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At least 379 records · Page 21

A Domain-Decomposed Multi-Level Method for Adaptively Refined Cartesian Grids with Embedded Boundaries

The work presents a new method for on-the-fly domain decomposition technique for mapping grids and solution algorithms to parallel machines, and is applicable to both shared-memory and message-passing architectures. It will be demonstrated on the Cray T3E, HP Exemplar, and SGI Origin 2000. Computing time has been secured on all these platforms. The decomposition technique is an outgrowth of techniques used in computational physics for simulations of N-body problems and the event horizons of black holes, and has not been previously used by the CFD community. Since the technique offers on-the-fly partitioning, it offers a substantial increase in flexibility for computing in heterogeneous environments, where the number of available processors may not be known at the time of job submission. In addition, since it is dynamic it permits the job to be repartitioned without global communication in cases where additional processors become available after the simulation has begun, or in cases where dynamic mesh adaptation changes the mesh size during the course of a simulation. The platform for this partitioning strategy is a completely new Cartesian Euler solver tarcreted at parallel machines which may be used in conjunction with Ames' "Cart3D" arbitrary geometry simulation package.

Aftosmis, M. J.↗

A Massively Parallel Bayesian Approach to Planetary Protection Trajectory Analysis and Design

The NASA Planetary Protection Office has levied a requirement that the upper stage of future planetary launches have a less than 10(exp -4) chance of impacting Mars within 50 years after launch. A brute-force approach requires a decade of computer time to demonstrate compliance. By using a Bayesian approach and taking advantage of the demonstrated reliability of the upper stage, the required number of fifty-year propagations can be massively reduced. By spreading the remaining embarrassingly parallel Monte Carlo simulations across multiple computers, compliance can be demonstrated in a reasonable time frame. The method used is described here.

parallel computing↗

Parallel processors and nonlinear structural dynamics algorithms and software

Techniques are discussed for the implementation and improvement of vectorization and concurrency in nonlinear explicit structural finite element codes. In explicit integration methods, the computation of the element internal force vector consumes the bulk of the computer time. The program can be efficiently vectorized by subdividing the elements into blocks and executing all computations in vector mode. The structuring of elements into blocks also provides a convenient way to implement concurrency by creating tasks which can be assigned to available processors for evaluation. The techniques were implemented in a 3-D nonlinear program with one-point quadrature shell elements. Concurrency and vectorization were first implemented in a single time step version of the program. Techniques were developed to minimize processor idle time and to select the optimal vector length. A comparison of run times between the program executed in scalar, serial mode and the fully vectorized code executed concurrently using eight processors shows speed-ups of over 25. Conjugate gradient methods for solving nonlinear algebraic equations are also readily adapted to a parallel environment. A new technique for improving convergence properties of conjugate gradients in nonlinear problems is developed in conjunction with other techniques such as diagonal scaling. A significant reduction in the number of iterations required for convergence is shown for a statically loaded rigid bar suspended by three equally spaced springs.

Belytschko, Ted↗

Optimizing a liquid propellant rocket engine with an automated combustor design code (AUTOCOM)

A procedure for automatically designing a liquid propellant rocket engine combustion chamber in an optimal fashion is outlined. The procedure is contained in a digital computer code, AUTOCOM. The code is applied to an existing engine, and design modifications are generated which provide a substantial potential payload improvement over the existing design. Computer time requirements for this payload improvement were small, approximately four minutes in the CDC 6600 computer.

Hague, D. S.↗

Description and performance of the Langley visual landing display system

A television/model board system is described which provides a means of generating a six-degree-of-freedom visual out-the-window scene for the pilot of a simulated aircraft. The hardware and its performance of capability for meeting the visual requirements for a wide range of simulation studies are detailed. Also included is a description of the computer software required for the system. An example of software implementation in a real-time computer program is provided.

Rollins, J. D.↗

Conference on Complex Turbulent Flows: Comparison of Computation and Experiment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, September 14-18, 1981, Proceedings. Volume 2 - Taxonomies, reporters' summaries, evaluation, and conclusions

Computational techniques for simulating turbulent flows were explored, together with the results of experimental investigations. Particular attention was devoted to the possibility of defining a universal closure model, applicable for all turbulence situations; however, conclusions were drawn that zonal models, describing localized structures, were the most promising techniques to date. The taxonomy of turbulent flows was summarized, as were algebraic, differential, integral, and partial differential methods for numerical depiction of turbulent flows. Numerous comparisons of theoretically predicted and experimentally obtained data for wall pressure distributions, velocity profiles, turbulent kinetic energy profiles, Reynolds shear stress profiles, and flows around transonic airfoils were presented. Simplifying techniques for reducing the necessary computational time for modeling complex flowfields were surveyed, together with the industrial requirements and applications of computational fluid dynamics techniques.

Kline, S. J.↗

Analysis of cascades using a two dimensional Euler aeroelastic solver

A two-dimensional unsteady aerodynamic Euler solver based on a flux differencing scheme is being developed to analyze oscillating cascades. The cascades can have subsonic, transonic, or supersonic flow with either subsonic or supersonic axial velocity. The aerodynamic solver is coupled with a typical section structural model for each blade of the cascade. Flutter analysis methods both in time and frequency domains are then implemented into the resulting aeroelastic solver. Methods that reduce computational time for calculating the unsteady aerodynamic coefficients, namely the influence coefficient method and the pulse response method, are also implemented and validated. The present solver showed good correlation with published results for all the flow regimes. It is shown that grid coarsening improved the accuracy of the predictions. A representative flutter calculation showed that both the frequency domain and time domain methods are implemented correctly into the aeroelastic solver.

Reddy, T. S. R.↗

Bending and stretching finite element analysis of anisotropic viscoelastic composite plates

Finite element algorithms have been developed to analyze linear anisotropic viscoelastic plates, with or without holes, subjected to mechanical (bending, tension), temperature, and hygrothermal loadings. The analysis is based on Laplace transforms rather than direct time integrations in order to improve the accuracy of the results and save on extensive computational time and storage. The time dependent displacement fields in the transverse direction for the cross ply and angle ply laminates are calculated and the stacking sequence effects of the laminates are discussed in detail. Creep responses for the plates with or without a circular hole are also studied. The numerical results compare favorably with analytical solutions, i.e. within 1.8 percent for bending and 10(exp -3) 3 percent for tension. The tension results of the present method are compared with those using the direct time integration scheme.

Hilton, Harry H.↗

Space Station GPS Multipath Analysis and Validation

To investigate the multipath effects on the International Space Station (ISS) Global Positioning System (GPS) measurement accuracy, experimental and computational investigations were performed to estimate the carrier phase errors due to multipath. A new modeling approach is used to reduce the required computing time by separating the dynamic structure elements from the static structure elements in the multipath computations. This study confirmed that the multipath is a major error source to the ISS GPS performance and can possibly degrade the attitude determination solution. It is demonstrated that the GPS antenna carrier phase errors due to multipath can be analyzed using the electromagnetic modeling technique such as the Uniform Geometrical Theory of Diffraction (UTD).

Hwu, Shian U.↗

Nonreflecting boundary conditions for the complete unsteady transonic small-disturbance equation

Nonreflecting far-field boundary conditions that are consistent with the complete transonic small-disturbance (TSD) equations are derived. They are implemented in a new code for solving the complete TSD equation and are tested for a harmonically oscillating NACA 64A010 airfoil in transonic flow and for a flat-plate airfoil with a pulse in the angle of attack. Using the new boundary conditions on a relatively small grid, solutions for the airfoil that are obtained that agree with large-grid calculations, resulting in a 44 percent savings in computer time. Frequency responses for the flat plate show that most of the disturbances incident on the computational boundaries are absorbed by the boundary conditions.

Whitlow, W., Jr.↗

A theoretical model for intense microwave pulse propagation in an air breakdown environment

A theoretical model based on two coupled partial differential equations is established to describe the propagation of an intense microwave pulse in air breakdown environment. One is derived from the Poynting theorem, and the other one is the rate equation of electron density. A semiempirical formula of the ionization frequency is adopted for this model. A transformation of these two equations to local time frame of reference is introduced so that they can be solved numerically with considerably reduced computation time.

Kuo, S. P.↗

User's manual for THPLOT, A FORTRAN 77 Computer program for time history plotting

A general purpose FORTRAN 77 computer program (THPLOT) for plotting time histories using Calcomp pen plotters is described. The program is designed to read a time history data file and to generate time history plots for selected time intervals and/or selected data channels. The capabilities of the program are described. The card input required to define the plotting operation is described and examples of card input and the resulting plotted output are given. The examples are followed by a description of the printed output, including both normal output and error messages. Lastly, implementation of the program is described. A complete listing of the program with reference maps produced by the CDC FTN 5.0 compiler is included.

Murray, J. E.↗

Efficient Preconditioning of a High-Order Solver for Multiple Physics

This work addresses preconditioning approaches for an implicit high-order solver frame-work applied to multiple physics. The solver is based on a space-time spectral element method and matrix-free Newton-Krylov solver developed at NASA over the recent years. Within this context, most preconditioning methods are impractical, as the computational time and memory requirements scale poorly with increasing polynomial orders. To improve computational efficiency, we first describe a novel entity-based Block Jacobi preconditioner for the continuous-Galerkin solution of the linear-elasticity and linear-shell equations. Second, we introduce a multigrid algorithm to further reduce time-to-solution on stiff cases arising from continuous-and discontinuous-Galerkin discretizations. Results obtained on relevant single-physics reference solutions, demonstrate the feasibility of the methods, paving the way for high-order solutions of fully coupled multi-physics problems.

STMD↗

Rapid inversion of limb radiance data using an emissivity growth approximation

The time-consuming nature of limb relaxation-type inversion algorithms is due primarily to the numerous integrations over an absorption band to obtain forward radiance values with which to compare measured values. A new method has been devised for the quick and accurate (0.5% error) calculation of single gas broadband (approximately 100 per cm) limb radiance. The method uses a precalculated data base consisting of homogeneous path emissivity vs mass path data for a wide range of temperature and pressure. A 50-km altitude range, 1-km resolution, constituent inversion employing this method requires under 1 sec of computational time when run on modern computer hardware. The method does not rely upon a priori statistical knowledge.

Gordley, L. L.↗

BANDIT in NASTRAN

BANDIT has been implemented into the NASTRAN April '83 release. It is now a permanent feature in NASTRAN and will be included in all future releases for all four computing machines (IBM, CDC, UNIVAC, and VAX). Originally BANDIT operated as a preprocessor of NASTRAN. It read the NASTRAN input cards and produced a set of resequencing (SEOGP) cards that would greatly reduce the computational time required by the matrix decomposition module of NASTRAN for a large structure. In the past, many computer centers had installed BANDIT in their systems together with the NASTRAN program. The user would run the BANDIT program and NASTRAN as if they were one program (or two separated programs depending on how the two programs were actually tied together in the computer systems). In some cases, the user was required to pass the input cards and the output SEQGP cards between the two programs, and n others, the data was manipulated through the use of cataloged disc files. Although there is nothing wrong with this BANDIT-NASTRAN arrangement, there are, however, several shortcomings which are mentioned in this paper. The BANDIT in the NASTRAN April '83 release has removed all the deficiencies, and it comes in one version applicable to the four computing machines.

Chan, G. C.↗

Grid embedding technique using Cartesian grids for Euler solutions

Grid-embedding techniques are presently applied to the solutions of the Euler equations on Cartesian grids for the NACA 0012 airfoil and the multielement SKF1.1 airfoil at transonic speeds. Based on comparisons with solutions on fine grids, it is shown that the present scheme, when used in conjunction with the Runge-Kutta time-stepping scheme as well as Cartesian grids, yields reduced memory requirements and a substantial reduction in computational time, without loss of accuracy.

Micheltree, R. A.↗