Method Of Manufactured Solutions Research Articles

Verification, validation, and uncertainty in computational fluids dynamicsThis article is one of a selection of papers published in this Special Issue on Hydrotechnical Engineering.

In this paper, we discuss issues in verification, validation, and uncertainty prediction in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Mesh adaptation is used to perform the systematic grid refinement studies required for code and simulation verification. We demonstrate the method of manufactured solutions (MMS) for code verification. Examples of successful and failed validation show that reliable prediction can only occur with an appropriate mathematical model of physics along with accurate numerical solution of the differential equations. The paper emphasizes good CFD practices to achieve systematic verification and put validation studies on solid grounds. Finally, the sensitivity equation method (SEM) is used to cascade input data uncertainty through the CFD code for estimating the uncertainty of the flow response.

Solutions analytiques de problèmes de contact en grandes déformations

Il est impératif pour l’ingénieur de s’assurer de la validité de ses outils de modélisation numérique et il lui revient de vérifier s’ils donnent la solution attendue pour un problème donné. Dans un logiciel d’éléments-finis, ceci peut être fait par l’utilisation de solutions analytiques lorsqu’elles existent, ou par la méthode des solutions manufacturées (MSM). Nous proposons dans ce travail d’étendre la MSM aux problèmes de contact unilatéral en grandes déformations pour lesquels, à notre connaissance, il n’existe pas de solutions analytiques non triviales. Nous montrerons comment l’utiliser comme un outil de vérification pour l’ingénieur. De plus, nous analyserons la précision et les taux de convergence de différents espaces d’approximation mixtes (déplacement-pression de contact), sur des éléments triangulaires et quadrangulaires.

Comparison of the performance of some finite element discretizations for large deformation elasticity problems

In this paper, known analytical solutions are used to compare various finite element discretizations for the numerical solution of large deformation problems involving hyperelastic materials. This approach is also known as the method of manufactured solutions (MMS). The performance of these different discretizations is analyzed in terms of convergence in a suitable norm with respect to mesh size, and also in terms of computational cost and memory consumption. Some interesting features of mixed finite element discretizations are presented and discussed. The test cases presented can also serve as nontrivial benchmark problems and as a basis for code verification.

Weak second-order splitting schemes for Lagrangian Monte Carlo particle methods for the composition PDF/FDF transport equations

We study a class of methods for the numerical solution of the system of stochastic differential equations (SDEs) that arises in the modeling of turbulent combustion, specifically in the Monte Carlo particle method for the solution of the model equations for the composition probability density function (PDF) and the filtered density function (FDF). This system consists of an SDE for particle position and a random differential equation for particle composition. The numerical methods considered advance the solution in time with (weak) second-order accuracy with respect to the time step size. The four primary contributions of the paper are: (i) establishing that the coefficients in the particle equations can be frozen at the mid-time (while preserving second-order accuracy), (ii) examining the performance of three existing schemes for integrating the SDEs, (iii) developing and evaluating different splitting schemes (which treat particle motion, reaction and mixing on different sub-steps), and (iv) developing the method of manufactured solutions (MMS) to assess the convergence of Monte Carlo particle methods. Tests using MMS confirm the second-order accuracy of the schemes. In general, the use of frozen coefficients reduces the numerical errors. Otherwise no significant differences are observed in the performance of the different SDE schemes and splitting schemes.

Verification of a mixed high‐order accurate DNS code for laminar turbulent transition by the method of manufactured solutions

AbstractThis paper presents results on a verification test of a Direct Numerical Simulation code of mixed high‐order of accuracy using the method of manufactured solutions (MMS). This test is based on the formulation of an analytical solution for the Navier–Stokes equations modified by the addition of a source term. The present numerical code was aimed at simulating the temporal evolution of instability waves in a plane Poiseuille flow. The governing equations were solved in a vorticity–velocity formulation for a two‐dimensional incompressible flow. The code employed two different numerical schemes. One used mixed high‐order compact and non‐compact finite‐differences from fourth‐order to sixth‐order of accuracy. The other scheme used spectral methods instead of finite‐difference methods for the streamwise direction, which was periodic. In the present test, particular attention was paid to the boundary conditions of the physical problem of interest. Indeed, the verification procedure using MMS can be more demanding than the often used comparison with Linear Stability Theory. That is particularly because in the latter test no attention is paid to the nonlinear terms. For the present verification test, it was possible to manufacture an analytical solution that reproduced some aspects of an instability wave in a nonlinear stage. Although the results of the verification by MMS for this mixed‐order numerical scheme had to be interpreted with care, the test was very useful as it gave confidence that the code was free of programming errors. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Verification of RANS solvers with manufactured solutions

This paper discusses code verification of Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) solvers with the method of manufactured solutions (MMS). Examples of manufactured solutions (MSs) for a two-dimensional, steady, wall-bounded, incompressible, turbulent flow are presented including the specification of the turbulence quantities incorporated in several popular eddy-viscosity turbulence models. A wall-function approach for the MMS is also described. The flexiblity and usefulness of the MS is illustrated with calculations performed in three different exercises: the calculation of the flow field using the manufactured eddy-viscosity; the calculation of the eddy-viscosity using the manufactured velocity field; the calculation of the complete flow field coupling flow and turbulence variables. The results show that the numerical performance of the flow solvers is model dependent and that the solution of the complete problem may exhibit different orders of accuracy than in the exercises with no coupling between the flow and turbulence variables.

The residual formulation of the method of manufactured solutions for computationally efficient solution verification*

The method of manufactured solutions (MMS) is a solution verification methodology for determining whether the implementation of a discretization method is achieving its theoretical order of accuracy. This methodology combines the advantages of grid refinement studies and comparison with exact solution, by modifying the governing equations solved within a code by adding a source term to drive the solution towards a predetermined analytic function. By solving the modified equations on a sequence of grids and comparing the differences between the converged solution and manufactured solution, the order of accuracy of the implementation can be investigated. However, in its current form, converged solutions on a sequence of grids are required which can be quite costly and difficult to obtain. In this paper, by comparing the MMS to the method for determining the theoretical order of accuracy of a discretization method, the residual formulation of the MMS is developed. This new formulation only requires that the residual of the discretized governing equations to be calculated and not the solution to the discretized equations, thus avoiding the computational cost and difficulties inherent in obtaining converged solutions. Furthermore, since only the residuals are interrogated, individual components of the flow solver can be tested, in isolation, allowing the MMS to be used more effectively in locating errors within the code. This new approach is demonstrated to yield the same order of accuracy as the original MMS using three different cases—one-dimensional porous media equation, one-dimensional St Venant equations and two-dimensional unstructured Navier–Stokes simulations.

Code Verification by the Method of Manufactured Solutions

Verification of Calculations involves error estimation, whereas Verification of Codes involves error evaluation, from known benchmark solutions. The best benchmarks are exact analytical solutions with sufficiently complex solution structure; they need not be realistic since Verification is a purely mathematical exercise. The Method of Manufactured Solutions (MMS) provides a straightforward and quite general procedure for generating such solutions. For complex codes, the method utilizes Symbolic Manipulation, but here it is illustrated with simple examples. When used with systematic grid refinement studies, which are remarkably sensitive, MMS produces strong Code Verifications with a theorem-like quality and a clearly defined completion point.