scholarly journals GPU-accelerated smoothed particle finite element method for large deformation analysis in geomechanics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Zhi-hao Zhong ◽  
Chong ◽  
Wei-hai Yuan ◽  
Wei Wu

Particle finite element method (PFEM) is an effective numerical tool for solving large-deformation problems in geomechanics. By incorporating the node integration technique with strain smoothing into the PFEM, we proposed the smoothed particle ?nite element method (SPFEM). This paper extends the SPFEM to three-dimensional cases and presents a SPFEM executed on graphics processing units (GPUs) to boost the computational efficiency. The detailed parallel computing strategy on GPU is introduced. New computation formulations related to the strain smoothing technique are proposed to save memory space in the GPU parallel computing. Several benchmark problems are solved to validate the proposed approach and to evaluate the GPU acceleration performance. Numerical examples show that with the new formulations not only the memory space can be saved but also the computational efficiency is improved. The computational cost is reduced by 70% for the double-precision GPU parallel computing with the new formulations.

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 3138-3163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Hai Yuan ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Beibing Dai ◽  
Yuan Wang

Purpose Large deformation problems are frequently encountered in various fields of geotechnical engineering. The particle finite element method (PFEM) has been proven to be a promising method to solve large deformation problems. This study aims to develop a computational framework for modelling the hydro-mechanical coupled porous media at large deformation based on the PFEM. Design/methodology/approach The PFEM is extended by adopting the linear and quadratic triangular elements for pore water pressure and displacements. A six-node triangular element is used for modelling two-dimensional problems instead of the low-order three-node triangular element. Thus, the numerical instability induced by volumetric locking is avoided. The Modified Cam Clay (MCC) model is used to describe the elasto-plastic soil behaviour. Findings The proposed approach is used for analysing several consolidation problems. The numerical results have demonstrated that large deformation consolidation problems with the proposed approach can be accomplished without numerical difficulties and loss of accuracy. The coupled PFEM provides a stable and robust numerical tool in solving large deformation consolidation problems. It is demonstrated that the proposed approach is intrinsically stable. Originality/value The PFEM is extended to consider large deformation-coupled hydro-mechanical problem. PFEM is enhanced by using a six-node quadratic triangular element for displacement and this is coupled with a four-node quadrilateral element for modelling excess pore pressure.


Author(s):  
Aimin Yang ◽  
Jinze Li ◽  
Hengheng Qu ◽  
Yuhang Pan ◽  
Yanhong Kang ◽  
...  

In this paper, we first discuss the research status and application progress of the finite element method and the smoothed particle method. By analyzing the advantages of the smoothed particle method and the finite element method, a new coupling algorithm, namely FEM-SPH algorithm, is proposed. By the method of comparison, it shows that finite element method and SPH method in the simulation of large deformation problems each have advantages and disadvantages, the finite element method smoothed particle coupling algorithm is effective to achieve the performance of high computational efficiency and can naturally simulate large deformation problems across. In the process of calculation, the large deformation unit can be freely into an algorithm to facilitate the calculation accuracy and efficiency of three methods of numerical simulation. Through the study found, FEM-SPH algorithm not only overcome the defect of smooth particle tensile instability, but also overcomes the problem of low efficiency of finite element computation. To further test the FEM-SPH algorithm has advantages in the practical engineering, we have carried out the actual test to the example of the super high speed collision, concluded that, since the target of most of the computational domain is always finite element, smoothed particle focused only in contact with the projectile and target of local area, particle number is not much, the whole calculation process just ten minutes, computational efficiency has been greatly improved, at the same time in the simulation of large deformation, the advantage is very obvious .This provides a criterion for the actual project, depending on the specific material deformation mode and choose a more appropriate conversion algorithm.


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