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At least 73 records · Page 4

Implementation of Free-Formulation-Based Flat Shell Elements into NASA Comet Code and Development of Nonlinear Shallow Shell Element

This study presents a transient nonlinear finite element analysis within the realm of a multi-body dynamics formulation for determining the dynamic response of a moderately thick laminated shell undergoing a rapid and large rotational motion and nonlinear elastic deformations. Nonlinear strain measure and rotation, as well as 'the transverse shear deformation, are explicitly included in the formulation in order to capture the proper motion-induced stiffness of the laminate. The equations of motion are derived from the virtual work principle. The analysis utilizes a shear deformable shallow shell element along with the co-rotational form of the updated Lagrangian formulation. The shallow shell element formulation is based on the Reissner-Mindlin and Marguerre theory.

Barut, A.

Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) Fuel Element Testing in the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES)

To satisfy the Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) testing milestone, a graphite composite fuel element using a uranium simulant was received from the Oakridge National Lab and tested in the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES) at various operating conditions. The nominal operating conditions required to satisfy the milestone consisted of running the fuel element for a few minutes at a temperature of at least 2000 K with flowing hydrogen. This milestone test was successfully accomplished without incident.

Emrich, William J., Jr.

Modeling holes and voids in three dimensions using a single element within the Extended Finite Element framework

This paper introduces a highly efficient computational approach using the extended finite element method to model three-dimensional mechanics of holes and voids. The defect is encapsulated within a single element with a tailored exponential enrichment function that captures the behavior near the discontinuity boundary and can account for the pressure acting on the void’s surface through an equivalent nodal force vector. The method’s results were compared against analytical solutions and conventional finite element method results for problems involving single and multiple holes. The comparison demonstrated that the method provides accurate stress concentration estimates while adhering to computational constraints.

Adnan Shahriar

Parametric Finite Element Analysis of Naturally Corroded Steel Specimens Using 3D Surface Laser Scans

Corrosion is considered a uniform thickness reduction design guideline of the maritime industry. However, additionally, the corroded and irregular morphology of the surface affects the steel's load-bearing capacity and its impact on the strength and elongation behaviour of the steel is not yet fully understood. These effects on the local behaviour of steel structures under tensile loading were investigated with tensile tests on naturally corroded steel specimens and nonlinear finite element simulations including the corroded surface morphology with a uniform surface idealation. The models also include the deformed specimen shape. The developed approach led to highly accurate parametric finite element models predicting the ultimate tensile strength and longitudinal position of fracture. The results show that all included aspects are essential for accurate simulations, while solely the maximum available surface resolution was not as decisive.

corrosion

Finite dynamic element formulation for a plane triangular element

Higher order correction terms for the stiffness and inertia matrices associated with a triangular plane stress-strain finite dynamic element are developed in detail. Numerical results are presented which indicate that the adoption of these matrices along with a suitable quadratic matrix eigenproblem solver effects a significant economy in the free vibration solution of structure when compared with the analysis based on the usual finite element procedure. Finally, a FORTRAN IV computer program listing of the various relevant matrices is given.

Gupta, K. K.

Implementation of a C-1 triangular element based on the P-version of the finite element method

The implementation of a computer code CONE (for C(1) continuity) based on the p-version of the finite element method is described. A hierarchic family of triangular finite elements of degree p 5 is used. This family enforces C(1)-continuity across interelement boundaries, and the code is applicable to fourth order partial differential equations in two independent variables, in particular to the biharmonic equation. Applications to several benchmark problems in plate bending are presented. Sample results are examined and compared with theoretical predictions. In particular the analysis of the bending of a rhombic plate shows a significant improvement over othr published results.

Wang, D. W.

Engine dynamic analysis with general nonlinear finite element codes. II - Bearing element implementation, overall numerical characteristics and benchmarking

Second-year efforts within a three-year study to develop and extend finite element (FE) methodology to efficiently handle the transient/steady state response of rotor-bearing-stator structure associated with gas turbine engines are outlined. The two main areas aim at (1) implanting the squeeze film damper element into a general purpose FE code for testing and evaluation; and (2) determining the numerical characteristics of the FE-generated rotor-bearing-stator simulation scheme. The governing FE field equations are set out and the solution methodology is presented. The choice of ADINA as the general-purpose FE code is explained, and the numerical operational characteristics of the direct integration approach of FE-generated rotor-bearing-stator simulations is determined, including benchmarking, comparison of explicit vs. implicit methodologies of direct integration, and demonstration problems.

Padovan, J.

Element-by-element factorization algorithms for heat conduction

Element-by-element solution strategies are developed for transient heat conduction problems. Results of numerical tests indicate the effectiveness of the procedures proposed. The small database requirements and attractive architectural features of the algorithms suggest considerable potential for solving large scale problems.

Hughes, T. J. R.

Solution algorithms for nonlinear transient heat conduction analysis employing element-by-element iterative strategies

The particular problems investigated in the present study arise from nonlinear transient heat conduction. One of two types of nonlinearities considered is related to a material temperature dependence which is frequently needed to accurately model behavior over the range of temperature of engineering interest. The second nonlinearity is introduced by radiation boundary conditions. The finite element equations arising from the solution of nonlinear transient heat conduction problems are formulated. The finite element matrix equations are temporally discretized, and a nonlinear iterative solution algorithm is proposed. Algorithms for solving the linear problem are discussed, taking into account the form of the matrix equations, Gaussian elimination, cost, and iterative techniques. Attention is also given to approximate factorization, implementational aspects, and numerical results.

Winget, J. M.

The finite element machine - An assessment of the impact of parallel computing on future finite element computations

The requirements of complex aerospace vehicles combined with the age of structural analysis systems enhance the need to advance technology toward a new generation of structural analysis capability. Recent and impeding advances in parallel and supercomputers provide the opportunity to significantly improve these structural analysis capabilities for large order finite element problems. Long-term research in parallel computing, associated with the NASA Finite Element Machine project, is discussed. The results show the potential of parallel computers to provide substantial increases in computation speed over sequential computers. Results are given for sample problems in the areas of eigenvalue analysis and transient response.

Fulton, R. E.

Design and performance of 4 x 5120-element visible and 2 x 2560-element shortwave infrared multispectral focal planes

Two solid-state sensors for use in remote sensing instruments operating in the pushbroom mode are examined. The design and characteristics of the visible/near-infrared (VIS/NIR) device and the short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) device are described. The VIS/NIR is a CCD imager with four parallel sensor lines, each 1024 pixel long; the chip design and filter system of the VIS/NIR are studied. The performance of the VIS/NIR sensor with mask and its system performance are measured. The SWIR is a dual-band line imager consisting of palladium silicide Schottky-barrier detectors coupled to CCD multiplexers; the performance of the device is analyzed. The substrate materials and layout designs used to assemble the 4 x 5120-element VIS/NIR array and the 2 x 2560-element SWIR array are discussed, and the planarity of the butted arrays are verified using a profilometer. The optical and electrical characteristics, and the placement and butting accuracy of the arrays are evaluated. It is noted that the arrays met or exceed their expected performance.

Tower, J. R.

A combined finite element-boundary element formulation for solution of two-dimensional problems via CGFFT

A method for the computation of electromagnetic scattering from arbitrary two-dimensional bodies is presented. The method combines the finite element and boundary element methods leading to a system for solution via the conjugate gradient Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm. Two forms of boundaries aimed at reducing the storage requirement of the boundary integral are investigated. It is shown that the boundary integral becomes convolutional when a circular enclosure is chosen, resulting in reduced storage requirement when the system is solved via the conjugate gradient FFT method. The same holds for the ogival enclosure, except that some of the boundary integrals are not convolutional and must be carefully treated to maintain O(N) memory requirement. Results for several circular and ogival structures are presented and shown to be in excellent agreement with those obtained by traditional methods.

Collins, Jeffery D.

A new family of stable elements for the Stokes problem based on a mixed Galerkin/least-squares finite element formulation

Adding to the classical Hellinger-Reissner formulation, a residual form of the equilibrium equation, a new Galerkin/least-squares finite element method is derived. It fits within the framework of a mixed finite element method and is stable for rather general combinations of stress and velocity interpolations, including equal-order discontinuous stress and continuous velocity interpolations which are unstable within the Galerkin approach. Error estimates are presented based on a generalization of the Babuska-Brezzi theory. Numerical results (not presented herein) have confirmed these estimates as well as the good accuracy and stability of the method.

Franca, Leopoldo P.

A finite-element perturbation approach to fluid/rotor interaction in turbomachinery elements. I - Theory. II - Application

The vibrational characteristics of a rotor that is in contact with a fluid in an annular clearance gap are investigated. The disturbance under consideration involves the axis of rotation, and includes a virtual lateral eccentricity, together with a whirling motion around the housing centerline. The fluid reaction components arise from infinitesimally small deformations with varied magnitudes which are experienced by an assembly of finite elements in the rotor-to-housing gap. A perturbation model is presented in which the perturbation equations emerge from the flow-governing equations in their discrete finite-element form. It is concluded that restrictions on the rotor-to-housing gap geometry, or the manner in which the rotor virtual eccentricity occurs are practically nonexisting. This model is used to compute the rotordynamic coefficients of an annular seal. The rotordynamic behavior of a hydraulic seal with a clearance gap depth/length ratio of 0.01 is analyzed under a cylindrical type of rotor whirl and several running speeds.

Baskharone, E. A.

Validation of finite element and boundary element methods for predicting structural vibration and radiated noise

Analytical and experimental validation of methods to predict structural vibration and radiated noise are presented. A rectangular box excited by a mechanical shaker was used as a vibrating structure. Combined finite element method (FEM) and boundary element method (BEM) models of the apparatus were used to predict the noise radiated from the box. The FEM was used to predict the vibration, and the surface vibration was used as input to the BEM to predict the sound intensity and sound power. Vibration predicted by the FEM model was validated by experimental modal analysis. Noise predicted by the BEM was validated by sound intensity measurements. Three types of results are presented for the total radiated sound power: (1) sound power predicted by the BEM modeling using vibration data measured on the surface of the box; (2) sound power predicted by the FEM/BEM model; and (3) sound power measured by a sound intensity scan. The sound power predicted from the BEM model using measured vibration data yields an excellent prediction of radiated noise. The sound power predicted by the combined FEM/BEM model also gives a good prediction of radiated noise except for a shift of the natural frequencies that are due to limitations in the FEM model.

Seybert, A. F.