Mass Conservation Research Articles

A landslide runout model for sediment transport, landscape evolution, and hazard assessment applications

Abstract. We developed a new rule-based, cellular-automaton algorithm for predicting the hazard extent, sediment transport, and topographic change associated with the runout of a landslide. This algorithm, which we call MassWastingRunout (MWR), is coded in Python and implemented as a component for the package Landlab. MWR combines the functionality of simple runout algorithms used in landscape evolution and watershed sediment yield models with the predictive detail typical of runout models used for landslide inundation hazard mapping. An initial digital elevation model (DEM), a regolith depth map, and the location polygon of the landslide source area are the only inputs required to run MWR to model the entire runout process. Runout relies on the principle of mass conservation and a set of topographic rules and empirical formulas that govern erosion and deposition. For the purpose of facilitating rapid calibration to a site, MWR includes a calibration utility that uses an adaptive Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm to automatically calibrate the model to match observed runout extent, deposition, and erosion. Additionally, the calibration utility produces empirical probability density functions of each calibration parameter that can be used to inform probabilistic implementation of MWR. Here we use a series of synthetic terrains to demonstrate basic model response to topographic convergence and slope, test calibrated model performance relative to several observed landslides, and briefly demonstrate how MWR can be used to develop a probabilistic runout hazard map. A calibrated runout model may allow for region-specific and more insightful predictions of landslide impact on landscape morphology and watershed-scale sediment dynamics and should be further investigated in future modeling studies.

The Impact of Flow-Thermal Characteristics in Ship-Board Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a clean and reliable energy vector for decarbonization in the future. In the marine sector, marine solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) that employ hydrogen as an energy source have already been developed. In this study, a multi-channel plate-anode-loaded SOFC was taken as the research object. A three-dimensional steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for anode-supported SOFC was established, which is based on the mass conservation, energy conservation, momentum conservation, electrochemical reactions, and charge transport equations, including detailed geometric shapes, model boundary condition settings, and the numerical methods employed. The polarization curves calculated from the numerical simulation were compared with experimental results from the literature to verify the model’s accuracy. The curved model was applied by enlarging the flow channels or adding blocks. Numerical calculations were employed to obtain the current density, temperature distribution, and component concentration distribution under the operating conditions of the SOFC. Subsequently, the distribution patterns of various physical parameters during the SOFC operation were analyzed. Compared to the classical model, the temperature of the curved model was reduced by 1.3%, and the velocities of the cathode and anode were increased by 4.9% and 5.0%, respectively, with a 2.42% enhancement in performance. The findings of this study provide robust support for research into and the application of marine SOFCs, and offer they insights into how we may achieving “dual carbon” goals.

Numerical Investigation of Wind Turbine Airfoil Icing and Its Influencing Factors under Mixed-Phase Conditions

Icing is a popular research area in wind energy, and the icing problem of the supercooled droplet–ice crystal mixed-phase condition is one of the new challenges. A numerical method for analyzing the icing characteristics of wind turbine airfoil under mixed-phase conditions is presented. The control equations for the dynamics of supercooled droplets and ice crystals are formulated using the Lagrangian method. Equations for the conservation of mass and energy during the icing process involving supercooled droplets and ice crystals are constructed. The impact of erosion phenomena on the mixed-phase icing process is examined, and methodologies for solving the control equations are introduced. The numerical method is utilized for modeling mixed-phase icing under a range of conditions. The results of these simulations are then compared with data obtained from icing wind tunnel tests to assess the validity of the method. The influence of various mixed-phase conditions on ice shapes is studied. It is found that higher icing temperatures correspond to a larger icing range and amount. The increase in supercooled droplet content, ice crystal content, and ice crystal diameter all contribute to enhanced ice accretion. However, the effects of ice crystal content and diameter are relatively minor.

Study of perforated well productivity by a multi-scale coupling flow model with Darcy-brinkman-Navier/Stokes

The study of oil and gas flow patterns after perforation completion is essential for well productivity prediction and solutions optimization. Due to the multi-scale flow characteristics of production fluids after perforation completion, we have developed a multi-scale coupled flow model incorporating Darcy, Brinkman, and Navier/Stokes equations based on mass conservation and pressure equilibrium principles. The oil and gas flow after perforation completion is simulated, and the multi-scale coupled model is solved by numerical methods, revealing the flow law of oil and gas in the multi-scale space formed by perforation. Additionally, sensitivity analysis on factors influencing perforation completion productivity was conducted. Results indicate that the most influential parameters on well productivity, in descending order, are: blocking perforation permeability > perforation diameter > perforation density > perforation depth > perforation phase > crushed zone thickness. The selection of appropriate internal flow models for perforations is critical for accurate well productivity estimation. Given the significant impact of perforation permeability on completion productivity, measures should be taken to prevent perforation blockage during production, and clear blockages promptly upon detection. This research provides a theoretical foundation for rational selection of perforation methods, gun bullets, perforation parameters, and completion techniques.

Prediction of wellbore gas hydrate generation based on temperature-pressure coupling model in deepwater testing

With the advancement of oil and gas exploration and development technology, the development of the world's oil and gas resources is gradually advancing from land and shallow waters to deep waters. During the development of gas wells in deepwater regions, the temperature of the wellbore decreases from the bottom of the well to the wellhead, and therefore, common well conditions of high pressure, low temperature, and the presence of free water are encountered, which can lead to gas hydrate plugging of the pipeline and affect the transportation of natural gas. Simulation of temperature and pressure along the wellbore and identification of gas hydrate-generating zones in the wellbore can be used to take timely preventive measures and minimize losses. In this study, a wellbore gas hydrate generation and prediction model is developed by combining the mass, momentum, and energy conservation equations, and the model is solved by the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method, taking into account the temperature-pressure coupling in the wellbore. The effects of gas production, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, tubing size, test duration, and ground temperature gradient on the location of gas hydrate generation and the amount of inhibitor used were analyzed in a case study well in the South China Sea. Some suggestions for practical engineering operations, such as increasing the gas production in moderation and choosing smaller tubing sizes within the acceptable range, were given. The study's results can provide a theoretical basis for flow assurance for hydrocarbon production in the wellbore of deepwater gas wells.

A three-dimensional curve interface reconstruction algorithm for two-phase fluid flow

The curve interface reconstruction algorithm has received significant attention in the context of two-dimensional two-phase flow. However, it remains absent in the three-dimensional scenario. This paper proposes a novel three-dimensional curve interface reconstruction (CIR) algorithm to address this challenge within structured meshes for the first time. Specifically, a portion of the spherical surface is employed to reconstruct the three-dimensional curve interface segment, with the radius and center coordinates determined by curvature and mass conservation constraints, respectively. To enhance curvature accuracy, a sphere-based iterative reconstruction (SIR) algorithm is proposed to calculate the reconstructed distance function (RDF) for the three-dimensional curve interface. Various tests involving the interface reconstruction of spherical, ellipsoidal, and cubic objects demonstrate that the coupled SIR and CIR (SIR-CIR, simplified by SCIR) method achieves higher accuracy than many popular methods, particularly with coarse mesh resolutions. Additionally, the SCIR method offers the advantages of straightforward implementation and coding for interface reconstruction in two-phase flow research. This advantage results in reduced computational costs compared to the coupled volume-of-fluid and level set (VOSET) method, which also utilizes an iterative method to solve RDF.

Acoustic metamaterials of double-layer structure for sound insulation

Insulation against air-borne sound is one of the earliest research fields of acoustic metamaterials. The sound insulation of the conventional sound insulation structure is generally limited by the law of mass. When the density of the structural surface is doubled, the low-frequency sound insulation is only increased by 6dB.In our report, we introduce a double-layer resonator-type acoustic metamaterial, which consists of two honeycomb sandwich panels, two perforated panels, and a thin air layer. Firstly, for two singer -layer resonator-type acoustic metamaterial, different sound absorption frequency points were designed. Secondly, a calculation model of sound insulation metamaterial with double-layer resonator type is established. The results show that the sound insulation performance of the structure greatly breaks through the law of mass in the frequency range of 165Hz-3150Hz. Finally, for the application requirements of the manufacturer, the compartment wall components and composite sound insulation door core components are designed. The reasonable design of Double-layer resonator-based honeycomb metamaterial structural parameters can solve the problem of low-frequency noise of thin-layer lightweight structure.

Introduction of oblique plane waves through a forcing source term in Euler equations

The propagation of shock waves generated by a transonic flow at the tip of a propeller blade is numerically calculated in order to determine the pressure footprint on an aircraft fuselage. An academic case is first proposed to validate the methodology. An incoming signal is built up as oblique harmonic plane waves. The signal is introduced in the computational domain using a Gaussian volume forcing term in the conservation of mass and energy equations. The Euler equations are solved in two dimensions using finite-difference schemes with low dispersion and dissipation. Selective filtering has also been integrated in the algorithm to remove grid-to-grid oscillations. The numerical solution is compared to an analytical solution based on the tailored Green function. An illustration for a realistic open rotor is then considered. The pressure signal near the blade tip, determined from a preliminary RANS simulation, is introduced using a volume source in a solver of the Euler equations.

A staggered Lagrangian magnetohydrodynamics method based on subcell Riemann solver

This paper uses a general formalism to derive staggered Lagrangian method for 2D compressible magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) flows. A subcell method is introduced to discretize the MHD system and some Riemann problems over subcells are solved at the cell center and grid node respectively. In these solvers, only the fast-waves in all jumping relations are considered and thus the solution structure is simple. The discrete conservations of mass, momentum and energy are preserved naturally in the proposed numerical method. In order to meet the thermodynamic Gibbs relation in isentropic flows, an adaptive Riemann solver is implemented at the cell center, in which a criterion is proposed to reduce overheating errors in the rarefying problems and maintains the excellent shock-capturing ability simultaneously. It is worth to be noticed that the divergence-free condition is naturally satisfied in the Lagrangian method. Various numerical tests are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of the algorithm.

Computation of the sound transmission loss of heterogeneous periodic structure using the wave finite element-based methodology

In the present study, a Wave Finite Element-based method is introduced to estimate the Sound Transmission Loss (STL) of periodic structures with contrasting properties. This method addresses the precision and computational speed limitations of existing methodologies. It calculates the wave STL by applying a plane wave excitation from the ambient medium to a Unit Cell (UC), which is representative of the periodic structure. The STL under Diffuse Acoustic Field (DAF) is then computed by integrating the wave STL over all possible incidence angle ranges. The advantages of this methodology are demonstrated through various configurations, ranging from simple plates to complex laminated structures. Additionally, the study investigates the Mass Law of STL.

A vibroacoustic model for low-frequency sound transmission loss in circular membranes with added strip mass

Noise control strategies involve physical barriers in the transmission path. Conventional barriers conform to the mass law which states an inverse relation between sound transmission, barrier mass, and incident frequency. Practical scenarios for low-frequency noise attenuation require prohibitively thick barriers making them infeasible. Mass-loaded membranes exhibit marked differences in their dynamic nature from that of bare membranes as they do not necessarily conform to the mass law. Being thin, compact, and lightweight makes them geometrically ideal for most applications. The paper presents an analytical model based on the Newtonian approach for the vibroacoustic behavior of a pre-stretched elastic circular membrane with rigidly attached strip mass under normal incidence. The point collocation approach distributes the effect of the strip mass on the membrane as a collection of discretized concentrated loads along the interfacial boundary resulting in a summation that is easier to solve. The peak and dip frequencies of sound transmission are determined for circular membranes with eccentric and central strip mass. The present study evaluates strip mass-loaded membranes' capability to attenuate noise at low frequencies as an unconventional physical barrier.

A sub-wavelength metamaterial layer for reducing underwater noise radiation of marine structures

Reducing the underwater noise radiated by marine structures is a critical issue for improving submarine stealth or limiting the anthropogenic impact of commercial ships. In this study, we propose a lightweight passive solution based on a metamaterial to efficiently reduce the noise at low frequency (< 1000 Hz) that can be transmitted through the shell plating of a marine vessel. This solution is made of a soft acoustically impervious poro-elastic foam in which inclusions are periodically positioned. Added to a plate, this metamaterial outperforms the mass law in the sub-wavelength domain when separating two air domains. This performance is due to the periodic arrangement of inclusions in the foam, creating a vibro-acoustic bandgap. The aim of this study is therefore to assess this solution where the domain of the transmitted acoustic wave is water. Firstly, numerical results on an unbounded plate are validated alongside the theoretical model of a flexible partition. When the metamaterial layer is added to the plate, it is shown that a vibro-acoustic bandgap still exists in the transmitted wavenumber domain, and that this solution is a good candidate for achieving the objectives. Experimental measurements on a finite structure are then conducted and compared to numerical results

Thermo-economic investigation and comparative multi-objective optimization of dual-pressure evaporation ORC using binary zeotropic mixtures as working fluids for geothermal energy application

This contribution performs an energy, exergy, and exergoeconomic (3E) analysis of a dual-pressure evaporation organic Rankine cycle system employing twenty different binary zeotropic mixtures as working fluids for power production from a geothermal field. To this end, the designed system is modeled, invoking the mass and energy conservation laws and the exergy and cost balance analyses. Specific Exergy Costing (SPECO) procedure is utilized to provide practical insights into the exergoeconomic aspect of the system. Comparative optimization based on the multi-objective genetic algorithm is accomplished for each mixture in order to simultaneously maximize the exergy efficiency and minimize the total cost rate using the design variables of pressure factor in low-pressure and high-pressure stages, mixture fraction, pinch point temperature differences in low-pressure and high-pressure heat exchangers, and degree of superheat in the high-pressure heat exchanger. In this regard, the Pareto frontiers are drawn for the system with all twenty different binary zeotropic mixtures. The optimal point for each mixture is obtained via the decision-making technique of LINMAP. Subsequently, the LINMAP is re-utilized to find the preferred mixture. The optimization results suggest the R123/C2Butene (96.89/3.11) mixture for this system as the optimum working fluid, considering a trade-off between a low-cost rate of $88.0651 per hr and a high exergy efficiency of 64.07 %. Finally, the exergy flow diagram is plotted to provide the exergy flow rate and the amount of exergy destruction in each segment of the system considering the optimal working fluid. In the proposed system, exergy destruction chiefly occurs within the low-pressure preheater with a value of 1061 kW, followed by the low-pressure turbine and condenser with magnitudes of about 669 kW and 266 kW, respectively.

Heat Transfer Flow of Ternary Hybrid Nanofluid (Al2o3-Zro2-Mgo) Over A Sinusoidal Wavy Surface

This study examines how the hybrid nanofluid over a vertically wavy surface enhances heat transmission. The flow through a porous media is investigated using Darcy law. The sine wave characterizes the non-uniform behaviour of the vertical wall. The governing equations1 for the conservation of mass, momentum in the x and y directions, and energy are obtained. With the help of the proper transformations, they are non-dimensionalized. The PDE is converted to an ODE using the Similarity transformation. The resulting ODEs are solved using the spectral collocation method, and the results are shown together with several nanoparticle thermos-physical parameters.

Characterizing the evolution of the Daguangbao landslide nearly 15 years after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake by InSAR observations

The Daguangbao landslide (DGBL), the largest landslide triggered by the 2008 Ms 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, has received much attention, but its long-term post-earthquake evolution and driving force of activity are still poorly understood. As the evolutionary behavior of the DGBL is complicated by the influence of mainshock, aftershocks and rainfall, it is of great significance to study the dynamics of the landslide. In this study, a systematic and comprehensive framework for assessing the long-term stability and risk of co-seismic landslides was proposed. Based on ALOS-1 and Sentinel-1 data, time-series InSAR technology was used to reveal the nearly 15-year post-seismic evolution characteristics of the DGBL at different stages, followed by the prediction of the stabilization time, the estimation of the landslide thickness and risk assessment. The first stage was identified as three years after the earthquake (2008–2011). During this stage, ALOS-1 results show that the deformation of DGBL was intense (300 mm/year) with uneven spatial distribution, and an aftershock (Ms 5.3), along with increased rainfall, triggered its acceleration in 2009. The second stage was the period from 2014 to 2022. For this stage, we used the mass conservation approach to invert the thickness of the DGBL, revealing that a new sliding surface and thickness center had formed following the co-seismic failure in 2008. Sentinel-1 time series results indicated that the DGBL remains active even 15 years after the Wenchuan earthquake, but the deformation of DGBL has significantly slowed down (50 mm/year). The stabilization time for different segments of DGBL was predicted to range from 2027 to 2040 according to an exponential model. Beyond the overall trend of recovery, seasonal movements (including localized acceleration in 2021) closely related to rainfall remained evident, but the impact of aftershocks on the DGBL was severely weakened over time. UAV and field survey results suggested that the risk of localized debris flows at DGBL still exists. Our study improves our understanding of the long-term evolutionary pattern of DGBL and provides an important reference for post-earthquake landslide risk assessment and disaster prevention.

Preventing mass loss in the standard level set method: New insights from variational analyses

For decades, the computational multiphase flow community has grappled with mass loss in the level set method. Numerous solutions have been proposed, from fixing the reinitialization step to combining the level set method with other conservative schemes. However, our work reveals a more fundamental culprit: the smooth Heaviside and delta functions inherent to the standard formulation. Even if reinitialization is done exactly, i.e., the zero contour interface remains stationary, the use of smooth functions lead to violation of mass conservation. We propose a novel approach using variational analysis to incorporate a mass conservation constraint. This introduces a Lagrange multiplier that enforces overall mass balance. Notably, as the delta function sharpens, i.e., approaches the Dirac delta limit, the Lagrange multiplier approaches zero. However, the exact Lagrange multiplier method disrupts the signed distance property of the level set function. This motivates us to develop an approximate version of the Lagrange multiplier that preserves both overall mass and signed distance property of the level set function. Our framework even recovers existing mass-conserving level set methods, revealing some inconsistencies in prior analyses. We extend this approach to three-phase flows for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations. We present variational equations in both immersed and non-immersed forms, demonstrating the convergence of the former formulation to the latter when the body delta function sharpens. Rigorous test problems confirm that the FSI dynamics produced by our simple, easy-to-implement immersed formulation with the approximate Lagrange multiplier method are accurate and match state-of-the-art solvers.

Physics-informed neural networks for inversion of river flow and geometry with shallow water model

The river flow transports sediment, resulting in the formation of alternating sandbars in the riverbed. The underlying physics is characterized by the interaction between flow and river geometry, necessitating an understanding of their inseparable relationship. However, the dynamics of river flow with alternating sandbars are hard to understand due to the difficulty of measuring flow depth and riverbed geometry during floods with current technology. This study implements an innovative approach utilizing physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) to estimate important hydraulic variables in rivers that are difficult to measure directly. The method uses sparse yet obtainable flow velocity and water level data. The governing equations of motion, continuity, and the constant discharge condition based on the mass conservation principle are integrated into the neural network as physical constraints. This approach enables the completion of sparse velocity fields and the inversion of flow depth, riverbed elevation, and roughness coefficients without requiring direct training data for these variables. Validation was performed using model experiment data and numerical simulations derived from these experiments. Results indicate that the accuracy of the estimations is relatively robust to the number of training data points, provided their spatial resolution is finer than the wavelength of the sandbars. The inclusion of mass conservation as a redundant constraint significantly improved the convergence and accuracy of the model. This PINNs-based approach, using measurable data, offers a new way to quantify complex river flows on alternating sandbars without significant updates to conventional methods, providing new insights into river physics.

Development of a smoothed particle hydrodynamics model for porous media flows with enhanced volume conservation and the revisit of the mass conservation equation

Porous media exist extensively in hydraulic and coastal engineering structures, while the modeling of wave/flow interaction with porous media remains challenging. This work develops a smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) model for accurately simulating wave/flow interaction with porous media. The mass and momentum conservation equations incorporating the mixture theory are adopted. The resistant forces of the solid skeleton of porous media on fluid flows are described by the nonlinear empirical formula. The research contributions of the work lie in two aspects. First, two categories of mass conservation equations for porous media flow are revisited and analyzed to examine the influences of the local time derivative term of fluid volume fraction on simulation results. Second, the Volume Conservation Shifting scheme is, for the first time, introduced into SPH to enhance volume conservation for simulating porous media flows. The developed SPH model is validated by an analytical case of seepage flows in a U-tube with porous media and then applied to study four benchmark examples involving both saturated and unsaturated porous media, i.e., dam-break flow through a crushed stone dam, rapid seepage flow through a rockfill dam, solitary wave propagation over a porous seabed, and solitary wave propagation over a submerged porous breakwater. The morphological features and dynamic pressure heads of the porous media flows have been satisfactorily predicted, demonstrating the good accuracy and enhanced volume conservation of the developed SPH model.

An operational discontinuous Galerkin shallow water model for coastal flood assessment

Hydrodynamic modeling for coastal flooding risk assessment is a highly relevant topic. Many operational tools available for this purpose use numerical techniques and implementation paradigms that reach their limits when confronted with modern requirements in terms of resolution and performances. In this work, we present a novel operational tool for coastal hazards predictions, currently employed by the BRGM agency (the French Geological Survey) to carry out its flooding hazard exposure studies and coastal risk prevention plans on International and French territories. The model, called UHAINA (wave in the Basque language), is based on an arbitrary high-order discontinuous Galerkin discretization of the nonlinear shallow water equations with SSP Runge–Kutta time stepping on unstructured triangular grids. It is built upon the finite element library AeroSol, which provides a modern C++ software architecture and high scalability, making it suitable for HPC applications. The paper provides a detailed development of the mathematical and numerical framework of the model, focusing on two key-ingredients : (i) a pragmatic P0 treatment of the solution in partially dry cells which garantees efficiently well-balancedness, positivity and mass conservation at any polynomial order; (ii) an artificial viscosity method based on the physical dissipation of the system of equations providing nonlinear stability for non-smooth solutions. A set of numerical validations on accademic benchmarks is performed to highlight the efficiency of these approaches. Finally, UHAINA is applied on a real operational case of study, demonstrating very satisfactory results.

Comprehensive analysis of wave interactions and resulting spall damage in layered heterogeneous medium under impact

The effect of dynamic spall damage on the response of layered medium subjected to one-dimensional impact involving an impactor and a multi-layered target is investigated. The study examines the damage caused by elastic waves below the Hugoniot Elastic Limit (HEL) during impact events. Analytical expressions of stress and particle velocity derived from mass and momentum conservation principles are utilized to solve the wave interactions within the impactor-target system, considering reflections, transmissions, and wave interactions between layers. These analytical expressions, integrated into a computational framework, facilitate the monitoring of material responses following each wave interaction, thereby analysing the impact response of the layered medium. Wave interactions, resulting in tensile stresses, that can cause damage to the target have been identified. A strain-based damage initiation and evolution law is incorporated into the developed computer program to predict damage in each layer of a medium. Damage alters the medium’s impact behaviour by decreasing stress magnitude and inducing temporal delays in the response due to attenuated wave propagation speed. The occurrences of tensile stress are explored, analyzing spatial and temporal variations of multiple damage incidents within the layered medium. The tension at the interface between two layers can induce damage in one or both adjacent layers, leading to debonding between layers. The effect of damage on the impact response of the medium is analysed by comparing the results for the damaged and undamaged target scenarios. The impact behaviour of a single-layer and a multi-layer target obtained from the present model, in terms of stress and particle velocity, is verified through Finite Element simulations of the identical impact problems, where the damage evolution criterion is incorporated using a VUMAT subroutine. The outcomes derived from this study align closely with Finite Element (FE) results.