New point-to-face contact algorithm for 3-D contact problems using the augmented Lagrangian method in 3-D DDA

This paper presents a new point-to-face contact algorithm for contacts between two polyhedrons with planar boundaries. A new discrete numerical method called three-dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (3-D DDA) is used and formulations of normal contact submatrices based on the proposed algorithm are derived. The presented algorithm is a simple and efficient method and it can be easily coded into a computer program. This approach does not need to use an iterative algorithm in each time step to obtain the contact plane, unlike the ‘Common-Plane’ method applied in the existing 3-D DDA. In the present 3-D DDA method, block contact constraints are enforced using the penalty method. This approach is quite simple, but may lead to inaccuracies that may be large for small values of the penalty number. The penalty method also creates block contact overlap, which violates the physical constraints of the problem. These limitations are overcome by using the augmented Lagrangian method that is used for normal contacts in this research. This point-to-face contact model has been programmed and some illustrative examples are provided to demonstrate the new contact rule between two blocks. A comparison between results obtained by using the augmented Lagrangian method and the penalty method is presented as well.     

Non-rigid disk-based DDA with a new contact model

In this paper, a new disk-based DDA formulation is presented. In the original disk-based DDA, disks are considered to be rigid and the penalty method is used to enforce disk contact constraints. In order to improve the accuracy of the disk-based DDA, new formulations of stiffness and force matrices for non-rigid disks using a new efficient contact model are presented in this paper. Blocks are considered deformable without need to do more computations for contact detection. In the proposed contact model, disk–disk and disk–boundary contacts are transformed into the form of point-to-line contacts and normal spring, shear spring and frictional force sub-matrices are derived by vector analysis. The penalty method is quite simple to implement, but has some major disadvantages. In the presented contact model, not only the simplicity of the penalty method is retained but also the limitations are overcome by using the augmented Lagrangian method. Moreover, unlike the contact model used in the original disk-based DDA, reference line can be obtained directly by using only coordinates of disk centers and their radii, and no more computations are needed. The validity and capability of the new disk-based DDA formulation are demonstrated by several illustrative examples.     

A Model of Point-to-Face Contact for Three-Dimensional Discontinuous Deformation Analysis

Summary The key to three-dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (3D DDA) is a rigorous contact theory that governs the interaction of many three-dimensional blocks. This theory must provide algorithms to judge contact types and locations and the appropriate state of each contact, which can be open, sliding or locked. This paper presents a point-to-face contact model, which forms a part of the contact theory, to be used in 3D DDA. Normal spring, shear spring and frictional force submatrices are derived by vector analysis and the penalty method. Also given are the open-close iteration criteria and operations performed for different changes in contact state. Sliding at a contact can occur in any direction parallel to the contact face, as opposed to one of two directions in two-dimensional DDA. This point-to-face contact model has been implemented into a 3D DDA computer program, and numerical results from several test cases demonstrate the validity of the model and the capability of the program.     

混合多位移模式的非连续变形分析法研究

传统的非连续变形分析法（DDA）法采用简单的线性位移模式计算效率高,描述大块体的高阶多项式位移模式在一定程度保留了该特点,并提高了计算精度。近年来流行的耦合有限元、自然单元的DDA法实质上是引入相应的插值形函数构成块体位移函数,计算相对低效,但具有计算更精细、更容易施加边界条件等优点。为结合传统DDA法与DDA耦合法各自的优点,建立了一种同时利用传统DDA法线性位移模式与耦合型DDA法非线性位移模式的混合法。该方法非线性模式主要针对大块体,采用了自然单元插值,缘于其具有一定无网格特征,且效率比有限元高。建立了混合模式下的整体矩阵并推导出接触等因素刚度子矩阵和荷载子向量的具体表达式。该方法建模更加方便合理,计算精度、效率介于线性模式的传统DDA法和非线性位移模式的耦合法之间。通过基本算例验证了混合法的有效性,并给出了节理围岩-隧道衬砌整体分析模型的计算结果,体现了新方法的优越性。     

基于线性互补的非连续变形分析

非连续变形分析(DDA)方法是一种新的用来分析块体系统运动和变形的非连续介质数值计算方法。研究的核心工作是致力于对现有DDA接触问题处理方法的改进。DDA主要采用罚函数法和Lagrange乘子法处理接触问题,合理设定罚参数很困难,此外,因开闭迭代而引起的刚度矩阵的不连续变化也会导致收敛方面的困难。为避免引入罚参数及传统意义上的开闭迭代,用混合线性互补模型(LCDDA)对DDA方法进行了重新描述。在此基础上,综合基于非光滑分析的Newton法的局部平方收敛和最速下降法的全局线性收敛的优势,提出求解LCDDA模型的有效算法。根据上述思想及理论研究成果编制了完整的计算程序,算例计算结果证明了方法的精度及可行性。     

A development of the discontinuous deformation analysis for rock fall analysis

Discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA), a discrete numerical analysis method, is used to simulate the behaviour of falling rock by applying a linear displacement function in the computations. However, when a block rotates, this linear function causes a change in block size called the free expansion phenomenon. In addition, this free expansion results in contact identification problems when the rotating blocks are close to each other. To solve this problem of misjudgment and to obtain a more precise simulation of the falling rock, a new method called Post‐Contact Adjustment Method has been developed and applied to the program. The basic procedure of this new method can be divided into three stages: using the linear displacement function to generate the global matrix, introducing the non‐linear displacement function to the contact identification, and applying it to update the co‐ordinates of block vertices. This new method can be easily applied to the original DDA program, demonstrating better contact identification and size conservation results for falling rock problems than the original program. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Unified displacement boundary constraint formulation for discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA)

Displacement boundary constraints in discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) are applied using stiff penalty springs. A co‐ordinate‐free formulation for displacement boundary constraints is presented here for DDA, which unifies previous derivations for points of fixity, and for points constrained to induce or prohibit block motion in specified directions as a function of location or time. Examples for each type of constraint are used to illustrate the behaviour of the algorithm and provide a link with previous formulations for each case. The new, unified formulation has five benefits: (1) simple to express algorithmically; (2) easy to program and verify; (3) penalty values in different directions may be chosen to allow fixed points, lines, curves or planes; (4) formulation works for 2D and 3D; (5) displacement constraint may be a function of time or location or both. Feedback in the algorithm may induce internal resonance in homogeneously deformable discrete elements used in DDA, and resonance in block‐to‐block contact interactions. Consequently, high mass problems with insufficient damping may suffer from excessive ‘vibrational hammering’, inducing physically implausible behaviour such as elastic rebound. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparative study of Sarma's method and the discontinuous deformation analysis for rock slope stability analysis

This paper presents a comparative study of two methods, Sarma's method and the discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA), for rock slope stability analysis. The comparison concerns the stability analysis of two classic rock slopes. The study shows that the DDA, which accounts for the block kinematics, provides a very different factor of safety as compared with Sarma's method. More realistic reaction forces around each rock block can be obtained by the DDA, including the thrust forces between rock blocks and the forces between the base and the blocks. The DDA's result shows two possible directions for the relative movement between two contiguous blocks at the initiation of slope failure. It also indicates that the limit equilibrium condition may not occur along the interfaces of rock blocks at the initiation of slope failure. The determination of realistic interaction forces around each block will be very important in rock slope stability analysis if nonlinear failure criteria are considered.     

基于扩展Lagrange乘子的Clough接触面模型及应用

双曲线接触面本构模型能比较真实地模拟堆石材料与混凝土面板间的接触关系,扩展Lagrange乘子法能比较精确地计算接触面间接触状态。在吸取Clough双曲线接触面本构关系应用于无厚度的Goodman单元和有厚度的Desai薄层单元的成功经验的基础上,将Clough双曲线接触面模型引入扩展Lagrange乘子法进行摩擦接触问题的求解。介绍了基于扩展Lagrange乘子法的序列二次规划法（SQP）提法,详细推导了在扩展Lagrange算法的非线性接触计算中引入Clough双曲线接触面本构关系的数值列式和实施步骤。数值算例和工程实例的计算结果证明该方法是成功的,能够比较真实地模拟堆石-混凝土墙（混凝土面板）之间的接触状态。     

Frictionless contact formulation for dynamic analysis of nonlinear saturated porous media based on the mortar method

A finite element algorithm for frictionless contact problems in a two‐phase saturated porous medium, considering finite deformation and inertia effects, has been formulated and implemented in a finite element programme. The mechanical behaviour of the saturated porous medium is predicted using mixture theory, which models the dynamic advection of fluids through a fully saturated porous solid matrix. The resulting mixed formulation predicts all field variables including the solid displacement, pore fluid pressure and Darcy velocity of the pore fluid. The contact constraints arising from the requirement for continuity of the contact traction, as well as the fluid flow across the contact interface, are enforced using a penalty approach that is regularised with an augmented Lagrangian method. The contact formulation is based on a mortar segment‐to‐segment scheme that allows the interpolation functions of the contact elements to be of order N. The main thrust of this paper is therefore how to deal with contact interfaces in problems that involve both dynamics and consolidation and possibly large deformations of porous media. The numerical algorithm is first verified using several illustrative examples. This algorithm is then employed to solve a pipe‐seabed interaction problem, involving large deformations and dynamic effects, and the results of the analysis are also compared with those obtained using a node‐to‐segment contact algorithm. The results of this study indicate that the proposed method is able to solve the highly nonlinear problem of dynamic soil–structure interaction when coupled with pore water pressures and Darcy velocity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three-dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (3-D DDA) using a new contact resolution algorithm

This paper presents a new contact calculating algorithm for contacts between two polyhedra with planar boundaries in the three-dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (3-D DDA). In this algorithm, all six type contacts in 3-D (vertex-to-face, vertex-to-edge, vertex-to-vertex, face-to-face, edge-to-edge, and edge-to-face) are simply transformed into the form of point-to-face contacts. The presented algorithm is a simple and efficient method and it can be easily coded into a computer program. In this paper, formulations of normal contact, shear contact and frictional force submatrices based on the new method are derived and the algorithm has been programmed in VC⁺⁺. Examples are provided to demonstrate the new contact rule between two blocks.     

Variational inequality-based particle discontinuous deformation analysis

Orienting the circular and rigid particle medium, the variational inequality-based discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) is established. In the proposed DDA, the global stiffness matrix, the penalty parameters, and the open-close iteration are successfully avoided. The contact constraint is transferred into the problem of variational or quasi-variational inequalities. And explicit variational expression on the contact force is firstly established. To speed up the rate of solving contact force, on the basis of the two-stage prediction-correction method, we design a compatibility iteration algorithm (PPC-CI). The C++ code is developed in multicore environment through the open multi-processing (OpenMP) in order to take advantage of the parallelizable features of the new DDA. Numerical tests suggest that the presented DDA is effective and promising.     

三维离散块体边-边接触模拟

任意形状块体的接触模拟是发展三维不连续变形分析方法（3D-DDA）的关键问题。提出了三维离散块体单元的 边-边接触模型,并给出了边-边接触进入面的判定方法和嵌入准则。基于矢量分析和罚函数法,推导了接触子矩阵的表达式,算例分析结果表明了该模型的有效性。     

Boundary Element based Discontinuous Deformation Analysis

A Boundary Element based Discontinuous Deformation Analysis (BE‐DDA) method is developed by implementing the improved dual reciprocity boundary element method into the open close iterations based DDA. This newly developed BE‐DDA is capable of simulating both the deformation and movement of blocks in a blocky system. Based on geometry updating, it adopts an incremental dynamic formulation taking into consideration initial stresses and dealing with external concentrated and contact forces conveniently. The boundaries of each block in the discrete blocky system are discretized with boundary elements while the domain of each block is divided into internal cells only for the integration of the domain integral of the initial stress term. The contact forces among blocks are treated as concentrated forces and the open–close iterations are applied to ensure the computational accuracy of block interactions. In the current method, an implicit time integration scheme is adopted for numerical stability. Three examples are used to show the effectiveness of the algorithm in simulating block movement, sliding, deformation and interaction of blocks. At last, block toppling and tunnel stability examples are conducted to demonstrate that the BE‐DDA is applicable for simulation of blocky systems. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Recent insights into analytical precision and modelling of DDA and NMM for practical problems

This paper discussed the analytical precision on equations of motion in some practical studies that use 2-D DDA, 2D-Coupled analysis of NMM & DDA, and 3D-DDA. We point out the main reason for numerical instability in DDA is loss of the effective digits when superposing the global stiffness matrix under the variable conditions of large and the small blocks. Categories of analyses are distributed in 2D-DDA static masonry structures such as the Great Pyramid and the Pont du Gard, 2D-DDA dynamic rock fall problems and the sensitivity of its analysis on the velocity ratio and the penalty, earthquake response analysis of rock slopes, 2D-NMM, 2D-coupled analysis of DDA and NMM and 3D-DDA rock fall problem. The selected examples on the Great Pyramid, Pont du Gard and Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom are located in Egypt, France and Cambodia respectively as UNESCO world heritages sites. The authors evaluated the applicability of the methods and the reliability of the results by comparing different methods and site observations from the practical problems.     

数值流形方法框架下散体系统与连续介质共同作用模拟

数值流形方法是包含流形元、有限元及DDA在内的数值方法体系,建立流形元与DDA块体的接触方程,则可实现流形方法框架下的连续介质和散体系统共同作用模拟。针对填石路堤工程,编制了大型数值计算程序,采用块体随机生成、块体粒径控制及块体自然堆积的方法建立散体系统的DDA模型,对路堤的分层铺设、碾压及工后沉降变形等进行模拟分析。通过算例表明,在数值流形方法框架下,采用流形元与DDA共同作用的方法,可以很好地对同时存在连续变形和散体大变形的体系进行计算分析,其对该类问题的模拟更接近分析对象的实际情况,有助于从根本上揭示分析对象变形的细观机制和规律,并能考察更多因素对工程问题的影响。     

Sphere-boundary edge and sphere-boundary corner contacts model in DDA for simulating particulate media in 3-D

In modelling particulate media, such as soils, using 3-D DDA, there are four types of contacts: sphere to sphere, sphere to boundary face, sphere to boundary edge, and sphere to boundary corner contacts. The first two were studied by the authors in a previous work (Beyabanaki and Bagtzoglou 2012). In this paper, we present a new contact model for sphere-boundary edge and sphere-boundary corner contacts in sphere-based 3-D DDA. The model includes a new algorithm to search for contacts, detect the contact types and calculate contact points. Moreover, formulas for contact sub-matrices are derived. The proposed contact model has been implemented into a sphere-based 3-D DDA program and three test cases are studied in order to verify the workability of the new contact model. The numerical results obtained demonstrate the capability of the model to deal with sphere-boundary interaction in particulate media.     

The slope modeling method with GIS support for rockfall analysis using 3D DDA

Rockfall is the most frequent major hazard in mountainous areas. For hazard assessment and further countermeasure design, realistic and accurate prediction of rockfall trajectory is an important requirement. Thus, a modeling method to represent both geometrical parameters of slope and falling rock mass is required. This study, suggests taking the advantages of discontinues deformation analysis (DDA) and geographical information system (GIS). In this study, after developing a three dimensional (3D) DDA program, firstly a special element named contact face element (CFE) was introduced into 3D DDA; secondly, effectively modeling tools with GIS support were developed. The implementation of CFE also improves the efficiency of both the contact searching and solution process. Then a simple impact model was devised to compare the 3D DDA implemented directly with a sliding model with theoretical analysis to verify the reliability of the modified 3D DDA program and investigate the parameter settings. Finally, simulations concerning rock shapes and multi-rocks were carried out to show the applicable functions and advantages of the newly developed rockfall analysis code. It has been shown that the newly developed 3D DDA program with GIS support is applicable and effective.     

Discontinuous deformation analysis with second‐order finite element meshed block

The discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) with second‐order displacement functions was derived based on six‐node triangular mesh in order to satisfy the requirement for the accurate calculations in practical applications. The matrices of equilibrium equations for the second‐order DDA were given in detail for program coding. By close comparison with widely used finite element method and closed form solutions, the advantages of the modified DDA were illustrated. The program coding was carried out in C++ environment and the new code applied to three examples with known analytical solutions. A very good agreement was achieved between the analytical and numerical results produced by the modified DDA code. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.