David John Littlewood

Convergence studies in meshfree peridynamic simulations

Meshfree methods are commonly applied to discretize peridynamic models, particularly in numerical simulations of engineering problems. Such methods discretize peridynamic bodies using a set of nodes with characteristic volume, leading to particle-based descriptions of systems. In this paper, we perform convergence studies of static peridynamic problems. We show that commonly used meshfree methods in peridynamics suffer from accuracy and convergence issues, due to a rough approximation of the contribution of nodes near the boundary of the neighborhood of a given node to numerical integrations. We propose two methods to improve meshfree peridynamic simulations. The first method uses accurate computations of volumes of intersections between neighbor cells and the neighborhood of a given node, referred to as partial volumes. The second method employs smooth influence functions with a finite support within peridynamic kernels. Numerical results demonstrate great improvements in accuracy and convergence of peridynamic numerical solutions when using the proposed methods.

Simulation of Dynamic Fracture Using Peridynamics, Finite Element Modeling, and Contact

Peridynamics is a nonlocal extension of classical solid mechanics that allows for the modeling of bodies in which discontinuities occur spontaneously. Because the peridynamic expression for the balance of linear momentum does not contain spatial derivatives and is instead based on an integral equation, it is well suited for modeling phenomena involving spatial discontinuities such as crack formation and fracture. In this study, both peridynamics and classical finite element analysis are applied to simulate material response under dynamic blast loading conditions. A combined approach is utilized in which the portion of the simulation modeled with peridynamics interacts with the finite element portion of the model via a contact algorithm. The peridynamic portion of the analysis utilizes an elastic-plastic constitutive model with linear hardening. The peridynamic interface to the constitutive model is based on the calculation of an approximate deformation gradient, requiring the suppression of possible zero-energy modes. The classical finite element portion of the model utilizes a Johnson-Cook constitutive model. Simulation results are validated by direct comparison to expanding tube experiments. The coupled modeling approach successfully captures material response at the surface of the tube and the emerging fracture pattern.© 2010 ASME

A Nonlocal Approach to Modeling Crack Nucleation in AA 7075-T651.

A critical stage in microstructurally small fatigue crack growth in AA 7075-T651 is the nucleation of cracks originating in constituent particles into the matrix material. Previous work has focused on a geometric approach to modeling microstructurally small fatigue crack growth in which damage metrics derived from an elastic-viscoplastic constitutive model are used to predict the nucleation event [1, 2]. While a geometric approach based on classical finite elements was successful in explicitly modeling the polycrystalline grain structure, singularities at the crack tip necessitated the use of a nonlocal sampling approach to remove mesh size dependence. This study is an initial investigation of the peridynamic formulation of continuum mechanics as an alternative approach to modeling microstructurally small fatigue crack growth. Peridynamics, a nonlocal extension of continuum mechanics, is based on an integral formulation that remains valid in the presence of material discontinuities. To capture accurately the material response at the grain scale, a crystal elastic-viscoplastic constitutive model is adapted for use in non-ordinary state-based peridynamics through the use of a regularized deformation gradient. The peridynamic approach is demonstrated on a baseline model consisting of a hard elastic inclusion in a single crystal. Coupling the elastic-viscoplastic material model with peridynamics successfully facilitates the modeling of plastic deformation and damage accumulation in the vicinity of the particle inclusion. Lattice orientation is shown to have a strong influence on material response.Copyright

A coupling strategy for nonlocal and local diffusion models with mixed volume constraints and boundary conditions

We develop and analyze an optimization-based method for the coupling of nonlocal and local diffusion problems with mixed volume constraints and boundary conditions. The approach formulates the coupling as a control problem where the states are the solutions of the nonlocal and local equations, the objective is to minimize their mismatch on the overlap of the nonlocal and local domains, and the controls are virtual volume constraints and boundary conditions. When some assumptions on the kernel functions hold, we prove that the resulting optimization problem is well-posed and discuss its implementation using Sandias agile software components toolkit. The latter provides the groundwork for the development of engineering analysis tools, while numerical results for nonlocal diffusion in three-dimensions illustrate key properties of the optimization-based coupling method.

Peridigm Users' Guide v1.0.0

Peridigm is Sandia’s primary open-source computational peridynamics code. It is a component software project, built largely upon Sandia’s Trilinos project and Sandia’s agile software components efforts. It is massively parallel, utilizes peridynamic state-based material models, Exodus/Genesis-format mesh input, Exodus-format output, and multiple material blocks. It performs explicit dynamic, implicit dynamic, and quasistatic analyses utilizing powerful nonlinear and linear solvers.

Peridynamic Simulation of Damage Evolution for Structural Health Monitoring.

Modal-based methods for structural health monitoring require the identification of characteristic frequencies associated with a structure’s primary modes of failure. A major difficulty is the extraction of damage-related frequency shifts from the large set of often benign frequency shifts observed experimentally. In this study, we apply peridynamics in combination with modal analysis for the prediction of characteristic frequency shifts throughout the damage evolution process. Peridynamics, a nonlocal extension of continuum mechanics, is unique in its ability to capture progressive material damage. The application of modal analysis to peridynamic models enables the tracking of structural modes and characteristic frequencies over the course of a simulation. Shifts in characteristic frequencies resulting from evolving structural damage can then be isolated and utilized in the analysis of frequency responses observed experimentally. We present a methodology for quasi-static peridynamic analyses, including the solution of the eigenvalue problem for identification of structural modes. Repeated solution of the eigenvalue problem over the course of a transient simulation yields a data set from which critical shifts in modal frequencies can be isolated. The application of peridynamics to modal analysis is demonstrated on the benchmark problem of a simply-supported beam. The computed natural frequencies of an undamaged beam are found to agree well with the classical local solution. Analyses in the presence of cracks of various lengths are shown to reveal frequency shifts associated with structural damage.Copyright

Implementation and Verification of RKPM in the Sierra/SolidMechanics Analysis Code

The reproducing kernel particle method (RKPM) is a meshfree method for computational solid mechanics that can be tailored for an arbitrary order of completeness and smoothness. The primary advantage of RKPM relative to standard finite-element (FE) approaches is its capacity to model large deformations, material damage, and fracture. Additionally, the use of a meshfree approach offers great flexibility in the domain discretization process and reduces the complexity of mesh modifications such as adaptive refinement.We present an overview of the RKPM implementation in the Sierra/SolidMechanics analysis code, with a focus on verification, validation, and software engineering for massively parallel computation. Key details include the processing of meshfree discretizations within a FE code, RKPM solution approximation and domain integration, stress update and calculation of internal force, and contact modeling. The accuracy and performance of RKPM are evaluated using a set of benchmark problems. Solution verification, mesh convergence, and parallel scalability are demonstrated using a simulation of wave propagation along the length of a bar. Initial model validation is achieved through simulation of a Taylor bar impact test. The RKPM approach is shown to be a viable alternative to standard FE techniques that provides additional flexibility to the analyst community.Copyright

Ductile failure X-prize.

Fracture or tearing of ductile metals is a pervasive engineering concern, yet accurate prediction of the critical conditions of fracture remains elusive. Sandia National Laboratories has been developing and implementing several new modeling methodologies to address problems in fracture, including both new physical models and new numerical schemes. The present study provides a double-blind quantitative assessment of several computational capabilities including tearing parameters embedded in a conventional finite element code, localization elements, extended finite elements (XFEM), and peridynamics. For this assessment, each of four teams reported blind predictions for three challenge problems spanning crack initiation and crack propagation. After predictions had been reported, the predictions were compared to experimentally observed behavior. The metal alloys for these three problems were aluminum alloy 2024-T3 and precipitation hardened stainless steel PH13-8Mo H950. The predictive accuracies of the various methods are demonstrated, and the potential sources of error are discussed.

Adagio 4.20 User’s Guide

Adagio is a Lagrangian, three-dimensional, implicit code for the analysis of solids and structures. It uses a multi-level iterative solver, which enables it to solve problems with large deformations, nonlinear material behavior, and contact. It also has a versatile library of continuum and structural elements, and an extensive library of material models. Adagio is written for parallel computing environments, and its solvers allow for scalable solutions of very large problems. Adagio uses the SIERRA Framework, which allows for coupling with other SIERRA mechanics codes. This document describes the functionality and input structure for Adagio.

Optimization-Based Coupling of Local and Nonlocal Models: Applications to Peridynamics

Nonlocal continuum theories such as peridynamics [?] and physics-based nonlocal elasticity [?] can capture strong nonlocal effects due to long-range forces at the mesoscale or microscale. For problems where these effects cannot be neglected, nonlocal models are more accurate than classical Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) that only consider interactions due to contact. However, the improved accuracy of nonlocal models comes at the price of a computational cost that is significantly higher than that of PDEs. The goal of Local-to-Nonlocal (LtN) coupling methods is to combine the computational efficiency of PDEs with the accuracy of nonlocal models. LtN couplings are imperative when the size of the computational domain or the extent of the nonlocal interactions are such that the nonlocal solution becomes prohibitively expensive to compute, yet the nonlocal model is required to accurately resolve small scale features (such as crack tips or dislocations that can affect the global material behavior). In this context, the main challenge of a coupling method is the stable and accurate merging of two fundamentally different mathematical descriptions of the same physical phenomena into a physically consistent coupled formulation.