Refine
Document Type
- Doctoral Thesis (17) (remove)
Institute
Keywords
- Finite-Elemente-Methode (17) (remove)
The importance of modern simulation methods in the mechanical analysis of heterogeneous solids is presented in detail. Thereby the problem is noted that even for small bodies the required high-resolution analysis reaches the limits of today's computational power, in terms of memory demand as well as acceptable computational effort. A further problem is that frequently the accuracy of geometrical modelling of heterogeneous bodies is inadequate. The present work introduces a systematic combination and adaption of grid-based methods for achieving an essentially higher resolution in the numerical analysis of heterogeneous solids. Grid-based methods are as well primely suited for developing efficient and numerically stable algorithms for flexible geometrical modeling. A key aspect is the uniform data management for a grid, which can be utilized to reduce the effort and complexity of almost all concerned methods. A new finite element program, called Mulgrido, was just developed to realize this concept consistently and to test the proposed methods. Several disadvantages which generally result from grid discretizations are selectively corrected by modified methods. The present work is structured into a geometrical model, a mechanical model and a numerical model. The geometrical model includes digital image-based modeling and in particular several methods for the theory-based generation of inclusion-matrix models. Essential contributions refer to variable shape, size distribution, separation checks and placement procedures of inclusions. The mechanical model prepares the fundamentals of continuum mechanics, homogenization and damage modeling for the following numerical methods. The first topic of the numerical model introduces to a special version of B-spline finite elements. These finite elements are entirely variable in the order k of B-splines. For homogeneous bodies this means that the approximation quality can arbitrarily be scaled. In addition, the multiphase finite element concept in combination with transition zones along material interfaces yields a valuable solution for heterogeneous bodies. As the formulation is element-based, the storage of a global stiffness matrix is superseded such that the memory demand can essentially be reduced. This is possible in combination with iterative solver methods which represent the second topic of the numerical model. Here, the focus lies on multigrid methods where the number of required operations to solve a linear equation system only increases linearly with problem size. Moreover, for badly conditioned problems quite an essential improvement is achieved by preconditioning. The third part of the numerical model discusses certain aspects of damage simulation which are closely related to the proposed grid discretization. The strong efficiency of the linear analysis can be maintained for damage simulation. This is achieved by a damage-controlled sequentially linear iteration scheme. Finally a study on the effective material behavior of heterogeneous bodies is presented. Especially the influence of inclusion shapes is examined. By means of altogether more than one hundred thousand random geometrical arrangements, the effective material behavior is statistically analyzed and assessed.
The detailed structural analysis of thin-walled circular pipe members often requires the use of a shell or solid-based finite element method. Although these methods provide a very good approximation of the deformations, they require a higher degree of discretization which causes high computational costs. On the other hand, the analysis of thin-walled circular pipe members based on classical beam theories is easy to implement and needs much less computation time, however, they are limited in their ability to approximate the deformations as they cannot consider the deformation of the cross-section.
This dissertation focuses on the study of the Generalized Beam Theory (GBT) which is both accurate and efficient in analyzing thin-walled members. This theory is based on the separation of variables in which the displacement field is expressed as a combination of predetermined deformation modes related to the cross-section, and unknown amplitude functions defined on the beam's longitudinal axis. Although the GBT was initially developed for long straight members, through the consideration of complementary deformation modes, which amend the null transverse and shear membrane strain assumptions of the classical GBT, problems involving short members, pipe bends, and geometrical nonlinearity can also be analyzed using GBT. In this dissertation, the GBT formulation for the analysis of these problems is developed and the application and capabilities of the method are illustrated using several numerical examples. Furthermore, the displacement and stress field results of these examples are verified using an equivalent refined shell-based finite element model.
The developed static and dynamic GBT formulations for curved thin-walled circular pipes are based on the linear kinematic description of the curved shell theory. In these formulations, the complex problem in pipe bends due to the strong coupling effect of the longitudinal bending, warping and the cross-sectional ovalization is handled precisely through the derivation of the coupling tensors between the considered GBT deformation modes. Similarly, the geometrically nonlinear GBT analysis is formulated for thin-walled circular pipes based on the nonlinear membrane kinematic equations. Here, the initial linear and quadratic stress and displacement tangent stiffness matrices are built using the third and fourth-order GBT deformation mode coupling tensors.
Longitudinally, the formulation of the coupled GBT element stiffness and mass matrices are presented using a beam-based finite element formulation. Furthermore, the formulated GBT elements are tested for shear and membrane locking problems and the limitations of the formulations regarding the membrane locking problem are discussed.
Encapsulation-based self-healing concrete (SHC) is the most promising technique for providing a self-healing mechanism to concrete. This is due to its capacity to heal fractures effectively without human interventions, extending the operational life and lowering maintenance costs. The healing mechanism is created by embedding capsules containing the healing agent inside the concrete. The healing agent will be released once the capsules are fractured and the healing occurs in the vicinity of the damaged part. The healing efficiency of the SHC is still not clear and depends on several factors; in the case of microcapsules SHC the fracture of microcapsules is the most important aspect to release the healing agents and hence heal the cracks. This study contributes to verifying the healing efficiency of SHC and the fracture mechanism of the microcapsules. Extended finite element method (XFEM) is a flexible, and powerful discrete crack method that allows crack propagation without the requirement for re-meshing and has been shown high accuracy for modeling fracture in concrete. In this thesis, a computational fracture modeling approach of Encapsulation-based SHC is proposed based on the XFEM and cohesive surface technique (CS) to study the healing efficiency and the potential of fracture and debonding of the microcapsules or the solidified healing agents from the concrete matrix as well. The concrete matrix and a microcapsule shell both are modeled by the XFEM and combined together by CS. The effects of the healed-crack length, the interfacial fracture properties, and microcapsule size on the load carrying capability and fracture pattern of the SHC have been studied. The obtained results are compared to those obtained from the zero thickness cohesive element approach to demonstrate the significant accuracy and the validity of the proposed simulation. The present fracture simulation is developed to study the influence of the capsular clustering on the fracture mechanism by varying the contact surface area of the CS between the microcapsule shell and the concrete matrix. The proposed fracture simulation is expanded to 3D simulations to validate the 2D computational simulations and to estimate the accuracy difference ratio between 2D and 3D simulations. In addition, a proposed design method is developed to design the size of the microcapsules consideration of a sufficient volume of healing agent to heal the expected crack width. This method is based on the configuration of the unit cell (UC), Representative Volume Element (RVE), Periodic Boundary Conditions (PBC), and associated them to the volume fraction (Vf) and the crack width as variables. The proposed microcapsule design is verified through computational fracture simulations.
Für geometrisch imperfekte Strukturen wird die Versagenswahrscheinlichkeit bezüglich Stabilitätskriterien bestimmt. Eine probabilistische Beschreibung der geometrischen Imperfektionen erfolgt mit skalaren ortsdiskretisierten Zufallsfeldern. Die Stabilitätsberechnungen werden mit der Finite Elemente Methode durchgeführt. Ausgangspunkt der Berechnung ist eine systematische Formulierung probabilistisch gewichteter Imperfektionsformen durch eine Eigenwertzerlegung der Kovarianzmatrix. Wenn mit einer strukturmechanisch orientierten Sensitivitätsanalyse ein Unterraum zur näherungsweisen Beschreibung des probabilistischen Strukturverhaltens gefunden wird, kann die Versagenswahrscheinlichkeit numerisch sehr effizient durch ein Interaktionsmodell bestimmt werden. Es zeigte sich, daß dies genau dann möglich ist, wenn die Beulform merklich im Imperfektionsfeld enthalten ist. Die Imperfektionsform am Bemessungspunkt entspricht dann, unabhängig vom Lastniveau, gerade der Beulform. Wenn die Beulform im Imperfektionsfeld einen untergeordneten Beitrag liefert, erscheint eine Reduktion des stochastischen Problems auf wenige Zufallsvariablen dagegen nicht möglich.
Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Berechnung der Sicherheit von Strukturen mit sowohl geometrisch als auch physikalisch nichtlinearem Verhalten. Die Berechnung der Versagenswahrscheinlichkeit einer Struktur mit Hilfe von Monte-Carlo-Simulationsmethoden erfordert, dass die Funktion der Strukturantwort implizit berechnet wird, zum Beispiel durch nichtlineare Strukturanalysen für jede Realisation der Zufallsvariablen. Die Strukturanalysen bilden jedoch den Hauptanteil am Berechnungsaufwand der Zuverlässigkeitsanalyse, so dass die Analyse von realistischen Strukturen mit nichtlinearem Verhalten durch die begrenzten Computer-Ressourcen stark eingeschränkt ist. Die klassischen Antwortflächenverfahren approximieren die Funktion der Strukturantwort oder aber die Grenzzustandsfunktion durch Polynome niedriger Ordnung. Dadurch ist für die Auswertung des Versagens-Kriteriums nur noch von Interesse, ob eine Realisation der Basisvariablen innerhalb oder außerhalb des von der Antwortflächenfunktion gebildeten Raumes liegt - die Strukturanalyse kann dann entfallen. Bei stark nichtlinearen Grenzzustandsfunktionen versagt die polynomiale Approximation. Das directional sampling neigt bei Problemen mit vielen Zufallsvariablen zu einem systematischen Fehler. Das adaptive importance directional sampling dagegen beseitigt diesen Fehler, verschenkt jedoch Informationen über den Verlauf der Grenzzustandsfunktion, da die aufgefundenen Stützstellen aus den vorangegangenen Simulationsläufen nicht berücksichtigt werden können. Aus diesem Grund erscheint eine Kombination beider Simulationsverfahren und eine Interpolation mittels einer Antwortfläche geeignet, diese Probleme zu lösen. Dies war die Motivation für die Entwicklung eines Verfahren der adaptiven Simulation der Einheitsvektoren und anschließender Interpolation der Grenzzustandsfunktion durch eine Antwortflächenfunktion. Dieses Vorgehen stellt besondere Anforderungen an die Antwortflächenfunktion. Diese muss flexibel genug sein, um stark nichtlineare Grenzzustandsfunktionen beliebig genau annähern zu können. Außerdem sollte die Anzahl der verarbeitbaren Stützstellen nicht begrenzt sein. Auch ist zu berücksichtigen, dass die Ermittlung der Stützstellen auf der Grenzzustandsfunktion nicht regelmäßig erfolgt. Die in dieser Arbeit entwickelten Methoden der lokalen Interpolation der Grenzzustandsfunktion durch Normalen-Hyperebenen bzw. sekantialen Hyperebenen und der sowohl lokalen als auch globalen Interpolation durch gewichtete Radien erfüllen diese Anforderungen. ungen. dieser Arbeit entwickelten Methoden der lokalen Interpolation der Grenzzustandsfunktion durch Normalen-Hyperebenen bzw. sekantialen Hyperebenen und der sowohl lokalen als auch globalen Interpolation durch gewichtete Radien erfüllen diese Anforderungen.
The nonlinear behavior of concrete can be attributed to the propagation of microcracks within the heterogeneous internal material structure. In this thesis, a mesoscale model is developed which allows for the explicit simulation of these microcracks. Consequently, the actual physical phenomena causing the complex nonlinear macroscopic behavior of concrete can be represented using rather simple material formulations. On the mesoscale, the numerical model explicitly resolves the components of the internal material structure. For concrete, a three-phase model consisting of aggregates, mortar matrix and interfacial transition zone is proposed. Based on prescribed grading curves, an efficient algorithm for the generation of three-dimensional aggregate distributions using ellipsoids is presented. In the numerical model, tensile failure of the mortar matrix is described using a continuum damage approach. In order to reduce spurious mesh sensitivities, introduced by the softening behavior of the matrix material, nonlocal integral-type material formulations are applied. The propagation of cracks at the interface between aggregates and mortar matrix is represented in a discrete way using a cohesive crack approach. The iterative solution procedure is stabilized using a new path following constraint within the framework of load-displacement-constraint methods which allows for an efficient representation of snap-back phenomena. In several examples, the influence of the randomly generated heterogeneous material structure on the stochastic scatter of the results is analyzed. Furthermore, the ability of mesoscale models to represent size effects is investigated. Mesoscale simulations require the discretization of the internal material structure. Compared to simulations on the macroscale, the numerical effort and the memory demand increases dramatically. Due to the complexity of the numerical model, mesoscale simulations are, in general, limited to small specimens. In this thesis, an adaptive heterogeneous multiscale approach is presented which allows for the incorporation of mesoscale models within nonlinear simulations of concrete structures. In heterogeneous multiscale models, only critical regions, i.e. regions in which damage develops, are resolved on the mesoscale, whereas undamaged or sparsely damage regions are modeled on the macroscale. A crucial point in simulations with heterogeneous multiscale models is the coupling of sub-domains discretized on different length scales. The sub-domains differ not only in the size of the finite elements but also in the constitutive description. In this thesis, different methods for the coupling of non-matching discretizations - constraint equations, the mortar method and the arlequin method - are investigated and the application to heterogeneous multiscale models is presented. Another important point is the detection of critical regions. An adaptive solution procedure allowing the transfer of macroscale sub-domains to the mesoscale is proposed. In this context, several indicators which trigger the model adaptation are introduced. Finally, the application of the proposed adaptive heterogeneous multiscale approach in nonlinear simulations of concrete structures is presented.