A review of discrete element simulation of ice–structure interaction

Sea ice loads on marine structures are caused by the failure process of ice against the structure. The failure process is affected by both the structure and the ice, thus is called ice–structure interaction. Many ice failure processes, including ice failure against inclined or vertical offshore structures, are composed of large numbers of discrete failure events which lead to the formation of piles of ice blocks. Such failure processes have been successfully studied by using the discrete element method (DEM). In addition, ice appears in nature often as discrete floes; either as single floes, ice floe fields or as parts of ridges. DEM has also been successfully applied to study the formation and deformation of these ice features, and the interactions of ships and structures with them. This paper gives a review of the use of DEM in studying ice–structure interaction, with emphasis on the lessons learned about the behaviour of sea ice as a discontinuous medium. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Modelling of sea-ice phenomena’.

Simulation of the Seismic Response of 2D Sedimentary Basin with Hybrid PSM/FDM Method

In this paper, we simulated two-dimension numerical on the strong ground motion in Lanzhou basin through the hybrid scheme based on the pseudospectral method (PSM) and finite difference method (FDM). We base on a focal of 20 km deep and a profile of 5 layers is used as model to analyze the site response and the peak displacement of strong ground motion. The results show that the hybrid PSM/FDM method for seismic wavefield simulation combines with advantages of PSM and FDM and makes up for the disadvantage of them, so this method can process well the calculation of the discontinuous medium surface, then the calculation accuracy is similar to PSM. Through the wavefield simulation it is known that the peak ground displacement (PGD) of the vertical is larger and the influence of surface wave at the basin edge is more obvious than the horizontal.

Numerical Integration Technique in Computation of Extended Finite Element Method

The extended finite element method (XFEM) is the most effective numerical method to solve discontinuous dynamic problems so far. It makes research within a standard finite element framework and reserves all merits of CFEM. In other side, it needs not mesh repartition to geometric and physical interface. Numerical integration techniques of the XFEM computation are studied, including displacement mode of the XFEM, control equation and infirm solution form of discontinuous medium mechanics problem, region scatteration, element integral strategy.

DDA in fluid-structure problems for the study of gravity dam failure

In this paper, we present a 2D coupled fluid-structure interaction procedure to assess the stability of a cracked gravity dam against increasing water level. In this procedure the structure is assumed to be a discontinuous deformable solid containing pre-existing cracks. Thus, the Discontinuous Deformation Analysis DDA method is used to study the solid discontinuous medium, and the continuum finite element flow model to calculate the hydrostatic forces corresponding to the water level. The contact constraints between discrete blocks are imposed through an implicit augmented Lagrangian format. Numerical results show the potential of the proposed coupled model to quantify the direct influence of the nature and location of the internal cracks on the overall stability of common gravity dams.

Research on Chaotic Behavior of Concrete under External Load Based on Discontinuous Medium Mechanical Model

Outburst and random are typical characters of concrete when under external load. Traditional mechanics methods are difficult to be applied in. Depend on nonlinear science to set up the nonlinear dynamical equation that is fit for its characteristics. The subsystem dynamical equation of concrete is set up based on discontinuous medium mechanical model, and find that the concrete dynamical equation under external load is a Duffin equation. Then analyze and discuss the effect of external load on concrete by math analysis soft of maple. Results show that the concrete material take on complicated response to external load change.

The pseudospectral method: Accurate representation of interfaces in elastic wave calculations

When finite‐difference methods are used to solve the elastic wave equation in a discontinuous medium, the error has two dominant components. Dispersive errors lead to artificial wave trains. Errors from interfaces lead to circular wavefronts emanating from each location where the interface appears “jagged” to the rectangular grid. The pseudospectral method can be viewed as the limit of finite differences with infinite order of accuracy. With this method, dispersive errors are essentially eliminated. The mappings introduced in this paper also eliminate the other dominant error source. Test calculations confirm that these mappings significantly enhance the already highly competitive pseudospectral method with only a very small additional cost. Although the mapping method is described here in connection with the pseudospectral method, it can also be used with high‐order finite‐difference approximations.