Chung-Yue Wang

A packing generation scheme for the granular assemblies with 3D ellipsoidal particles

This paper introduces a new generator algorithm and computer program for 3-D numerical simulation of packing configuration in a granular assemblies composed of ellipsoidal particles of different a/b aspect ratios. Each ellipsoidal particle is approximated by the revolution of an ellipse, formed by four connected arcs, about the major axis passing through its centroid. The centroid co-ordinates, major axis direction and lengths of the major and minor axes are the essential data for the packing generation and associated contact detection. The domain to be filled with particles can be a polyhedron of any shape. The packing program was coded based on a newly proposed scheme which obeys the no interpenetration kinematics of solid bodies. New contact detection algorithms for any two ellipsoids in the packing space were developed. Though simple, these algorithms effectively determine the contact condition and contact point without solving the simultaneous equations of the two ellipsoidal surfaces. Each particles packing location, contact-point co-ordinates, and three-dimensional graphs can be created using the packing domain given boundaries, along with numbers, and geometrical information of particles to be generated. Simulation results show that this new algorithm provides an effective packing model as a required initial input for analysing the mechanics of granular material. This generation scheme potentially can explore the complex 3-D behaviours of material composed of discrete particles. Copyright

Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis of Reticulated Space Truss Structures

In this paper, a simpler formulation for the nonlinear motion analysis of reticulated space truss structures is developed by applying a new concept of computational mechanics, named the vector form intrinsic finite element (VFIFE or V-5) method. The V-5 method models the analyzed domain to be composed by finite particles and the Newton’s second law is applied to describe each particle’s motion. By tracing the motions of all the mass particles in the space, it can simulate the large geometrical and material nonlinear changes during the motion of structure without using geometrical stiffness matrix and iterations. The analysis procedure is vastly simple, accurate, and versatile. The formulation of VFIFE type space truss element includes a new description of the kinematics that can handle large rotation and large deformation, and includes a set of deformation coordinates for each time increment used to describe the shape functions and internal nodal forces. A convected material frame and an explicit time integration scheme for the solution procedures are also adopted. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate capabilities and accuracy of the V-5 method on the nonlinear dynamic stability analysis of space truss structures.

A packing generation scheme for the granular assemblies with planar elliptical particles

In this paper, a new generator algorithm and a computer program PG2D is introduced for 2D numerical simulation of packing configuration in a granular material composed of elliptical particles of different a/b aspect ratios. Each elliptical particle is approximated by four connected arcs. The centre co-ordinates and radius of each arc and co-ordinates of connecting points can be determined from the formulae derived by entering the major axis length, 2a, and the eccentricity. The domain to be filled with particles can be a polygon of any shape. Given the size of the packing domain, geometrical information and numbers of particles to be generated, the packing location of each particle and the co-ordinates of contact points along with contact normal rose diagram can be generated as outputs. Simulation results show that this new algorithm can provide quite a reasonable packing model in accordance with the initial input required for the analysis of the mechanics of granular material. This generation scheme has the potential to cover packing generation and behaviour analysis of 3D sphere or ellipsoidal shaped granular materials.

Motion analysis of 3D membrane structures by a vector form intrinsic finite element

Abstract In this paper, a constant strain triangular membrane element, which is a new member of the VFIFE (vector form intrinsic finite element) family, is proposed to analyze space motion of arbitrary 3D membrane structures. A description of kinematics to dissect rigid body and deformation displacements, and a set of deformation coordinates for each time increment to describe deformation and internal nodal forces are provided. Similar to other members of the VFIFE family, a convected material frame and explicit time integration for the solution procedures are also adopted. Five numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the performance and applicability of the proposed element on the motion analysis of 3D membrane structures. It was found that the proposed element could go through the patch tests and gives stable, convergent and accurate results.

Fracture analysis of a steel sandwich with hardened core

Abstract2-D elasticity was employed to solve a thermal stress problem of a three layer laminated beam, in which each layer has different thermal expansion coefficient. The thermal stresses arise as a result that initially the layers of the beam were bonded at some high temperature THschand then quenched to some low temperature Tl. Elastic stress field can be derived and expressed in closed form by following the algorithm presented. A numerical example is presented to show that stress concentration due to this thermal effect at the ends of a laminated beam is high and steep enough to cause failure in an ultra-high carbon content and hardened steel.

Study of Static Fracture Propagation by Element-Free Galerkin Method With Singular Weight Function at Crack Tip

Element-free Galerkin method (EFGM) based on moving least-square curve fitting concept is presented and applied to elastic fracture problems. Because no element connectivity data are needed, EFGM is very convenient and effective numerical method for crack growth analysis. This paper is intended as an investigation of crack trajectory for different notch locations under three-point bending test. The initial crack growth angles obtained by element-free Galerkin method in comparison with those obtained by lab test reveal that both results are very close. However, numerical results also show that the location of an original notch can stronger affect the variation of crack path for different increment. The stress intensity factors (SIF) of cracks under three-point bending test with different increment are also investigated by EFGM.