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At least 19 records

An easily implemented static condensation method for structural sensitivity analysis

A black-box approach to static condensation for sensitivity analysis is presented with illustrative examples of a cube and a car structure. The sensitivity of the structural response with respect to joint stiffness parameter is calculated using the direct method, forward-difference, and central-difference schemes. The efficiency of the various methods for identifying joint stiffness parameters from measured static deflections of these structures is compared. The results indicate that the use of static condensation can reduce computation times significantly and the black-box approach is only slightly less efficient than the standard implementation of static condensation. The ease of implementation of the black-box approach recommends it for use with general-purpose finite element codes that do not have a built-in facility for static condensation.

Gangadharan, S. N.↗

Auxiliary Space Preconditioning of Finite Element Equations Using a Nonconforming Interior Penalty Reformulation and Static Condensation

We modify the well-known interior penalty finite element discretization method so that it allows for element-by-element assembly. This is possible due to the introduction of additional unknowns associated with the interfaces between neighboring elements. The resulting bilinear form, and a Schur complement (reduced) version of it, are utilized in a number of auxiliary space preconditioners for the original conforming finite element discretization problem. Furthermore, these preconditioners are analyzed on the fine scale, and their performance is illustrated on model second order scalar elliptic problems discretized with high order elements.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

An exact zooming method for finite element analyses

An exact zooming technique which employs static condensation and exact structural reanalysis methods was developed. Successive application of static condensation reduces the system to one that is only associated with the degrees of freedom (dof) of the original model. Application of an exact static reanalysis technique permits the displacements at the dof of the original model that are contained in the zoomed portion of the structure to be obtained first. The response external to the zoom, as well as the response of additional dof within various levels of zooming, is computed. With the triangular factor of the stiffness matrix of the original system available, this approach involves only the solution of a system of equations of small order.

Hirai, I.↗

An independent refinement and integration procedure in multiregion finite element analysis

An independent refinement and integration procedure is developed to couple together independently modeled (global and local) regions in a single analysis. The models can have different levels of refinement and along the interface between them the finite element nodes need not coincide with one another. In the local model all the nodes except the nodes at the interface are statically condensed and the reduced stiffness matrix is obtained. For this static condensation a modified frontal solution technique is employed. A spline interpolation function that satisfies the linear isotropic plate bending differential equation is used to relate the local model interface nodal displacements to the global model interface displacements. The proposed independent refinement and integration procedure is evaluated by applying it to two- and three-dimensional cases involving inplane and out-of-plane deformation. The procedure yielded very accurate results for all the examples studied.

Krishnamurthy, T.↗

Stress-constrained topology optimization of lattice-like structures using component-wise reduced order models

We report lattice-like structures can provide a combination of high stiffness with light weight that is useful in many applications, but a resolved finite element mesh of such structures results in a computationally expensive discretization. This computational expense may be particularly burdensome in many-query applications, such as optimization. We develop a stress-constrained topology optimization method for lattice-like structures that uses component-wise reduced order models as a cheap surrogate, providing accurate computation of stress fields while greatly reducing run time relative to a full order model. We demonstrate the ability of our method to produce large reductions in mass while respecting a constraint on the maximum stress in a pair of test problems. The ROM methodology provides a speedup of about 150x in forward solves compared to full order static condensation and provides a relative error of less than 5% in the relaxed stress.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

A Condensed Constrained Nonconforming Mortar-Based Approach for Preconditioning Finite Element Discretization Problems

This paper presents and studies an approach for constructing auxiliary space preconditioners for finite element problems using a constrained nonconforming reformulation that is based on a proposed modified version of the mortar method. The well-known mortar finite element discretization method is modified to admit a local structure, providing an element-by-element or subdomain-by-subdomain assembly property. This is achieved via the introduction of additional trace finite element spaces and degrees of freedom (unknowns) associated with the interfaces between adjacent elements or subdomains. The resulting nonconforming formulation and a reduced-via-static-condensation Schur complement form on the interfaces are used in the construction of auxiliary space preconditioners for a given conforming finite element discretization problem. Overall, the properties of these preconditioners are studied and their performance is illustrated on model second order scalar elliptic problems utilizing high order elements.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Half-closed discontinuous Galerkin discretisations

Here we introduce the concept of half-closed nodes for nodal discontinuous Galerkin (DG) discretisations. Unlike more commonly used closed nodes in DG, where on every element nodes are placed on all of its boundaries, half-closed nodes only require nodes to be placed on a subset of the element's boundaries. The effect of using different nodes on DG operator sparsity is studied and we find in particular for there to be no difference in the sparsity pattern of the Laplace operator whether closed or half-closed nodes are used. On quadrilateral/hexahedral elements we use the Gauss-Radau points as the half-closed nodes of choice, which we demonstrate is able to speed up DG operator assembly in addition to leverage previously known superconvergence results. We also discuss in this work some linear solver techniques commonly used for Finite Element or discontinuous Galerkin methods such as static condensation and block-based methods, and how they can be applied to half-closed DG discretisations.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Space station static and dynamic analyses using parallel methods

Algorithms for high-performance parallel computers are applied to perform static analyses of large-scale Space Station finite-element models (FEMs). Several parallel-vector algorithms under development at NASA Langley are assessed. Sparse matrix solvers were found to be more efficient than banded symmetric or iterative solvers for the static analysis of large-scale applications. In addition, new sparse and 'out-of-core' solvers were found superior to substructure (superelement) techniques which require significant additional cost and time to perform static condensation during global FEM matrix generation as well as the subsequent recovery and expansion. A method to extend the fast parallel static solution techniques to reduce the computation time for dynamic analysis is also described. The resulting static and dynamic algorithms offer design economy for preliminary multidisciplinary design optimization and FEM validation against test modes. The algorithms are being optimized for parallel computers to solve one-million degrees-of-freedom (DOF) FEMs. The high-performance computers at NASA afforded effective software development, testing, efficient and accurate solution with timely system response and graphical interpretation of results rarely found in industry. Based on the author's experience, similar cooperation between industry and government should be encouraged for similar large-scale projects in the future.

Gupta, V.↗

Rapid iterative reanalysis for automated design

A method for iterative reanalysis in automated structural design is presented for a finite-element analysis using the direct stiffness approach. A basic feature of the method is that the generalized stiffness and inertia matrices are expressed as functions of structural design parameters, and these generalized matrices are expanded in Taylor series about the initial design. Only the linear terms are retained in the expansions. The method is approximate because it uses static condensation, modal reduction, and the linear Taylor series expansions. The exact linear representation of the expansions of the generalized matrices is also described and a basis for the present method is established. Results of applications of the present method to the recalculation of the natural frequencies of two simple platelike structural models are presented and compared with results obtained by using a commonly applied analysis procedure used as a reference. In general, the results are in good agreement. A comparison of the computer times required for the use of the present method and the reference method indicated that the present method required substantially less time for reanalysis. Although the results presented are for relatively small-order problems, the present method will become more efficient relative to the reference method as the problem size increases. An extension of the present method to static reanalysis is described, ana a basis for unifying the static and dynamic reanalysis procedures is presented.

Bhatia, K. G.↗

Embedded symmetric positive semi-definite machine-learned elements for reduced-order modeling in finite-element simulations with application to threaded fasteners

Here, we present a machine-learning strategy for finite element analysis of solid mechanics wherein we replace complex portions of a computational domain with a data-driven surrogate. In the proposed strategy, we decompose a computational domain into an “outer” coarse-scale domain that we resolve using a finite element method (FEM) and an “inner” fine-scale domain. We then develop a machine-learned (ML) model for the impact of the inner domain on the outer domain. In essence, for solid mechanics, our machine-learned surrogate performs static condensation of the inner domain degrees of freedom. This is achieved by learning the map from displacements on the inner-outer domain interface boundary to forces contributed by the inner domain to the outer domain on the same interface boundary. We consider two such mappings, one that directly maps from displacements to forces without constraints, and one that maps from displacements to forces by virtue of learning a symmetric positive semi-definite (SPSD) stiffness matrix. We demonstrate, in a simplified setting, that learning an SPSD stiffness matrix results in a coarse-scale problem that is well-posed with a unique solution. We present numerical experiments on several exemplars, ranging from finite deformations of a cube to finite deformations with contact of a fastener-bushing geometry. We demonstrate that enforcing an SPSD stiffness matrix drastically improves the robustness and accuracy of FEM–ML coupled simulations, and that the resulting methods can accurately characterize out-of-sample loading configurations with significant speedups over the standard FEM simulations.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Multi-Port Autonomous Reconfigurable Solar Power Plant

As the penetration level of power electronics increases and remote photovoltaic (PV) generation is integrated into the alternating current (ac) grid, the short-circuit ratio (SCR) at the point of interconnection of a hybrid PV–energy storage system (ESS) plant may be low. Additionally, the inertia of the alternating current (ac) grid may be low. The low SCRs and inertias can lead to reliability challenges in the power grid. These operating conditions require additional reinforcements, such as synchronous condensers, static var compensators, static synchronous compensators, and high-voltage direct current (HVdc) links/grids. HVdc links or grids may also provide the additional capability of connecting the plant to asynchronous grids and/or connecting asynchronous grids, among others. This scenario leads to discrete development of solar inverters, energy storage inverters, HVdc converters, and several transformers. Some of the problems associated with this discrete development and inverter-based generation include increased cost, lower reliability, and reduced efficiency associated with duplication of power electronics (PEs); competing controls of several individual discrete inverter-based generators due to the presence of multiple PEs, which leads to derating of the system; and transient stability problems arising from inverter-based generation, such as voltage/frequency events leading inverter shutdowns, voltage instability and control interactions in the formed weak grid, and harmonics caused by resonances of multiple inverters.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Computational procedures for evaluating the sensitivity derivatives of vibration frequencies and Eigenmodes of framed structures

Computational procedures are presented for evaluating the sensitivity derivatives of the vibration frequencies and eigenmodes of framed structures. Both a displacement and a mixed formulation are used. The two key elements of the computational procedure are: (a) Use of dynamic reduction techniques to substantially reduce the number of degrees of freedom; and (b) Application of iterative techniques to improve the accuracy of the derivatives of the eigenmodes. The two reduction techniques considered are the static condensation and a generalized dynamic reduction technique. Error norms are introduced to assess the accuracy of the eigenvalue and eigenvector derivatives obtained by the reduction techniques. The effectiveness of the methods presented is demonstrated by three numerical examples.

Fetterman, Timothy L.↗

Dynamic analysis of pretwisted elastically-coupled rotor blades

This paper addresses the accuracy of using a one-dimensional analysis to predict frequencies of elastically-coupled highly-twisted rotor blades. Degrees of freedom associated with shear deformation are statically condensed from the formulation, so the analysis uses only those degrees of freedom associated with classical beam theory. The effects of cross section deformation (warping) are considered, and are shown to become significant for some types of elastic coupling. Improved results are demonstrated for highly-coupled blade structures through account of warping in a local cross section analysis, without explicit inclusion of these effects in the beam analysis. A convergence study is also provided which investigates the potential for improving efficiency of elastically-coupled beam analysis through implementation of a p-version beam finite element.

Nixon, Mark W.↗

Damage detection using experimentally measured mass and stiffness matrices

A method is presented for locating physical damage or change in a structure using experimentally measured mass and stiffness matrices. The approach uses a recently developed algorithm for transforming a state-space realization into a second order structural model with physical displacements as the generalized coordinates. This is accomplished by first rotating a state-space model of the identified structural dynamics into modal coordinates and approximating the mass normalized modal vectors for the output measurement set. Next, the physical mass, damping and stiffness matrices are synthesized directly from the measured modal parameters. This yields experimental mass and stiffness matrices for the structure without the use of a finite element model or a numerical search. The computed mass and stiffness are asymptotically equivalent to a static condensation of the global physical coordinate model. Techniques for solving the inverse connectivity problem are then developed whereby it is possible to assess the stiffness in a region of the structure bounded by several sensors. Applications to both simulated data and experimental data are used to discuss the effectiveness of the approach.

Peterson, L. D.↗

An alternative to Guyan reduction of finite-element models

Structural modeling is a key part of structural system identification for large space structures. Finite-element structural models are commonly used in practice because of their general applicability and availability. The initial models generated by using a standard computer program such as NASTRAN, ANSYS, SUPERB, STARDYNE, STRUDL, etc., generally contain tens of thousands of degrees of freedom. The models must be reduced for purposes of identification. Not only does the magnitude of the identification effort grow exponentially as a function of the number of degrees of freedom, but numerical procedures may also break down because of accumulated round-off errors. Guyan reduction is usually applied after a static condensation. Misapplication of Guyan reduction can lead to serious modeling errors. It is quite unfortunate and disappointing, since the accuracy of the original detailed finite-element model one tries very hard to achieve is lost by the reduction. First, why and how Guyan reduction always causes loss of accuracy is examined. An alternative approach is then introduced. The alternative can be thought of as an improvement of Guyan reduction, the Rayleigh-Ritz method, and in particular the recent algorithm of Wilson, Yuan, and Dickens. Unlike Guyan reduction, the use of the alternative does not need any special insight, experience, or skill for partitioning the structural degrees of freedom. In addition to model condensation, this alternative approach can also be used for predicting analytically, quickly, and economically, what are those structural modes that are excitable by a force actuator at a given trial location. That is, in the excitation of the structural modes for identification, it can be used for guiding the placement of the force actuators.

Lin, Jiguan Gene↗

Dynamic analysis of pretwisted elastically-coupled rotor blades

The accuracy of using a one-dimensional analysis to predict frequencies of elastically-coupled highly-twisted rotor blades is addressed. Degrees of freedom associated with shear deformation are statically condensed from the formulation, so the analysis uses only those degrees of freedom associated with classical beam theory. The effects of cross section deformation (warping) are considered, and are shown to become significant for some types of elastic coupling. Improved results are demonstrated for highly-coupled blade structures through account of warping in a local cross section analysis, without explicit inclusion of these effects in the beam analysis. A convergence study is also provided which investigates the potential for improving efficiency of elastically-coupled beam analysis through implementation of a p-version beam finite element.

Nixon, Mark W.↗

Static aeroelastic analysis of wings using Euler/Navier-Stokes equations coupled with improved wing-box finite element structures

Strong interactions between flow about an aircraft wing and the wing structure can result in aeroelastic phenomena which significantly impact aircraft performance. Time-accurate methods for solving the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations have matured to the point where reliable results can be obtained with reasonable computational costs for complex non-linear flows with shock waves, vortices and separations. The ability to combine such a flow solver with a general finite element structural model is key to an aeroelastic analysis in these flows. Earlier work involved time-accurate integration of modal structural models based on plate elements. A finite element model was developed to handle three-dimensional wing boxes, and incorporated into the flow solver without the need for modal analysis. Static condensation is performed on the structural model to reduce the structural degrees of freedom for the aeroelastic analysis. Direct incorporation of the finite element wing-box structural model with the flow solver requires finding adequate methods for transferring aerodynamic pressures to the structural grid and returning deflections to the aerodynamic grid. Several schemes were explored for handling the grid-to-grid transfer of information. The complex, built-up nature of the wing-box complicated this transfer. Aeroelastic calculations for a sample wing in transonic flow comparing various simple transfer schemes are presented and discussed.

Guruswamy, Guru P.↗