comment: To appear in Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystem

Weakly imposed symmetry and robust preconditioners for Biot's consolidation model

We discuss the construction of robust preconditioners for finite element approximations of Biot's consolidation model in poroelasticity. More precisely, we study finite element methods based on generalizations of the Hellinger-Reissner principle of linear elasticity, where the stress tensor is one of the unknowns. The Biot model has a number of applications in science, medicine, and engineering. A challenge in many of these applications is that the model parameters range over several orders of magnitude. Therefore, discretization procedures which are well behaved with respect to such variations are needed. The focus of the present paper will be on the construction of preconditioners, such that the preconditioned discrete systems are well-conditioned with respect to variations of the model parameters as well as refinements of the discretization. As a byproduct, we also obtain preconditioners for linear elasticity that are robust in the incompressible limit.Comment: 21 page

Coupling schemes for the FSI forward prediction challenge: comparative study and validation

International audienceThis paper presents a numerical study in which several partitioned solution procedures for incompressible fluid-structure interaction are compared and validated against the results of an experimental FSI benchmark. The numerical methods discussed cover the three main families of coupling schemes: strongly coupled, semi-implicit and loosely coupled. Very good agreement is observed between the numerical and experimental results. The comparisons confirm that strong coupling can be efficiently avoided, via semi-implicit and loosely coupled schemes, without compromising stability and accuracy.Cet article présente une étude numérique dans laquelle plusieurs algorithmes partitionnés pour l'interaction fluide structure sont comparés et validés avec des résultats expérimentaux. Les méthodes numériques discutées couvrent les trois familles principales de schémasde couplage: fortement couplés, semi implicites et faiblement couplés. Un très bon accord est obtenu entre les résultats numériques et expérimentaux. Les comparaisons confirment que le couplage fort peut être contourné efficacement, par l'intermédiaire de schémas semi implicites et faiblement couplés, sans compromettre la stabilité et la précision