On the initial estimate of interface forces in FETI methods

The Balanced Domain Decomposition (BDD) method and the Finite Element Tearing and Interconnecting (FETI) method are two commonly used non-overlapping domain decomposition methods. Due to strong theoretical and numerical similarities, these two methods are generally considered as being equivalently efficient. However, for some particular cases, such as for structures with strong heterogeneities, FETI requires a large number of iterations to compute the solution compared to BDD. In this paper, the origin of the bad efficiency of FETI in these particular cases is traced back to poor initial estimates of the interface stresses. To improve the estimation of interface forces a novel strategy for splitting interface forces between neighboring substructures is proposed. The additional computational cost incurred is not significant. This yields a new initialization for the FETI method and restores numerical efficiency which makes FETI comparable to BDD even for problems where FETI was performing poorly. Various simple test problems are presented to discuss the efficiency of the proposed strategy and to illustrate the so-obtained numerical equivalence between the BDD and FETI solvers

A three-scale domain decomposition method for the 3D analysis of debonding in laminates

The prediction of the quasi-static response of industrial laminate structures requires to use fine descriptions of the material, especially when debonding is involved. Even when modeled at the mesoscale, the computation of these structures results in very large numerical problems. In this paper, the exact mesoscale solution is sought using parallel iterative solvers. The LaTIn-based mixed domain decomposition method makes it very easy to handle the complex description of the structure; moreover the provided multiscale features enable us to deal with numerical difficulties at their natural scale; we present the various enhancements we developed to ensure the scalability of the method. An extension of the method designed to handle instabilities is also presented

Універсітэт. - № 11 (2114)

PERMON makes use of theoretical results in quadratic programming algorithms and domain decomposition methods. It is built on top of the PETSc framework for numerical computations. This paper describes its fundamental packages and shows their applications. We focus here on contact problems of mechanics decomposed by means of a FETI-type non-overlapping domain decomposition method. These problems lead to inequality constrained quadratic programming problems that can be solved by our PermonQP package.11510

Early carboniferous brachiopod faunas from the Baoshan block, west Yunnan, southwest China

38 brachiopod species in 27 genera and subgenera are described from the Yudong Formation in the Shidian-Baoshan area, west Yunnan, southwest China. New taxa include two new subgenera: Unispirifer (Septimispirifer) and Brachythyrina (Longathyrina), and seven new species: Eomarginifera yunnanensis, Marginatia cylindrica, Unispirifer (Unispirifer) xiangshanensis, Unispirifer (Septimispirifer) wafangjieensis, Brachythyrina (Brachythyrina) transversa, Brachythyrina (Longathyrina) baoshanensis, and Girtyella wafangjieensis. Based on the described material and constraints from associated coral and conodont faunas, the age of the brachiopod fauna from the Yudon Formation is considered late Tournaisian (Early Carboniferous), with a possibility extending into earlyViseacutean.<br /

A novel dynamic multicellular co-culture system for studying individual blood-brain barrier cell types in brain diseases and cytotoxicity testing

Blood brain barrier (BBB) cells play key roles in the physiology and pathology of the central nervous system (CNS). BBB dysfunction is implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The BBB consists of capillary endothelial cells, pericytes encircling the endothelium and surrounding astrocytes extending their processes towards it. Although there have been many attempts to develop in vitro BBB models, the complex interaction between these celltypes makes it extremely difficult to determine their individual contribution to neurotoxicity in vivo. Thus, we developed and optimised an in vitro multicellular co-culture model within the Kirkstall Quasi Vivo System. The main aim was to determine the optimal environment to culture human brain primary endothelial cells, pericytes and astrocytes whilst maintaining cellular communication without formation of a barrier in order to assess the contribution of each cell type to the overall response. As a proof of concept for the present system, the effects of amyloid-beta 25-35 peptide (Aβ25-35), a hall mark of AD, were explored. This multicellular system will be a valuable tool for future studies on the specific roles of individual BBB cell type (while making connection with each other through medium) in CNS disorders as well as in cytotoxicity tests

Abstracts from the 20th International Symposium on Signal Transduction at the Blood-Brain Barriers

https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138963/1/12987_2017_Article_71.pd

POD-based model order reduction for the simulation of strong nonlinear evolutions in structures: Application to damage propagation

In this paper, we develop a bridge between POD-based model order reduction techniques and the classical Newton-Krylov solvers to derive an efficient solution procedure for highly nonlinear problems undergoing strong topological changes