A mesh deformation algorithm for free surface problems

Employing the simple iterative technique of adjusting the element positions using computed potentials to locate the free surface can lead to finite elements with large aspect ratios as the free surface drops towards the base of the mesh. In particular, free surface modelling of earth dams with base drains suffer from this problem. The paper suggests a number of steps which can be taken to alleviate mesh distortion problems and improve the numerical stability of the iterative finite element analysis. This leads to a mesh deformation algorithm which adjusts element widths in a simple fashion depending on the free surface height as the iterations proceed. The algorithm is specialized to the sloped earth dam problem, but may find application to other geometries. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of a hybrid polygonal finite element formulation for confined and unconfined seepage

This study presents a formulation for field problems using hybrid polygonal finite elements, taking steady state seepage through a porous material as the focus. We make comparisons with a conventional finite element formulation based on a single primary variable, focussing on the advantages of the hybrid formulation in terms of flux field accuracy and extension to convex polygonal shaped elements. For the unconfined case, we adopt a head dependent hydraulic conductivity that does not require remeshing. The performance of the hybrid polygonal element formulation is demonstrated through a series of numerical examples. The results show a sensitivity of the location of the free surface in unconfined seepage to mesh configuration for hybrid quadrilateral meshes with various aspect ratios, but not for hybrid polygonal meshes with various orientations and irregularity. Examination of the free surface location results for several conforming shape function options shows an insensitivity to choice of interpolation function, provided that it conforms with the assumptions in the formulation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

实现复频移完全匹配层吸收边界条件的递推卷积方法

完全匹配层吸收边界（PML）已经被证明是非常有效的边界吸收技术,对体波和面波的吸收都具有非常好的效果,已经被广泛应用于弹性波的数值模拟中。但是在某些情况下传统的PML技术还是存在一定的问题,比如对掠射情况下的体波和窄区域自由表面条件下的面波的吸收等等。在坐标变换中采用复频移拉伸函数的复频移PML可以有效地改善PML边界条件的吸收性能。基于弹性波一阶速度-应力方程,推导了复频移PML的递推卷积实现方法,并采用交错网格高阶有限差分法对其进行了数值模拟,与传统的PML进行了对比。结果表明：传统的PML对掠射情况下的体波和窄区域自由表面条件下的面波吸收不足,会产生虚假反射,影响真实波场;而基于递推卷积的复频移PML算法能够有效地改善困难情况下的吸收效果,并且在实现过程中不用分裂变量,应用更加方便简单。计算卷积时采用递推的形式,推导过程直观易懂,易于编程,而且不会增加计算量,存储量也没有太大的变化。     

改进的有自由面渗流问题的Bathe算法

建议了一个新的有自由面渗流问题的变分不等式提法,该提法通过将潜在出渗面上的边界条件提为Signorini型条件,从而从理论上消除了出渗点的奇性,解决了出渗点的定位问题。同时在离散求解时,通过引进依赖于网格参数的连续型Heaviside函数,克服了Bathe算法中所固有的网格依赖性,提高了这类方法的数值稳定性。     

杂交边界点法求解带自由面的渗流问题

将杂交边界点法与迭代法相结合,求解有自由面的渗流问题。杂交边界点法基于杂交位移变分原理和移动最小二乘近似,利用基本解插值域内的场函数,而边界上的变量则用移动最小二乘近似,是一种纯边界类型的无网格方法。利用该方法只需在边界上布点而不需要划分任何网格的特性,先假定自由面的初始位置,再进行迭代求解。数值算例表明,该方法精度较高、计算量较小,适合于求解各种具有自由面的渗流问题。     

结点虚流量法理论基础阐释及改进算法

含自由面的无压渗流问题本质上是一类非线性自由边值问题,固定网格的结点虚流量法在全域范围内不断扣除虚域流量贡献,从而使该问题得到求解。它具有网格依赖性小、出逸点收敛快等优点,但其内在理论基础尚未被完全揭示。通过引入互补型约束条件建立了结点虚流量法和Signorini型变分不等式提法的等价性桥梁,在此基础上引入过渡区放大系数 对自由面判别准则进行优化,并以砂槽模型试验为例进行验证。对比结果表明,优化后算法数值稳定性更好,计算结果与试验数据吻合度更高。研究成果为超大规模网格的渗控结构优化设计提供了有效分析手段。     

A finite volume approach with local adaptation scheme for the simulation of free surface flow in porous media

We present a method for solving steady‐state flow with a free surface in porous media. This method is based on a finite volume approach and is halfway between a fixed and an adaptive mesh method, taking advantage of both approaches: computational efficiency and localization accuracy. Most of the mesh remains fixed during the iterative process, while the cells in contact with the free surface (free surface cells) are being reshaped. Based on this idea, we developed two methods. In the first one, only the volumes of the free surface cells are adapted. In the second one, the computational nodes of the free surface cells are relocated exactly at the free surface. Both adaptations are designed for a better application of the free surface boundary conditions. Implementation details are given on a regular finite volume mesh for the case of homogeneous and heterogeneous rectangular dams in 2D and 3D. Accuracy and convergence properties of the proposed approach are demonstrated by comparison with an analytical solution and with existing references. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Upper bound limit analysis using linear finite elements and non‐linear programming

A new method for computing rigorous upper bounds on the limit loads for one‐, two‐ and three‐dimensional continua is described. The formulation is based on linear finite elements, permits kinematically admissible velocity discontinuities at all interelement boundaries, and furnishes a kinematically admissible velocity field by solving a non‐linear programming problem. In the latter, the objective function corresponds to the dissipated power (which is minimized) and the unknowns are subject to linear equality constraints as well as linear and non‐linear inequality constraints. Provided the yield surface is convex, the optimization problem generated by the upper bound method is also convex and can be solved efficiently by applying a two‐stage, quasi‐Newton scheme to the corresponding Kuhn–Tucker optimality conditions. A key advantage of this strategy is that its iteration count is largely independent of the mesh size. Since the formulation permits non‐linear constraints on the unknowns, no linearization of the yield surface is necessary and the modelling of three‐dimensional geometries presents no special difficulties. The utility of the proposed upper bound method is illustrated by applying it to a number of two‐ and three‐dimensional boundary value problems. For a variety of two‐dimensional cases, the new scheme is up to two orders of magnitude faster than an equivalent linear programming scheme which uses yield surface linearization. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Unconfined seepage analysis in earth dams using smoothed fixed grid finite element method

One major difficulty in seepage analyses is finding the position of phreatic surface which is unknown at the beginning of solution and must be determined in an iterative process. The objective of the present study is to develop a novel non‐boundary‐fitted mesh finite‐element method capable of solving the unconfined seepage problem in domains with arbitrary geometry and continuously varied permeability. A new non‐boundary‐fitted finite element method named as smoothed fixed grid finite element method (SFGFEM) is used to simplify the solution of variable domain problem of unconfined seepage. The gradient smoothing technique, in which the area integrals are transformed into the line integrals around edges of smoothing cells, is used to obtain the element matrices. The solution process starts with an initial guess for the unknown boundary and SFGFEM is used to approximate the field variable. The boundary shape is then modified to eventually satisfy nonlinear boundary condition in an iterative process. Some numerical examples are solved to evaluate the applicability of the proposed method and the results are compared with those available in the literature. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

三维稳定渗流的 p 型自适应有限元分析

建立了三维稳定渗流的p型自适应有限元分析的误差估计器。充分利用p型有限元前处理少、计算精度高和收敛速度快的优点，分析了p型有限元法求解渗流问题的技术特点，给出了求解三维稳定渗流的自适应升阶策略。通过具体算例，研究了单元阶次及网格尺度对计算结果的影响，验证了三维p型有限元法在求解渗流问题时的可行性。     

基于Ansys的渗流自由面计算方法

对渗流自由面计算的单元传导矩阵调整法进行了改进。在局部坐标系下,将单元离散为一系列面元（三维为体元）,根据面元或体元形心处的压力水头值来确定面元或体元的权系数,然后按加权平均确定单元的等效渗透系数,该方法既可以避免复合单元中自由面上下面积或体积的计算,面元或体元的离散密度也可以任意选择,简化了计算程序。通过预设的收敛参数来控制迭代过程,可避免相邻两次计算的渗透系数变化太大而难于收敛。以Ansys为开发平台,用APDL语言编写了相应的计算程序,扩展了Ansys的计算功能,为渗流自由面计算提供了新途径。算例表明：该方法的收敛性较好、计算精度较高,能满足工程需要。     

An improved search strategy for the critical slip surface using finite element stress fields

The finite element method can be used to advantage in slope stability problems. This paper proposes a technique to search for the critical slip surface as well as to define and calculate the factor of safety for the slope, when the finite element method is used to model its formation. First, stresses are estimated at each Gaussian point from the finite element analysis. Then, the global stress smoothing method is applied to get a continuous stress field. Based on this stress field, the factor of safety is calculated for a specified slip surface by a stress integration scheme. An improved search strategy is proposed for a noncircular critical surface which starts with a search method for a circular critical surface. During the search process, points defining a trial slip surface can freely move in the finite element mesh subject to some kinematical constraints. This method can be applied to both the limit equilibrium method and the finite element method. Effects of the slope stress history and soil parameters on the resulting critical surface are investigated.     

Modelling of membranes in the material point method with applications

The objective of this paper is to formulate and validate an accurate MPM approach for the numerical simulation of the large displacement of membranes containing soil. In the proposed approach, the membrane is discretised by a surface mesh that allows accurate simulation of membrane stresses. The membrane is free to move through a three‐dimensional grid for a continuum consisting of tetrahedral elements. The approach is applied to model a geocontainer being released from a split barge, taking into account the frictional contact between the geotextile and the barge. No‐slip contact is assumed between the geotextile and the soil inside. The effect of geocontainer interaction is investigated by dropping a second container. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A multiobjective steepest descent method with applications to optimal well control

Multiobjective optimization deals with mathematical optimization problems where two or more objective functions (cost functions) are to be optimized (maximized or minimized) simultaneously. In most cases of interest, the objective functions are in conflict, i.e., there does not exist a decision (design) vector (vector of optimization variables) at which every objective function takes on its optimal value. The solution of a multiobjective problem is commonly defined as a Pareto front, and any decision vector which maps to a point on the Pareto front is said to be Pareto optimal. We present an original derivation of an analytical expression for the steepest descent direction for multiobjective optimization for the case of two objectives. This leads to an algorithm which can be applied to obtain Pareto optimal points or, equivalently, points on the Pareto front when the problem is the minimization of two conflicting objectives. The method is in effect a generalization of the steepest descent algorithm for minimizing a single objective function. The steepest-descent multiobjective optimization algorithm is applied to obtain optimal well controls for two example problems where the two conflicting objectives are the maximization of the life-cycle (long-term) net-present-value (NPV) and the maximization of the short-term NPV. The results strongly suggest the multiobjective steepest-descent (MOSD) algorithm is more efficient than competing multiobjective optimization algorithms.     

边坡稳定分析的自适应性局部网格加密解法

常规的有限元强度折减法在确定边坡塑性区时,不能直观地反映出塑性区的形状和滑裂面位置,计算结果精度低。在塑性区范围内进行网格局部加密,不仅使安全系数的计算精度大幅度提高,而且可求出滑裂面的形状和位置。针对求解塑性区搜索滑裂面这一具体问题,提出塑性应变界限值网格加密准则,采用自适应性网格局部加密技术求解边坡的滑裂面和稳定安全系数。数值计算结果表明,所提出的加密准则能正确地确定滑裂面的形状和位置,计算所得稳定安全系数和理论稳定安全系数仅相差0.2 %。     

An automatic quadrilateral mesh generation algorithm applied to 2-D overland flow simulations

This paper presents an automatic quadrilateral mesh generation algorithm to provide 2-D meshes for simulating overland flow and transport problems in watershed systems. The conformal mapping method is studied deeply and specific treatment strategies are established according to the width of rivers and the area of other water storage zones. A conformity treatment method is proposed to deal with the incompatibility problems during discretizing the complex geometry with a plurality of sub-domains. This method ensures grid conformity through removing certain overlapped nodes and creating new appropriate nodes on common boundaries of the multi-domain mesh. Aiming at the undesired deviation of mesh boundaries from geometric contours, a relative position-percent interpolation method is proposed and a supplementary match method related to dead ends is presented. And, the double effects of projection and smooth for boundary nodes are achieved. An objective function method is proposed to locally optimize the degenerated quadrilaterals located on concave or large-curvature curves. In order to accommodate the need for overland simulations, the 1-D/2-D correspondence on river reaches, junctions with and without storage, ponds, lakes, dead ends and control structures is established. Finally, practical applications are provided to demonstrate the accuracy and reliability of the quadrilateral meshing algorithms proposed in this paper.     

An interactive global optimization algorithm for geological problems

A number of problems in geology can be formulated so that they consist of optimizing a real-valued function (termed the objective function) on some interval or over some region. Many methods are available for solution if the function is unimodal within the domain of interest. Direct methods, involving only function evaluations, are particularly useful in geological problems where the objective function may be strongly nonlinear and constructed from sampled data. In practical problems, the objective function often is not unimodal. Standard optimization routines are not capable of distinguishing between local extrema or of locating the global extremum, which is the point of interest in most cases. The usual approach—trying several different starting points in the hope that the best local extremum found is the global extremum—is inefficient and unreliable. An ancillary algorithm has been developed which avoids these problems and which couples with a variety of local optimization routines. The algorithm first constructs a grid of objective function values over some feasible region. The region dimensions and grid spacings are based on specific problem considerations. First differences are then calculated for successive points along each grid line and monitored in sign only, which rapidly locates extrema. User interaction determines how many of these extrema will undergo further investigation, which is carried out by passing locations to a local optimization subroutine. The algorithm has proved successful on a number of problems. A geological example—determination of benthic mixing parameters in deep-sea sediments via minimization of stratigraphic offset between ¹⁸ O signals from two different species of planktonic foraminifera—is given. FORTRAN code is provided for the global optimization routine, a golden section search subroutine for one-dimensional objective functions, and a simplex subroutine for multidimensional problems.     

正则化薄板样条函数拟合地层界面

地层界面几何形态形成的力学机理与数学上广泛应用的薄板样条形成的力学机理十分相似,都遵循板状体受力弯曲变形的力学机理。通过分析讨论曲面拟合的常用方法,以及这些方法对于稀疏不均匀离散地层界面的采样数据应用中的不足,提出用薄板样条曲面拟合构建地层界面的方法。介绍了薄板样条函数的基本原理,并引入正则化方法来解决因原始采样点分布不均匀而导致曲面拟合中发生“过冲”现象（在数据贫乏区域,产生陡坡的现象）以及原始采样点存在噪声的问题。最后以某页岩气勘探区水平钻井数据为例,用具有最优几何形态的等边三角形网格加密数据点的方式构建地层界面,采用正则化的薄板样条函数确定这些加密点,通过调节正则化参数的值,使拟合的地质界面在可视化效果和精度上都能满足要求。