Isogeometric Analysis of Laminated Composite Plates Using the Higher-Order Shear Deformation Theory

in Mechanics of Advanced Materials and Structures (2015), 22(6), 451-469

Isogeometric analysis (IGA) aims at simplifying the computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided engineering (CAE) pipeline by using the same functions to describe the geometry (CAD) and the unknown ... [more ▼]

Isogeometric analysis (IGA) aims at simplifying the computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided engineering (CAE) pipeline by using the same functions to describe the geometry (CAD) and the unknown fields (Analysis). IGA can be based on a variety of CAD descriptions, the most widely used today being non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS). In this article, the suitability of NURBS-based isogeometric analysis within a third-order shear deformation theory for the simulation of the static, dynamic, and buckling response of laminated composite plates is investigated. The method employs NURBS basis functions to both represent the geometry (exactly) and the unknown field variables. One of the main advantages of the present method is directly inherited from IGA, that is to easily increase the approximation order. To avoid using a shear correction factor, a third-order shear deformation theory (TSDT) is introduced. It requires C1-continuity of generalized displacements and the NURBS basis functions are well suited for this requirement. Several numerical examples are used to demonstrate the performance of the present method compared with other published ones. [less ▲]

A computational library for multiscale modeling of material failure

in Computational Mechanics (2013)

We present an open-source software framework called PERMIX for multiscale modeling and simulation of fracture in solids. The framework is an object oriented open-source effort written primarily in Fortran ... [more ▼]

We present an open-source software framework called PERMIX for multiscale modeling and simulation of fracture in solids. The framework is an object oriented open-source effort written primarily in Fortran 2003 standard with Fortran/C++ interfaces to a number of other libraries such as LAMMPS, ABAQUS, LS-DYNA and GMSH. Fracture on the continuum level is modeled by the extended finite element method (XFEM). Using several novel or state of the art methods, the piece software handles semi-concurrent multiscale methods as well as concurrent multiscale methods for fracture, coupling two continuum domains or atomistic domains to continuum domains, respectively. The efficiency of our open-source software is shown through several simulations including a 3D crack modeling in clay nanocomposites, a semi-concurrent FE-FE coupling, a 3D Arlequin multiscale example and an MD-XFEM coupling for dynamic crack propagation. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. [less ▲]

Statistical extraction of process zones and representative subspaces in fracture of random composites

in International Journal for Multiscale Computational Engineering (2013), 11(3), 253-287

We propose to identify process zones in heterogeneous materials by tailored statistical tools. The process zone is redefined as the part of the structure where the random process cannot be correctly ... [more ▼]

We propose to identify process zones in heterogeneous materials by tailored statistical tools. The process zone is redefined as the part of the structure where the random process cannot be correctly approximated in a low-dimensional deterministic space. Such a low-dimensional space is obtained by a spectral analysis performed on precomputed solution samples. A greedy algorithm is proposed to identify both process zone and low-dimensional representative subspace for the solution in the complementary region. In addition to the novelty of the tools proposed in this paper for the analysis of localized phenomena, we show that the reduced space generated by the method is a valid basis for the construction of a reduced-order model. © 2013 by Begell House, Inc. [less ▲]

An adaptive singular ES-FEM for mechanics problems with singular field of arbitrary order

in Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering (2013), 253

This paper presents a singular edge-based smoothed finite element method (sES-FEM) for mechanics problems with singular stress fields of arbitrary order. The sES-FEM uses a basic mesh of three-noded ... [more ▼]

This paper presents a singular edge-based smoothed finite element method (sES-FEM) for mechanics problems with singular stress fields of arbitrary order. The sES-FEM uses a basic mesh of three-noded linear triangular (T3) elements and a special layer of five-noded singular triangular elements (sT5) connected to the singular-point of the stress field. The sT5 element has an additional node on each of the two edges connected to the singular-point. It allows us to represent simple and efficient enrichment with desired terms for the displacement field near the singular-point with the satisfaction of partition-of-unity property. The stiffness matrix of the discretized system is then obtained using the assumed displacement values (not the derivatives) over smoothing domains associated with the edges of elements. An adaptive procedure for the sES-FEM is proposed to enhance the quality of the solution with minimized number of nodes. Several numerical examples are provided to validate the reliability of the present sES-FEM method. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. [less ▲]

Extended finite element method with edge-based strain smoothing (ESm-XFEM) for linear elastic crack growth

in Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering (2012), 209-212

This paper presents a strain smoothing procedure for the extended finite element method (XFEM). The resulting "edge-based" smoothed extended finite element method (ESm-XFEM) is tailored to linear elastic ... [more ▼]

This paper presents a strain smoothing procedure for the extended finite element method (XFEM). The resulting "edge-based" smoothed extended finite element method (ESm-XFEM) is tailored to linear elastic fracture mechanics and, in this context, to outperform the standard XFEM. In the XFEM, the displacement-based approximation is enriched by the Heaviside and asymptotic crack tip functions using the framework of partition of unity. This eliminates the need for the mesh alignment with the crack and re-meshing, as the crack evolves. Edge-based smoothing (ES) relies on a generalized smoothing operation over smoothing domains associated with edges of simplex meshes, and produces a softening effect leading to a close-to-exact stiffness, "super-convergence" and "ultra-accurate" solutions. The present method takes advantage of both the ES-FEM and the XFEM. Thanks to the use of strain smoothing, the subdivision of elements intersected by discontinuities and of integrating the (singular) derivatives of the approximation functions is suppressed via transforming interior integration into boundary integration. Numerical examples show that the proposed method improves significantly the accuracy of stress intensity factors and achieves a near optimal convergence rate in the energy norm even without geometrical enrichment or blending correction. [less ▲]

Extended finite element method for dynamic fracture of piezo-electric materials

in Engineering Fracture Mechanics (2012), 92

We present an extended finite element formulation for dynamic fracture of piezo-electric materials. The method is developed in the context of linear elastic fracture mechanics. It is applied to mode I and ... [more ▼]

We present an extended finite element formulation for dynamic fracture of piezo-electric materials. The method is developed in the context of linear elastic fracture mechanics. It is applied to mode I and mixed mode-fracture for quasi-steady cracks. An implicit time integration scheme is exploited. The results are compared to results obtained with the boundary element method and show excellent agreement. [less ▲]

Natural frequencies of cracked isotropic & specially orthotropic plates using the extended finite element method

Scientific Conference (2011, April)

In this paper, the linear free flexural vibration of cracked isotropic and specially orthotropic plates is studied using the extended finite element method. The mixed interpolation technique of the well ... [more ▼]

In this paper, the linear free flexural vibration of cracked isotropic and specially orthotropic plates is studied using the extended finite element method. The mixed interpolation technique of the well- established MITC4 [1] quadrilateral finite element with 12 standard degrees of freedom per element is used for this study. The natural frequencies of simply supported square plates are computed as a function of crack length and crack location. [less ▲]

A node-based smoothed extended finite element method (NS-XFEM) for fracture analysis

in Computer Modeling in Engineering and Sciences (2011), 73(4), 331-355

This paper aims to incorporate the node-based smoothed finite element method (NS-FEM) into the extended finite element method (XFEM) to form a novel numerical method (NS-XFEM) for analyzing fracture ... [more ▼]

This paper aims to incorporate the node-based smoothed finite element method (NS-FEM) into the extended finite element method (XFEM) to form a novel numerical method (NS-XFEM) for analyzing fracture problems of 2D elasticity. NS-FEM uses the strain smoothing technique over the smoothing domains associated with nodes to compute the system stiffness matrix, which leads to the line integrations using directly the shape function values along the boundaries of the smoothing domains. As a result, we avoid integration of the stress singularity at the crack tip. It is not necessary to divide elements cut by cracks when we replace interior integration by boundary integration, simplifying integration of the discontinuous approximation. The key advantage of the NS-XFEM is that it provides more accurate solutions compared to the XFEM-T3 element. We will show for two numerical examples that the NS-XFEM significantly improves the results in the energy norm and the stress intensity factors. For the examples studied, we obtain super-convergent results. [less ▲]

On the performance of strain smoothing for quadratic and enriched finite element approximations (XFEM/GFEM/PUFEM)

in International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering (2011), 86(4-5), 637-666

By using the strain smoothing technique proposed by Chen et al. (Comput. Mech. 2000; 25:137-156) for meshless methods in the context of the finite element method (FEM), Liu et al. (Comput. Mech. 2007; 39 ... [more ▼]

By using the strain smoothing technique proposed by Chen et al. (Comput. Mech. 2000; 25:137-156) for meshless methods in the context of the finite element method (FEM), Liu et al. (Comput. Mech. 2007; 39(6):859-877) developed the Smoothed FEM (SFEM). Although the SFEM is not yet well understood mathematically, numerical experiments point to potentially useful features of this particularly simple modification of the FEM. To date, the SFEM has only been investigated for bilinear and Wachspress approximations and is limited to linear reproducing conditions. The goal of this paper is to extend the strain smoothing to higher order elements and to investigate numerically in which condition strain smoothing is beneficial to accuracy and convergence of enriched finite element approximations. We focus on three widely used enrichment schemes, namely: (a) weak discontinuities; (b) strong discontinuities; (c) near-tip linear elastic fracture mechanics functions. The main conclusion is that strain smoothing in enriched approximation is only beneficial when the enrichment functions are polynomial (cases (a) and (b)), but that non-polynomial enrichment of type (c) lead to inferior methods compared to the standard enriched FEM (e.g. XFEM). © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [less ▲]

A node-based smoothed finite element method with stabilized discrete shear gap technique for analysis of Reissner-Mindlin plates

in Computational Mechanics (2010), 46(5), 679-701

In this paper, a node-based smoothed finite element method (NS-FEM) using 3-node triangular elements is formulated for static, free vibration and buckling analyses of Reissner-Mindlin plates. The discrete ... [more ▼]

In this paper, a node-based smoothed finite element method (NS-FEM) using 3-node triangular elements is formulated for static, free vibration and buckling analyses of Reissner-Mindlin plates. The discrete weak form of the NS-FEM is obtained based on the strain smoothing technique over smoothing domains associated with the nodes of the elements. The discrete shear gap (DSG) method together with a stabilization technique is incorporated into the NS-FEM to eliminate transverse shear locking and to maintain stability of the present formulation.Aso-called node-based smoothed stabilized discrete shear gap method (NS-DSG) is then proposed. Several numerical examples are used to illustrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the present method. [less ▲]