Infinite elements for elastodynamics

An axisymmetric infinite element and a three-dimensional infinite element are developed to solve three-dimensional elastic wave propagation problems in unbounded media. The elements are capable of transmitting Rayleigh, shear and compressional waves in the frequency domain. A scheme to integrate numerically the characteristic matrices of the elements is formulated based upon Gauss—Laguerre quadrature. Finally, the axisymmetric infinite element is used to find the compliance functions of a rigid circular plate subjected to harmonic loading on a semi-infinite medium. By using infinite elements, the size of the near field may be kept small. Consequently, the system is characterized by relatively few degrees of freedom, thus providing the analyst with an inexpensive solution.     

Symmetric modes of vibration for A circular plate using finite dynamic elements

The dynamic element method has been shown previously to provide a computational advantage over the ordinary finite element method for various beam elements. The Taylor expansions are computed here for the dynamic shape functions (two terms) and dynamic stiffness matrix (four terms) for the axisymmetric vibrations of an annular plate element. The complicated matrices which result are made more tractable by expressing them as power series in powers of the aspect ratio. The percentage error in the natural frequencies is then calculated using both the two- and the three-term dynamic stiffness matrix, demonstrating the increased accuracy for a given number of elements.     

Dynamic finite element analysis of three-dimensional soil models with a transmitting element

A method for the dynamic finite element analysis of a non-axisymmetric soil model with an axisymmetric boundary is presented. In the non-axisymmetric soil domain an arbitrary discretization with three-dimensional isoparametric solid elements is used. At the boundary a transmitting element is arranged. It is based on the semi-analytical element of Waas and Kausel. The transformation of the stiffness matrix of the Waas/Kausel element with cyclic symmetric displacements to general displacement fields is presented. For earthquake excitation the forces acting on the discretized domain are given. The method is illustrated by the dynamic analysis of an embedded box-type building. The distribution and magnitude of significant section forces are discussed.     

A transmitting boundary for the dynamic finite element analysis of cross anisotropic soils

The problem of the transmitting boundary used in the dynamic finite element analysis of layered axisymmetric soil models with non-axisymmetric displacements is considered. Each layer is modelled as a homogeneous, viscoelastic cross anisotropic medium with a vertical axis of material symmetry.     

A positivity preserving method for simulation of steam injection for NAPL site remediation

Numerical modelling of steam injection methods for cleanup of non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) contamination of groundwater requires consideration of multiphase, multicomponent convective and dispersive transport. Standard techniques do not ensure that the solution of the discrete equations has positive mole fractions, for finite mesh sizes. Negative mole fractions may cause the simulation to abort due to failure of the Newton iteration. A method for alleviating this problem is described. This method ensures that the mole fractions are positive, and results in an error that is the same size as the usual finite element discretization error. Example computations are presented for cartesian and axisymmetric two-dimensional geometries.     

Earthquake analysis of axisymmetric towers partially submerged in water

A method for analysis of response of axisymmetric towers partly submerged in water to earthquake ground motion is presented. The tower is idealized as a finite element system. The hydrodynamic terms are determined by solving the Laplace equation, governing the dynamics of incompressible fluids, subject to appropriate boundary conditions. For cylindrical towers, these solutions are obtained as explicit mathematical solutions of the boundary value problems; whereas they are obtained by the finite element method in case of towers with non-cylindrical outside surface. The response to earthquake ground motion is determined by step-by-step integration of the equations of motion. Analyses of two actual intake towers are presented to illustrate results obtained by this method. The small computation times required for these analyses demonstrate that the method is very efficient. The effectiveness of this formulation lies in avoiding the analysis of a large system by using a substructure approach and in exploiting the important feature that structural response to earthquake ground motion is essentially contained in the first few modes of vibration of the tower with no surrounding water.     

软土地基连续强夯置换碎石墩的数值分析

根据土体损伤力学,考虑在冲击荷载作用下土体失效机制,建立了基于ABAQUS软件的连续强夯碎石墩形成过程的大变形非线性轴对称有限元方法。根据室内模型实验和数值模拟对比研究,考虑了每一次冲击荷载下土体失效区域大小对下一击碎石进入土体的影响,得到了每次强夯作用下碎石墩性状和土体变形过程,分析了主要影响因素如不同夯击能、垫层厚度以及锤径条件下夯击次数与碎石墩高度之间的关系。本文结果对强夯工程实践具有指导作用。     

Synthetic focusing and simulation of dual laterolog tool in axisymmetric subsurface models

The laterolog tools for electrical resistivity measurement are largely employed by the petroleum industry especially in boreholes filled with salt water-base mud. This work develops a synthetic focusing for many electrical tools, such as LLS, LLD and LL7. This is done by applying the principle of superposition to each normal arrangement. A finite element method (FEM) is used to simulate the tool response in axisymmetric subsurface models crossed vertically by the well with constant radius. Also, the logs are corrected for the borehole effects that are, in some cases, important. Despite the application of the synthetic focusing has been accomplished in two-dimensional models, it is possible to apply it in more complex simulations: three-dimensional models with deviated boreholes (or dipping beds) as well as anisotropic systems.     

Axisymmetric Modeling Using MODFLOW-USG

Axisymmetric groundwater models are used for simulating radially symmetric conditions. Groundwater simulators built specifically to model axisymmetric conditions are most commonly used for simulating aquifer tests. Although some numerical models capable of simulating flow and solute transport that are developed in the cartesian coordinate system framework offer flexibility to simulate axisymmetric conditions, most of the numerical groundwater models, such as the MODFLOW family of codes, are based on structured grids in which axisymmetric flows cannot be directly simulated. Researchers in the past have provided methods to manipulate aquifer properties to mimic axisymmetric conditions. This study presents a methodology that takes advantage of the unstructured grids of MODFLOW-USG to simulate axisymmetric models within the MODFLOW framework. To develop axisymmetric models, the intercell interface area arrays of MODFLOW-USG were calculated to accurately represent coaxial cylindrical model cells. Three examples are presented to demonstrate the application of MODFLOW-USG for axisymmetric modeling: a pumping well with delayed yield effects, a vadose zone flow model simulating an infiltration basin, and a density-dependent saltwater intrusion problem for a circular island. Results were verified against analytical solutions and published numerical codes.     

Axisymmetric soil–structure interaction by global–local finite elements

A version of the global–local finite element method is presented for studying dynamic steady-state soil–structure interaction wherein the soil medium extends to infinity. Herein, only axisymmetric behaviour is considered. In this approach, conventional finite elements are used to model the structure and some portion of the surrounding soil medium considered to be homogeneous and isotropic. A complete set of outgoing waves in the form of spherical harmonics for the entire space is used to represent the behaviour in the half-space beyond the finite element mesh and these are termed the global functions. Full traction and displacement continuity is enforced at the finite element mesh interface with the outer region. On the free surface of the half-space in the outer field, traction-free surface conditions are enforced by demanding that a sequence of integrals of the weighted-average tractions must vanish. Numerical examples are presented for the response of different shaped foundations, resting on the free surface or at various submerged levels, due to a normal seismic plane compressional wave. Plots of differential scattering cross-sections show the angular distribution of the energy (its directional nature) of the scattered field.     

Numerical simulation of gas venting for NAPL site remediation

A control volume, finite element method is used to discretize the three phase, three component equations for simulation of gas venting. The discrete equations are solved using full Newton iteration. Any combinations of phases can exist, and variable substitution is used to take into account phase appearance and disappearance. Some example computations are presented for two dimensional axisymmetric geometry. Several different scenarios for gas venting are examined. High rate air injection can be effective at removing NAPL both in the unsaturated and saturated zones. The numerical techniques can handle problems having node pore volume gas throughputs (in a timestep) of the order of 10⁶, which greatly exceeds the maximum stable explicit timestep size.     

Axisymmetric seismic response of a thick circular plate supporting many rods by modal synthesis

Dynamic response of a thick, horizontal, circular plate supporting a large number of slender rods subjected to uniform boundary motion in the vertical direction has been studied by synthesizing component modes of continuous substructures. The excitation considered corresponds to the vertical component of boundary movement produced by earthquake disturbances and the axisymmetric response problem was solved. Mindlin theory was used to formulate the component equations of the plate which is treated as the main component in a modal synthesis technique. The slender rods, which are attached vertically to the plate, are handled as branch components. Vibration modes of a classical thin plate were used as the initial displacement functions for the Mindlin plate. These functions were subsequently modified by a component mode improvement process to obtain plate modes. System modes were generated by combining the improved plate modes with component modes of rods. Numerical results for the natural frequencies and time-history response of the coupled system are compared with those given by a three-dimensional finite element method.     

A fundamental solution of a multilayered half-space due to an impulsive ring source

The fundamental solutions of axisymmetric elastodynamic problem for the multilayered half-space due to an impulsive ring source acting within a layered elastic media are derived in time domain with the aid of Laplace–Hankel mixed transform and transfer matrix techniques. In addition, an effective numerical procedure, which utilizes the fast Hankel transform algorithm, is also proposed to calculate these solutions. Illustrative examples have been given to demonstrate that the fundamental solutions can be readily evaluated and the numerical results are of high accuracy. The present solutions can be directly applied to determine the transient wave fields caused by a seismic source and show the potential application to the elastodynamic problems solved by the boundary element method.     

Effects of obstacles on Rayleigh wave dispersion obtained from the SASW test

This study investigates the effects of underground obstacles on a Rayleigh Wave dispersion curve obtained by spectral analysis of surface waves (SASW) testing. The SASW test is simulated by a transient response analysis of an axisymmetric finite element method. Both rigid obstacles and cavities with a variety of shapes and embedment depths are considered. Results show strong fluctuations in the dispersion curve obtained from the signals recorded by receivers in the vicinity of an obstacle. The fluctuations are primarily a result of wave reflections from the near and far faces of an obstacle. Results obtained from a finite element model are explained through a comparison with a simple theoretical model and experimental results are published. Fluctuations shown in the dispersion curve can result in misinterpretation of the shear wave velocity profile. Wherever obstacles are known to exist, an SASW test should be performed in a way that minimizes these effects. The parameters that will reduce or aggravate these effects were studied and are discussed.     

Linear stability analysis for the differentially heated rotating annulus

We use linear stability analysis to approximate the axisymmetric to nonaxisymmetric transition in the differentially heated rotating annulus. We study an accurate mathematical model that uses the Navier–Stokes equations in the Boussinesq approximation. The steady axisymmetric solution satisfies a two-dimensional partial differential boundary value problem. It is not possible to compute the solution analytically, and thus, numerical methods are used. The eigenvalues are also given by a two-dimensional partial differential problem, and are approximated using the matrix eigenvalue problem that results from discretizing the linear part of the appropriate equations.

A comparison is made with experimental results. It is shown that the predictions using linear stability analysis accurately reproduce many of the experimental observations. Of particular interest is that the analysis predicts cusping of the axisymmetric to nonaxisymmetric transition curve at wave number transitions, and the wave number maximum along the lower part of the axisymmetric to nonaxisymmetric transition curve is accurately determined. The correspondence between theoretical and experimental results validates the numerical approximations as well as the application of linear stability analysis.

A linear stability analysis is also performed with the effects of centrifugal buoyancy neglected. Along the lower part of the transition curve, the results are significantly qualitatively and quantitatively different than when the centrifugal effects are considered. In particular, the results indicate that the centrifugal buoyancy is the cause of the observation of a wave number maximum along the transition curve, and is the cause of a change in concavity of the transition curve.     

Modeling axisymmetric flow and transport

Unmodified versions of common computer programs such as MODFLOW, MT3DMS, and SEAWAT that use Cartesian geometry can accurately simulate axially symmetric ground water flow and solute transport. Axisymmetric flow and transport are simulated by adjusting several input parameters to account for the increase in flow area with radial distance from the injection or extraction well. Logarithmic weighting of interblock transmissivity, a standard option in MODFLOW, can be used for axisymmetric models to represent the linear change in hydraulic conductance within a single finite-difference cell. Results from three test problems (ground water extraction, an aquifer push-pull test, and upconing of saline water into an extraction well) show good agreement with analytical solutions or with results from other numerical models designed specifically to simulate the axisymmetric geometry. Axisymmetric models are not commonly used but can offer an efficient alternative to full three-dimensional models, provided the assumption of axial symmetry can be justified. For the upconing problem, the axisymmetric model was more than 1000 times faster than an equivalent three-dimensional model. Computational gains with the axisymmetric models may be useful for quickly determining appropriate levels of grid resolution for three-dimensional models and for estimating aquifer parameters from field tests.     

Dynamos with a flat α-effect distribution

Abstract

In order to obtain a better insight into the excitation conditions of magnetic fields in flat objects, such as galaxies, we have calculated critical dynamo numbers of different magnetic field modes for spherical dynamos with a flat α-effect distribution. A simple but realistic approximation formula for the rotation curve is employed. In most cases investigated a stationary quadrupole-type solution is preferred. This is a consequence of the flat distribution of the α-effect. Non-axisymmetric fields are in all cases harder to excite than axisymmetric ones. This seems to be the case particularly for flat objects in combination with a realistic rotation curve for galaxies. The question of whether non-axisymmetric (bisymmetric) fields, which are observed in some galaxies, can be explained as dynamos generated by an axisymmetric αω-effect is therefore still open.     

Interaction of an axisymmetric body with obliquely incident seismic waves by global local finite elements

Asymmetric steady-state structure-media interaction due to obliquely incident body waves is investigated via a version of the global local finite element method. In the present version, a local region that houses an axisymmetric structure is modelled by conventional finite elements, while the behaviour in the remaining portion of the homogeneous semi-infinite medium is presented by the spherical harmonics that are the eigensolutions of the entire space problem. The solution scheme involves (1) full displacement and traction continuity along the boundary between the local and the exterior regions and (2) satisfaction of the traction-free requirement on the surface of the half-space beyond the discretized region by virtue of a sequence of integral constraints of the non-zero weighted surface tractions of the spherical harmonics. The numerical results presented are for a perfectly bonded rigid circular foundation resting on the surface of the half-space and subjected to obliquely incident body waves. Dependence of the displacement response of the footing upon incident angles and dimensionless wave numbers is thoroughly studied.     

Finite element analysis of the seismic response of anchored and unanchored liquid storage tanks

The seismic response of liquid-filled cylindrical storage tanks has been investigated using finite element techniques implemented in the general purpose structural analysis computer code ANSYS. Both added mass concepts and displacement-based fluid finite elements were employed to allow for the effects of the liquid. Simplified response spectrum modal analyses of a tank making use of the axisymmetric harmonic displacement patterns of the principal modes of deformation were found to give accurate predictions of the tank behaviour with a rigidly anchored base. Time history analyses of three-dimensional finite element models of unanchored and flexibly anchored tanks, with gap conditions between the tank base and the supporting floor to allow lift-off of the base, indicated that stresses in the tank and resultant loads on the floor can be much greater than for a rigidly restrained tank. These results demonstrate the importance of carefully considering the restraint conditions when performing seismic design calculations on storage tanks.     

A search for axisymmetric dynamos

Some general theorems on the necessary level of symmetry in the velocity field of a kinematic dynamo have been proposed: the analytic difficulties of direct proofs of these appear insurmountable at present. Explicit axisymmetric counter-examples are here sought in an attempt to disprove one such general hypothesis numerically. The usual Bullard-Gellman technique, and a new time-dependent extension of it, are used. Despite extensive computation on a number of different models, no axisymmetric dynamo is found: possible reasons for this are discussed.