A well-conditioned and optimally convergent XFEM for 3D linear elastic fracture

in International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering (n.d.)

A variation of the extended finite element method for 3D fracture mechanics is proposed. It utilizes global enrichment and point-wise as well as integral matching of displacements of the standard and ... [more ▼]

A variation of the extended finite element method for 3D fracture mechanics is proposed. It utilizes global enrichment and point-wise as well as integral matching of displacements of the standard and enriched elements in order to achieve higher accuracy, optimal convergence rates and improved conditioning for two and three dimensional crack problems. A bespoke benchmark problem is introduced to determine the method's accuracy in the general 3D case where it is demonstrated that the proposed approach improves the accuracy and reduces the number of iterations required for the iterative solution of the resulting system of equations by 40% for moderately refined meshes and topological enrichment. Moreover, when a fixed enrichment volume is used, the number of iterations required grows at a rate which is reduced by a factor of 2 compared to standard XFEM, diminishing the number of iterations by almost one order of magnitude. [less ▲]

What makes Data Science different? A discussion involving Statistics2.0 and Computational Sciences

E-print/Working paper (2017)

Data Science is today one of the main buzzwords be it in business, industrial or academic settings. Machine learning, experimental design, data-driven modelling are all, undoubtedly, rising disciplines if ... [more ▼]

Data Science is today one of the main buzzwords be it in business, industrial or academic settings. Machine learning, experimental design, data-driven modelling are all, undoubtedly, rising disciplines if one goes by the soaring number of research papers and patents appearing each year. The prospect of becoming a ``Data Scientist'' appeals to many. A discussion panel organised as part of the European Data Science Conference (European Association for Data Science (EuADS)) asked the question: ``What makes Data Science different?'' In this paper we give our own, personal and multi-facetted view on this question, from an engineering and a statistics perspective. In particular, we compare Data Science to Statistics and discuss the connection between Data Science and Computational Science. [less ▲]

Which App to Choose? An Online Tool that Supports the Decision-making Process of Recreational Runners to Choose an App

in Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Design4Health Amsterdam 2020 (2020)

In recent years, there has been an exponential increase in the use of health and sports-related smartphone applications (apps). This is also reflected in App-stores, which are stacked with thousands of ... [more ▼]

In recent years, there has been an exponential increase in the use of health and sports-related smartphone applications (apps). This is also reflected in App-stores, which are stacked with thousands of health- and sports-apps, with new apps launched each day. These apps have great potential to monitor and support people’s physical activity and health. For users, however, it is difficult to know which app suits their needs. In this paper, we present an online tool that supports the decision-making process for choosing an appropriate app. We constructed and validated a screening instrument to assess app content quality, together with the assessment of users’ needs. Both served as input for building the tool through various iterations with prototypes and user tests. This resulted in an online tool which relies on app content quality scores to match the users’ needs with apps that score high in the screening instrument on those particular needs. Users can add new apps to the database via the screening instrument, making the tool self supportive and future proof. A feedback loop allows users to give feedback on the recommended app and how well it meets their needs. This feedback is added to the database and used in future filtering and recommendations. The principles used can be applied to other areas of sports, physical activity and health to help users to select an app that suits their needs. Potentially increasing the long-term use of apps to monitor and to support physical activity and health. [less ▲]

White Manipulation in Judgment Aggregation

Scientific Conference (2009)

Distributive systems consisting of autonomous and intelligent components need to be able to reason and make decisions based on the information these components share. Judgment aggregation investigates how ... [more ▼]

Distributive systems consisting of autonomous and intelligent components need to be able to reason and make decisions based on the information these components share. Judgment aggregation investigates how individual judgments on logically connected propositions can be aggregated into a collective judgment on the same propositions. It is the case that seemingly reasonable aggregation procedures may force the group to hold an inconsistent judgment set. What happens when the agents realize that the group outcome will be inconsistent? We claim that, in order to avoid an untenable collective outcome, individuals may prefer to declare a non-truthful, less preferred judgment set. Thus, the prospect of an individual trying to manipulate the social outcome by submitting an insincere judgment set is turned from being an undesirable to a “virtuous” (or white) manipulation. We define white manipulation and present the initial study of it as a coordinated action of the whole group. [less ▲]

Wide-Beamwidth Circular Polarized Antenna for Diversity Combining Applications

in Vasquez-Peralvo, Juan Andres; Merlano Duncan, Juan Carlos; Eappen, Geoffrey (Eds.) et al Global Communications Conference, Rio de Janeiro, 4 - 9 December 2022 (in press)

This paper presents the design, simulation, and manufacturing of a right-hand circularly polarized antenna working in the frequency band 17.7-20.2 GHz with a beamwidth of 42.4$^\circ$ and 5.4$^\circ$ for ... [more ▼]

This paper presents the design, simulation, and manufacturing of a right-hand circularly polarized antenna working in the frequency band 17.7-20.2 GHz with a beamwidth of 42.4$^\circ$ and 5.4$^\circ$ for the H-plane and E-plane, respectively. The presented antenna is part of a set of three antennas, two high-gain antennas, and, presented in this paper, a low directive antenna used for reception. The application we describe in this paper combines the radio-frequency signals obtained from the O3b satellite constellation, using three antennas to apply path diversity later to reconstruct the original signal. Moreover, using an antenna with a beamwidth in one plane allows receiving two satellite signals at the same time, increasing by 3 dB the overall gain. The wide-band capabilities of the antenna are obtained using aperture coupling. In particular, the circular polarization of the antenna is generated using a truncated corner square patch. Further, a metasurface is placed at the top to enhance the axial ratio. Importantly, the simulation results obtained using CST Microwave Studio show that the antenna has a reflection coefficient below -10 dB and an axial ratio below -3 dB in the intended frequency range. [less ▲]

XDEM for Tuning Lumped Models of Thermochemical Processes Involving Materials in the Powder State

in Engineering Journal (2016), 20(5), 187-201

Processes involving materials in gaseous and powder states cannot be modelled without coupling interactions between the two states. XDEM (Extended Discrete Element Method) is a valid tool for tackling ... [more ▼]

Processes involving materials in gaseous and powder states cannot be modelled without coupling interactions between the two states. XDEM (Extended Discrete Element Method) is a valid tool for tackling this issue, since it allows a coupled CFD- DEM simulation to be run. Such strength, however, mainly finds in long computational times its main drawback. This aspect is indeed critical in several applications, since a long computational time is in contrast with the increasing demand for predictive tools that can provide fast and accurate results in order to be used in new monitoring and control strategies. This paper focuses on the use of the XDEM framework as a tool for fine tuning a lumped representation of the non-isothermal decarbonation of a CaCO3 sample in powder state. The tuning of the lumped model is performed exploiting the multi-objective optimization capability of genetic algorithms. Results demonstrate that such approach makes it possible to estimate fast and accurate models to be used, for instance, in the fields of virtual sensing and predictive control. [less ▲]

XFEM coupling of granular flows interacting with surrounding fluids

in ECCOMAS 2012 - European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering, e-Book Full Papers (2012)

In this paper, ideas for the simulation of sliding dry granular materials interacting with surrounding fluids are presented and first results are presented. The compressible granular material is modeled ... [more ▼]

In this paper, ideas for the simulation of sliding dry granular materials interacting with surrounding fluids are presented and first results are presented. The compressible granular material is modeled as a medium which can show solid-like and fluid-like characteristics. Therefore a weighted decomposition of stress tensors of a solid-like and a fluid-like phase is applied. The surrounding incompressible fluids are described with a Newtonian constitutive model. Interface dynamics are handled with the level-set method. The model equations are discretized with the space-time finite element method. Discontinuous solution characteristics across interfaces are captured numerically by the extended finite element method (XFEM). For all discontinuities the space of ansatz functions is enriched with Heaviside functions. [less ▲]

Zotero

Software (2006)

Zur Rotationskapazität von Verbundanschlüssen bei der Bemessung nach dem Fließgelenkverfahren

Doctoral thesis (2009)

The present work deals with the load bearing and rotational behaviour of composite connections in steel and concrete constructions. For typical buildings, composite connections are assumed to be rigid or ... [more ▼]

The present work deals with the load bearing and rotational behaviour of composite connections in steel and concrete constructions. For typical buildings, composite connections are assumed to be rigid or pinned. This assumption can lead to uneconomic structures. A design concept for the estimation of the available rotation capacity, the initial stiffness and the moment bearing capacity of semi-rigid connections is presented. On the basis of the plastic hinge theory diagrams were developed to prove the load carrying capacity and the serviceability of composite beams with semi-rigid connections. The presented design model is based on the evaluation of 9 self conducted tests and on the evaluation of 74 tests on composite connections from all over Europe. The availability of the model was proved by intensive nonlinear finite element simulations. [less ▲]