Commercial Finite Element Software Research Articles

A new model of electrosurgical tissue damage for neurosurgery simulation

BackgroundBipolar hemostasis electrocoagulation is a fundamental procedure in neurosurgery. A precise electrocoagulation model is essential to enable realistic visual feedback in virtual neurosurgical simulation. However, existing models lack an accurate description of the heat damage and irreversible tissue deformation caused by electrocoagulation, thus diminishing the visual realism. This work focuses on the electrocoagulation model for neurosurgery simulation. MethodIn this paper, a position-based dynamics (PBD) model with a bioheat transfer and damage prediction (BHTDP) method is developed for simulating the deformation of brain tissue caused by electrocoagulation. The presented BTHDP method uses the Arrhenius equation to predict thermal damage of brain tissue. A deformation model with energy and thermal damage constraints is developed to characterize soft tissue deformation during heat absorption before and after thermal injury. Visual effect of damaged brain tissue is re-rendered. ResultTo evaluate the accuracy of the proposed method, numerical simulations were conducted and compared with commercial finite element software. The maximum normalized error of the proposed model for predicting midpoint temperature is 10.3 % and the maximum error for predicting the thermal damage is 5.4 %. The contraction effects of heat-exposed anisotropic tissues are also simulated. The results indicate that the presented electrocoagulation model provides stable and realistic visual effects, making it applicable for simulating the electrocoagulation process in virtual neurosurgery.

Modeling time-dependent deformation in concrete: A fractional calculus method with finite element implementation

This study presents a novel numerical method to simulate the time-dependent behavior of concrete materials. The deformation response of both traditional and fractional calculus (FC) viscoelastic models is analyzed by the proposed method, in which models’ one-dimensional constitutive relationships are extended to the three-dimensional form. By applying numerical and finite difference methods based on Caputo-type fractional integration, the stress-strain behavior of the FC viscoelastic model is discretized over the time scale. This method exhibits broad application prospects, and can be employed to represent various forms of viscoelastic models. For the concrete material, suitable FC viscoelastic models are developed. To facilitate practical engineering applications of the proposed model, a numerical solution algorithm is implemented in the finite element (FE) analysis through the User-defined Material Mechanical Behavior (UMAT) interface of the commercial FE software ABAQUS. Finally, FE results are compared with the experimental results from several concrete creep tests. The consistency between the FE results and experimental data confirms the effectiveness of the proposed model in describing concrete behavior. The proposed method and model provide theoretical and numerical support for a more profound understanding and simulation of the time-dependent deformation of RC specimens in practical engineering applications.

Stacking sequence optimization of composite laminates for maximum fundamental frequency using Bayesian optimization computational framework

A computational framework combined with the commercial finite element software Abaqus and Bayesian optimization algorithm is proposed. The proposed computational framework leverages the Gaussian process based-probabilistic capability in Bayesian optimization as a surrogate model for minimizing the computational cost of objective function evaluations in the finite element analysis. The optimization problem in this work is to enhance the maximum fundamental frequency of the composite laminates, which is one of the critical parameters in the design for composite structures. The optimization of stacking sequence selection is investigated and validated by the results obtained from literatures. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed Bayesian optimization computational framework in maximizing the fundamental frequency of composite laminates are demonstrated by comparing the optimized results from different optimization techniques through a series of cases including the 8-layer rectangular plates with 11 different boundary conditions and the 10 to 20-layer trapezoidal plates with the same boundary condition. The proposed framework developed in this work has highly potential as an engineering tool to address a broader range of structural optimization in vibration problems.

Additive Manufacturing Process Simulation of Laser Powder Bed Fusion and Benchmarks

As the aerospace industry continues to adopt additively manufactured (AM) parts for flight hardware, process simulation becomes more attractive to improve the manufacturing process by understanding how process parameters affect part quality and performance. Process simulation can also be used to predict and prevent build failures before the printing process. The powder bed fusion process of Ti-6Al-4V material is modeled using commercial finite element software to simulate the selective laser melting process. The thermal history is obtained from transient heat transfer analysis. Both the inherent strain approach and a sequential thermal-mechanical approach are employed to predict residual stress and part distortion. A National Agency for Finite Element Methods and Standards (NAFEMS) benchmark problem is presented as a numerical example. It is a thin wall structure with geometry features that can lead to part defects due to thermal distortion. It is shown that both analysis approaches are able to capture the thin-member bridging behavior, stepping behavior, and general distortion contour plot as those published by NAFEMS.

A 3D finite strain constitutive model for shape memory polymers combined viscoelasticity and storage strain

A 3D finite strain constitutive model combined viscoelasticity and storage strain for shape memory polymers (SMPs) is proposed. SMPs are phenomenally regarded as a homogeneous material of the viscoelastic glassy phase and hyperelastic rubbery phase in this model. Based on energy decomposition, the constitutive equation is derived using Clausius inequality and unified Helmholtz free energy. Then, an analytical expression for storage strain is presented, significantly simplifying the prediction of shape memory recovery process. The model is implemented in MATLAB and the commercial finite element software package ABAQUS using the UMAT subroutine. Our additional DMA tests and experimental data from the literature for various SMPs with different shape structures are used to verify the proposed model. All simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model in predicting the shape memory effect and complex thermomechanical behaviors of various SMPs.

Analysis of APB in vertical wells with evaporite layers: A 1D axisymmetric multilayer thermomechanical model

Temperature increases and creep in saline rocks can cause annular pressure buildup (APB), presenting a significant challenge in oil well operations, particularly in deep and ultra-deep pre-salt fields. This paper proposes a one-dimensional axisymmetric multilayer thermomechanical model that accounts for the influence of evaporite layers and thermomechanical effects on APB. We developed a finite element model that integrates heat transfer and thermomechanical interactions, utilizing a double deformation mechanism as a constitutive model to represent the viscous behavior of the rock formation. Additionally, this model enables the iterative calculation of fluid properties based on temperature and pressure conditions. To validate the model, we conducted case studies using widely adopted commercial finite element software. Its consistent results provide a deeper understanding of the pressure increases caused by the influence of saline rock and thermal effects, offering valuable insights into the safe and efficient operation of oil wells using a model with reduced computational complexity.

GPU-accelerated approach for 2D fracture analysis of structures combining finite particle method and cohesive zone model

The fracture analysis of structures typically involves strong discontinuity and nonlinear behaviors, and it requires fine meshing and small time steps, making it time-consuming. This study proposes an approach accelerated by graphics processing units (GPU) for two-dimensional (2D) fracture analysis of structures combining finite particle method (FPM) and cohesive zone model (CZM). Specifically, the equations of motion of particles are presented, and the internal forces of planar triangular elements are derived based on FPM. Subsequently, the internal forces of four-particle cohesive element are derived to describe the CZM, and the linear elastic stage, softening stage, and failure stage are depicted according to the traction-separation criteria. An explicit GPU-based FPM analysis strategy for structural fracture analysis is then developed, and the parallel solvers for particles, triangular elements, and cohesive elements are implemented. A quasi-static fracture analysis of a concrete beam and a dynamic fracture analysis of the Kalthoff problem is conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The obtained crack propagation path, load vs. displacement curves, and crack propagation speed are in good agreement with the experimental results and the results in the literature. The efficiency of the proposed approach is also investigated. The achieved maximum speedup ratio of the GPU-accelerated approach to the central processing unit (CPU)-based approach reaches around 24, and the achieved speedup ratio relative to the commercial finite element software Abaqus/Explicit reaches around 11.5, demonstrating the computational efficiency of the proposed approach.

A Modular Nitinol Model with Lode Angle-Based Asymmetry and Improved Representation of the Superelastic Loops for Medical Device Applications

Abstract We describe a phenomenological constitutive model for representing Nitinol in medical device applications. The intent is to capture some of the response features important to medical device applications that are neglected in prevalent state of the art models. These features include better representation of the response under compression which is needed to assess bending, and asymmetric plastic yield. We will refer to this implementation as the Thornton Tomasetti (TT) model to distinguish it from other existing implementations that have evolved from the baseline underlying theory. We implement the model in a modular form suitable for use in commercial finite element software and describe initialization from laboratory test data.

Direct integration of measured viscoelastic relaxation data in time-domain finite element simulations

The current approach to modeling viscoelastic materials in most commercial finite element packages is based on the General Maxwell Model, which views these materials as combinations of spring and dashpot elements. However, the data can be incorporated more directly into a transient finite element study by direct interpolation of the relaxation function. This work explores a linear interpolation scheme to the inclusion of viscoelastic relaxation functions on an example problem. The results show several benefits over the General Maxwell Model for transient studies. Included in the analysis are displacement solutions utilizing both approaches, relaxation function error calculations for both approaches, and parametric runtime studies comparing speed of calculation. The variation in computational flop counts is considered and an argument is made for the preference of the proposed approach.

Thermal-magnetic coupling inhomogeneous temperature field analysis of cylindrical eddy current brakes

With the increasing requirements for safety and reliability, it is now necessary to analyze the thermal characteristics to the same extent as the electromagnetic design for eddy current brakes(ECB), because the working characteristic will be greatly influenced by temperature. In this paper, the transient thermal-magnetic coupling analysis of permanent magnet cylindrical eddy current brake, which is used as the recoil mechanism in artillery, is presented. First, the structure and working principle of this ECB are described in detail. Second, the analytical electromagnetic model is established by multilayer theory to derive the heat source of this ECB. Thirdly, the thermal-magnetic coupling model is established to calculate the dynamic inhomogeneous temperature field of the ECB. The heat conduction equation is solved in different regions with inhomogeneous internal heat source by Finite Difference method(FDM) in two-dimensional cylindrical coordinate. Finally, the validity of the proposed model is verified by commercial Finite Element software. The thermal characteristic and its effects on braking force is analyzed during working. The maximum value of temperature approximately rises by 16℃ in each firing. The braking force will decline by 8% considering temperature.

Incorporation of self-heating effect into a thermo-mechanical coupled constitutive modelling for elastomeric polyurethane

Elastomeric polyurethane (EPU) is characterised by distinctive mechanical properties, including high toughness, low glass transition temperature, and high impact resistance, that render it indispensable in diverse engineering applications from soft robotics to anti-collision devices. This study presents a thermo-mechanically coupled constitutive model for EPU, systematically incorporating hyperelasticity, viscoelasticity, thermal expansion, and self-heating effect in a thermodynamically consistent manner. Experimental data, obtained from previous studies, are then used for parameter identification and model validation, including iterative updates for temperature parameters considering the self-heating effect. Subsequently, the validated model is integrated into finite element codes, i.e., user subroutine to define a material’s mechanical behaviour (UMAT) based on the commercial finite element software ABAQUS, for the computation of three-dimensional stress-strain states, facilitating the analysis of the structural response to various mechanical loads and boundary conditions. The results obtained from simulations are compared with analytical solutions to confirm the precision of Finite Element Method (FEM) implementation. The self-heating effect is further analysed under different strain rates and temperatures. To validate the engineering significance of the FEM implementation, a plate with a hole structure is also simulated. In conclusion, this research provides a robust tool for engineers and researchers working with soft materials, enhancing their understanding and predictive capabilities, notably addressing the self-heating effect in thermo-mechanical behaviours.

Boundary element method for bending-extension coupling shear deformable laminated composite plates with multiple stiffeners

In general, the laminated composite plates and stiffeners may exhibit the bending-extension coupling effect with the transverse shear deformations significantly induced. In this paper, for the first time we develop the associated boundary element method (BEM) for bending-extension coupling shear deformable laminated composite plates with multiple beams attached as stiffeners. Based upon the first order shear deformation theory, the individual boundary integral equations (BIEs) for plates and stiffeners are obtained from their corresponding matrix-form basic equations. To account for perfect bonding conditions between plate and stiffeners, we establish displacement continuity and interaction load equilibrium relations at their interfaces. To calculate the domain integrals related to unknown interaction loads, we discretize each stiffener into a series of cells using quadratic interpolation. By collecting the individual BIEs for plates and stiffeners and employing the continuity and equilibrium relations at the interfaces, we construct the entire system of linear equations to solve for all the unknown nodal quantities. Additionally, the complete solutions at the plate boundary, at internal points or along a stiffener are provided. The correctness of our present BEM formulation is verified through two representative examples by comparison with the commercial finite element software ANSYS. The numerical results demonstrate that our BEM formulation surpasses the conventional finite element method and is highly desirable for general stiffened laminated plates with bending-extension coupling and transverse shear deformations.

A generalization of B-differentiable equations method for elastoplastic contact problems with dual mortar discretization

In this study, a novel method based on the B-differentiable equations (BDEs) is proposed to solve the three-dimensional (3D) static and dynamic elastoplastic contact problems with friction. The contact conditions are formulated as the BDEs system, which can precisely satisfy Coulomb’s law of friction. Based on the mortar segment-to-segment contact model, the contact constraints are enforced by dual Lagrange multipliers for nonconforming meshes of the contact boundary. The non-smooth and nonlinear system equations composed of equilibrium and contact equations are simultaneously solved by the B-differentiable damping Newton method (BDNM), which has global convergence property. In each iteration, firstly, some contact displacements and contact forces, called substituted contact variables, are expressed by others according to the different contact states and contact conditions. The equilibrium equation is then solved, where the stiffness matrix is updated by substituting the contact variables. At last, the substituted contact variables will be restored. In the proposed method, the contact flexibility matrix is no longer needed, which saves the time for calculating the contact flexibility matrix due to changes in the stiffness matrix resulting from the update of stresses in the iteration step. By comparing with the results obtained by finite element commercial software ANSYS, the accuracy of the proposed algorithm is verified, and the property of convergence and efficiency are demonstrated for the elastoplastic contact problems by several numerical examples.

Influence of Fire-Flame Temperature and Duration on the Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Construction Joints

Structural members' durability and strength depend on the member’s fire resistance. This study simulates the structural response of a reinforced concrete beam with a construction joint exposed to fire. The commercial finite element software ABAQUS was used to validate the laboratory findings. The testing program tested five reinforced concrete beams with the dimensions of (200x300x2700 mm), having identical reinforcing details and a concrete compressive strength (fc'=35 MPa). These beams had a 45° angled connection at the center. Four beams were exposed to fire flames at two temperature levels (600 °C and 800 °C) and for 1.0 and 2.0 hr. periods, respectively. The fifth beam is the control beam that was not exposed to fire. Laboratory results show that the worst exposure on the beam’s construction joint was at 800 °C with an exposure period of 2 hrs. This exposure reduces the bond between the joint’s two surfaces, creating a slipping effect in which disconnection occurs after loading. After 1 and 2 hours of exposure to fire at 600 °C, the residual flexural strength was 85% and 72% of that of the control beam, respectively. Whereas, beams exposed to fire for 1 and 2 hours at 800 °C showed flexural strengths lower than the control beam at 41% and 28%, respectively. Regarding the modulus of elasticity and compressive strength, they both showed residual values of (63.5, 59.2, 50.9, and 47%), and (28, 25, 19, and 16%), respectively.

Member capacity of cold-rolled aluminium alloy channel columns – Part II: Numerical investigation and design

The paper first presents the development of detailed finite element (FE) models for investigating the member capacity of cold-rolled aluminium alloy 5052-36 channel columns. The numerical non-linear FE models are developed using the commercial FE software package ABAQUS to simulate laboratory experiments and calibrated against the test results. The experimental program was performed by the authors at the University of Sydney and the detailed test results are fully described in a companion paper. The calibrated numerical FE models with actual mechanical properties and measured geometric imperfections in analyses accurately predict the experimental results and behaviours, including flexural and flexural-torsional buckling as well as local-global interaction buckling failure modes. A parametric study is subsequently performed to extend the data range by varying cross-section dimensions and member lengths. The effects of loading eccentricity positions and initial geometric imperfections are also considered in the parametric study. The experimental and numerical results are compared with design strength predictions from current Australian/New Zealand, American and European specifications for aluminium structures in the companion paper. In this paper, the Direct Strength Method (DSM) for the design of compression members as per the Australian/New Zealand standard AS/NZS 4600 for cold-formed steel structures is adopted for comparison. The DSM design rules for cold-formed steel compression members are found to provide more accurate predictions than those of current specifications for aluminium structures and therefore used to propose improved design equations for cold-rolled aluminium alloy columns. Finally, a reliability analysis is performed to evaluate the safety level of current design specifications and the proposed design rules.

Simulation of Preload Relaxation of Bolted Joint Structures under Transverse Loading

In this study, based on the Iwan model, the connection interface of the bolted joint structure subjected to lateral loads was simulated and comparatively analyzed. Commercial finite element software was used to model the bolted joint structure. Monotonic lateral loads and cyclic displacement loads were applied to the model. The changes in the preload force of the bolted connection structure, as well as the changes in the sticking zone and stress state of the connection interface, were analyzed, and the loading results of monotonic load and cyclic displacement load were compared. The results show that the contact interface stress decreases with the increase in displacement load, and this increase is also a nonlinear relationship, which is approximately in phase with the trend of the contact surface slip curve. The amount of contact surface stress loss and the amount of preload loss are not directly related to the magnitude of the initial preload, regardless of the loading conditions. The contact surface is also circular under any form of displacement loading, whether it is stressed or slipped. The amount of preload loss is proportional to the amount of bolt compression for that variable.

Investigations on the Johnson-Cook Constitutive and Damage-Fracture Model Parameters of a Q345C Steel

Due to the rapid development of high-speed trains, the service safety of vehicle body materials and structures has become a focal point in transport and impact engineering. Numerical simulations on the collision resistance of vehicle materials and structures are crucial for the safety assessment and optimal structural design of high-speed trains but have not been fully investigated due to the lack of damage model parameters. This study focuses on the Johnson-Cook (J-C) constitutive and damage-fracture models of a typical vehicle material, Q345C steel. A series of mechanical tests are conducted on the Q345C steel, including the quasi-static and dynamic compression/tension tests, quasi-static tension tests at different temperatures, and fracture tests along different stress paths, using the material test system and the split Hopkinson pressure/tension bar. Then, the parameters of the Johnson-Cook constitutive and damage-fracture models are calibrated based on the experimental results. In terms of the damage parameters related to stress paths, a new method of combining experiments and simulations is proposed to obtain the real, local fracture strains of the Q345C steel samples. This method allows the measurements of equivalent plastic strain and stress triaxiality histories under nonlinear stress paths, which are hardly accessible from individual experiments, and facilitates the accurate calibration of stress-path-related damage parameters. In addition, a high-speed plate penetration test is used to validate the J-C parameters, which can be directly implemented in the commercial finite element software Abaqus. The projectile trajectories from the simulation and experiment agree well with each other, demonstrating the reliability of the model parameters for impact scenarios and the efficiency of the experimental procedures utilized for calibration.

A thermodynamically consistent phase field model for brittle fracture in graded coatings under thermo-mechanical loading

This paper presents a thermodynamically consistent phase field formulation designed for investigating quasi-static brittle fracture under thermo-mechanical loading conditions in functionally graded materials. The governing equations for linear momentum and crack evolution are derived by minimizing the free energy functional, which includes elastic strain energy and surface energy, with respect to displacement field and the phase field variable, respectively. A thermodynamically consistent formulation is employed to establish the governing equation for heat conduction. The proposed formulation is converted into a set of finite element equations using the Ritz method and implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics, a commercial finite element software which allows for writing governing equations in their strong form. A segregated solver is utilized to solve iteratively the coupled problem. The proposed model is verified against existing mechanical and thermo-mechanical phase field models, demonstrating good agreement with the literature. To explore the model’s capabilities, a graded layer composed of Zirconia and a Titanium alloy with a surface crack undergoing thermo-mechanical loading is considered as a case study for this investigation. Additionally, the model incorporates a thermal conductivity degradation proposed. A parametric study is performed to investigate the effect of varying parameters like volume fraction, thermal loading rate, and the thermal conductivity degradation on the load–displacement curve of the graded layer. These findings contribute to the understanding of thermo-mechanical behavior of surface graded layers and serve as a foundation for addressing more complex thermo-mechanical problems.

Dynamic characteristics testing and modeling in electromagnetic-thermal-force coupling of electromagnetic devices using parallel finite element simulation

Electromagnetic systems of Electromagnetic devices involve multiphysics coupling of electromagnetic fields, electrical circuits, mechanical motion, and temperature fields. When the digital prototype model has a large number of meshes, the commercial finite element software also has the disadvantage of long computation time in the simulation of dynamic characteristics of electrical apparatus. This paper proposes a transmission line method (TLM) based digital modeling method for the electromagnetic-thermal-force coupling to test and evaluate the static and dynamic characteristics of electromagnetic devices more accurately and efficiently. The case study is developed on a direct current (DC) contactor, and the dynamic characteristics testing and modeling in the electromagnetic-thermal-force coupling of the contactor are investigated. The numerical results of the finite element method (FEM) model for the electromagnetic system of the contactor are compared with the commercial FEM software Altair Flux and the experimental results, which demonstrate the exceptional accuracy of the proposed digital modeling method for the multiphysics coupling of the DC contactor. Meanwhile, the dynamic characteristics of the DC contactor at different ambient temperatures are measured and evaluated, and the comparison with the experimental measurements shows the applicability of the proposed digital prototype model at different ambient temperatures. Compared with the conventional Newton-Raphson (NR) iteration, when dividing fine mesh and extremely fine mesh, the TLM parallel computing significantly improves the efficiency of solving the dynamic characteristics of multiphysics coupling by about 35 % and 44 % with the same computational accuracy, respectively. The dynamic characteristics evaluation method combined with digital modeling technology and experimental measurements proposed in this paper demonstrates high accuracy and solving efficiency, making a notable contribution to the field of design and optimization of electromagnetic devices.

Parametric study for model calibration of a friction-damped turbine blade with multiple test data

Model updating using multiple test data is usually a challenging task for frictional structures. The difficulty arises from the limitations of nonlinear models which often overlook the uncertainties inherent in contact interfaces and in actual test conditions. In this paper, we present a parametric study for the model calibration process of a friction-damped turbine blade, addressing the experimentally measured response variability in computational simulations. On the experimental side, a recently developed test setup imitating a turbomachinery application with mid-span dampers is used. This setup allows measuring multiple responses and contact forces under nominally identical macroscale conditions. On the computational side, the same system is modeled in a commercial finite element software, and nonlinear vibration analyses are performed with a specifically developed in-house code. In numerical simulations, the multivalued nature of Coulomb’s law, which stems from the inherent variability range of static friction forces in permanently sticking contacts, is considered to be the main uncertainty. As the system undergoes vibration, this uncertainty propagates into the dynamic behavior, particularly under conditions of partial slip in contacts, thus resulting in response variability. A deterministic approach based on an optimization algorithm is pursued to predict the limits of the variability range. The model is iteratively calibrated to investigate the sensitivity of response limits to contact parameters and assembly misalignment. Through several iterations, we demonstrate how uncertain initial contact conditions can be numerically incorporated into dynamic analyses of friction-damped turbine blades. The results show a satisfactory level of accuracy between experiments and computational simulations. This work offers valuable insights for understanding what influences test rig response and provides practical solutions for numerical simulations to improve agreement with experimental results.