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At least 937 records · Page 52
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

Finite element simulations of viscoelastic flow of blade coating using the log-conformation tensor

Previous studies have demonstrated the benefits of the log-conformation formulation to model viscoelastic fluids; it increases stability at high Weissenberg numbers and ensures that the conformation tensor remains positive-definite. Many studies have applied the log-conformation tensor formulation to benchmark cases; however, relatively few studies investigate using the formulation on more complex flows. In this paper, we extend the log-conformation formulation to the manufacturing-relevant flow of blade coating. We first verify the log-conformation formulation on the benchmark problem of flow past a cylinder using the finite element method, and then apply it to the blade-coating process, in which a viscoelastic fluid entrained by a moving substrate passes under a blade at a constant web speed. We investigate various rheological effects and the resulting film thickness for the blade-coating problem, and compare the results from the log-conformation formulation to those of the original stress formulation. To this end, we show that the log-conformation formulation agrees well with other established methods, and also increases the maximum achievable web speed in the blade-coating problem.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1989

Specialty functions singularity mechanics problems

The focus is in the development of more accurate and efficient advanced methods for solution of singular problems encountered in mechanics. At present, finite element methods in conjunction with special functions, boolean sum and blending interpolations are being considered. In dealing with systems which contain a singularity, special finite elements are being formulated to be used in singular regions. Further, special transition elements are being formulated to couple the special element to the mesh that models the rest of the system, and to be used in conjunction with 1-D, 2-D and 3-D elements within the same mesh. Computational simulation with a least squares fit is being utilized to construct special elements, if there is an unknown singularity in the system. A novel approach is taken in formulation of the elements in that: (1) the material properties are modified to include time, temperature, coordinate and stress dependant behavior within the element; (2) material properties vary at nodal points of the elements; (3) a hidden-symbolic computation scheme is developed and utilized in formulating the elements; and (4) special functions and boolean sum are utilized in order to interpolate the field variables and their derivatives along the boundary of the elements. It may be noted that the proposed methods are also applicable to fluids and coupled problems.

Sarigul, Nesrin↗
NASA NTRS2004

Relaxation and Preconditioning for High Order Discontinuous Galerkin Methods with Applications to Aeroacoustics and High Speed Flows

This project is about the investigation of the development of the discontinuous Galerkin finite element methods, for general geometry and triangulations, for solving convection dominated problems, with applications to aeroacoustics. Other related issues in high order WENO finite difference and finite volume methods have also been investigated. methods are two classes of high order, high resolution methods suitable for convection dominated simulations with possible discontinuous or sharp gradient solutions. In [18], we first review these two classes of methods, pointing out their similarities and differences in algorithm formulation, theoretical properties, implementation issues, applicability, and relative advantages. We then present some quantitative comparisons of the third order finite volume WENO methods and discontinuous Galerkin methods for a series of test problems to assess their relative merits in accuracy and CPU timing. In [3], we review the development of the Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) methods for non-linear convection-dominated problems. These robust and accurate methods have made their way into the main stream of computational fluid dynamics and are quickly finding use in a wide variety of applications. They combine a special class of Runge-Kutta time discretizations, that allows the method to be non-linearly stable regardless of its accuracy, with a finite element space discretization by discontinuous approximations, that incorporates the ideas of numerical fluxes and slope limiters coined during the remarkable development of the high-resolution finite difference and finite volume schemes. The resulting RKDG methods are stable, high-order accurate, and highly parallelizable schemes that can easily handle complicated geometries and boundary conditions. We review the theoretical and algorithmic aspects of these methods and show several applications including nonlinear conservation laws, the compressible and incompressible Navier-Stokes equations, and Hamilton-Jacobi-like equations.

Shu, Chi-Wang↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-J-86: Method to Include Tissue Dose Response Effect in Deformable Image Registration

Purpose: Organ changes shape and size during radiation treatment due to both mechanical stress and radiation dose response. However, the dose response induced deformation has not been considered in conventional deformable image registration (DIR). A novel DIR approach is proposed to include both tissue elasticity and radiation dose induced organ deformation. Methods: Assuming that organ sub-volume shrinkage was proportional to the radiation dose induced cell killing/absorption, the dose induced organ volume change was simulated applying virtual temperature on each sub-volume. Hence, both stress and heterogeneity temperature induced organ deformation. Thermal stress finite element method with organ surface boundary condition was used to solve deformation. Initial boundary correspondence on organ surface was created from conventional DIR. Boundary condition was updated by an iterative optimization scheme to minimize elastic deformation energy. The registration was validated on a numerical phantom. Treatment dose was constructed applying both the conventional DIR and the proposed method using daily CBCT image obtained from HN treatment. Results: Phantom study showed 2.7% maximal discrepancy with respect to the actual displacement. Compared with conventional DIR, subvolume displacement difference in a right parotid had the mean±SD (Min, Max) to be 1.1±0.9(−0.4∼4.8), −0.1±0.9(−2.9∼2.4) and −0.1±0.9(−3.4∼1.9)mm in RL/PA/SI directions respectively. Mean parotid dose and V30 constructed including the dose response induced shrinkage were 6.3% and 12.0% higher than those from the conventional DIR. Conclusion: Heterogeneous dose distribution in normal organ causes non-uniform sub-volume shrinkage. Sub-volume in high dose region has a larger shrinkage than the one in low dose region, therefore causing more sub-volumes to move into the high dose area during the treatment course. This leads to an unfavorable dose-volume relationship for the normal organ. Without including this effect in DIR, treatment dose in normal organ could be underestimated affecting treatment evaluation and planning modification. Acknowledgement: Partially Supported by Elekta Research Grant.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Demonstration of a directional sonic prism in two dimensions using an air-acoustic leaky wave antenna

Analysis and experimental demonstration of a two-dimensional acoustic leaky wave antenna is presented for use in air. The antenna is comprised of a two-dimensional waveguide patterned with radiating acoustic shunts. When excited using a single acoustic source within the waveguide, the antenna acts as a sonic prism that exhibits frequency steering. This design allows for control of acoustic steering angle using only a single source transducer and a patterned aperture. Aperture design was determined using transmission line analysis and finite element methods. The designed antenna was fabricated and the steering angle measured. The performance of the measured aperture was within 9% of predicted angle magnitudes over all examined frequencies.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Improving Tumor Treating Fields Treatment Efficacy in Patients With Glioblastoma Using Personalized Array Layouts

Purpose: To investigate tumors of different size, shape, and location and the effect of varying transducer layouts on Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) distribution in an anisotropic model. Methods and Materials: A realistic human head model was generated from MR images of 1 healthy subject. Four different virtual tumors were placed at separate locations. The transducer arrays were modeled to mimic the TTFields-delivering commercial device. For each tumor location, varying array layouts were tested. The finite element method was used to calculate the electric field distribution, taking into account tissue heterogeneity and anisotropy. Results: In all tumors, the average electric field induced by either of the 2 perpendicular array layouts exceeded the 1-V/cm therapeutic threshold value for TTFields effectiveness. Field strength within a tumor did not correlate with its size and shape but was higher in more superficial tumors. Additionally, it always increased when the array was adapted to the tumor's location. Compared with a default layout, the largest increase in field strength was 184%, and the highest average field strength induced in a tumor was 2.21 V/cm. Conclusions: These results suggest that adapting array layouts to specific tumor locations can significantly increase field strength within the tumor. Our findings support the idea of personalized treatment planning to increase TTFields efficacy for patients with GBM.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Entropy-based artificial viscosity stabilization for non-equilibrium Grey Radiation-Hydrodynamics

The entropy viscosity method is extended to the non-equilibrium Grey Radiation-Hydrodynamic equations. The method employs a viscous regularization to stabilize the numerical solution. The artificial viscosity coefficient is modulated by the entropy production and peaks at shock locations. The added dissipative terms are consistent with the entropy minimum principle. A new functional form of the entropy residual, suitable for the Radiation-Hydrodynamic equations, is derived. We demonstrate that the viscous regularization preserves the equilibrium diffusion limit. The equations are discretized with a standard Continuous Galerkin Finite Element Method and a fully implicit temporal integrator within the MOOSE multiphysics framework. The method of manufactured solutions is employed to demonstrate second-order accuracy in both the equilibrium diffusion and streaming limits. Several typical 1-D radiation-hydrodynamic test cases with shocks (from Mach 1.05 to Mach 50) are presented to establish the ability of the technique to capture and resolve shocks.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Developing a laser shockwave model for characterizing diffusion bonded interfaces

The US National Nuclear Security Agency has a Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) with the goal of reducing the worldwide use of high-enriched uranium (HEU). A salient component of that initiative is the conversion of research reactors from HEU to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuels. An innovative fuel is being developed to replace HEU in high-power research reactors. The new LEU fuel is a monolithic fuel made from a U-Mo alloy foil encapsulated in Al-6061 cladding. In order to support the fuel qualification process, the Laser Shockwave Technique (LST) is being developed to characterize the clad-clad and fuel-clad interface strengths in fresh and irradiated fuel plates. LST is a non-contact method that uses lasers for the generation and detection of large amplitude acoustic waves to characterize interfaces in nuclear fuel plates. However, because the deposition of laser energy into the containment layer on a specimen's surface is intractably complex, the shock wave energy is inferred from the surface velocity measured on the backside of the fuel plate and the depth of the impression left on the surface by the high pressure plasma pulse created by the shock laser. To help quantify the stresses generated at the interfaces, a finite element method (FEM) model is being utilized. This paper will report on initial efforts to develop and validate the model by comparing numerical and experimental results for back surface velocities and front surface depressions in a single aluminum plate representative of the fuel cladding.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Finite element approximation of the radiative transport equation in a medium with piece-wise constant refractive index

The radiative transport equation can be used as a light transport model in a medium with scattering particles, such as biological tissues. In the radiative transport equation, the refractive index is assumed to be constant within the medium. However, in biomedical media, changes in the refractive index can occur between different tissue types. In this work, light propagation in a medium with piece-wise constant refractive index is considered. Light propagation in each sub-domain with a constant refractive index is modeled using the radiative transport equation and the equations are coupled using boundary conditions describing Fresnel reflection and refraction phenomena on the interfaces between the sub-domains. The resulting coupled system of radiative transport equations is numerically solved using a finite element method. The approach is tested with simulations. The results show that this coupled system describes light propagation accurately through comparison with the Monte Carlo method. It is also shown that neglecting the internal changes of the refractive index can lead to erroneous boundary measurements of scattered light.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

GaAs/Ge crystals grown on Si substrates patterned down to the micron scale

Monolithic integration of III-V compounds into high density Si integrated circuits is a key technological challenge for the next generation of optoelectronic devices. In this work, we report on the metal organic vapor phase epitaxy growth of strain-free GaAs crystals on Si substrates patterned down to the micron scale. The differences in thermal expansion coefficient and lattice parameter are adapted by a 2-μm-thick intermediate Ge layer grown by low-energy plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The GaAs crystals evolve during growth towards a pyramidal shape, with lateral facets composed of (111) planes and an apex formed by (137) and (001) surfaces. The influence of the anisotropic GaAs growth kinetics on the final morphology is highlighted by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy measurements. The effect of the Si pattern geometry, substrate orientation, and crystal aspect ratio on the GaAs structural properties was investigated by means of high resolution X-ray diffraction. The thermal strain relaxation process of GaAs crystals with different aspect ratio is discussed within the framework of linear elasticity theory by Finite Element Method simulations based on realistic geometries extracted from cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy images.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

An FEM-MLMC algorithm for a moving shutter diffraction in time stochastic model

We consider a moving shutter and non-deterministic generalization of the diffraction in time model introduced by Moshinsky several decades ago to study a class of quantum transients. We first develop a moving-mesh finite element method (FEM) to simulate the determisitic version of the model. We then apply the FEM and multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC) algorithm to the stochastic moving-domain model for simulation of approximate statistical moments of the density profile of the stochastic transients.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Hierarchical Multiscale Process Modeling of A Textile Composite Y-Joint for the Aurora D8 Aircraft

Woven polymer matrix composites (PMCs) are widely used in aerospace applications for their favorable specific properties. However, the behavior of the inter- and intra-tow matrix during manufacturing of woven PMCs is difficult to isolate experimentally due to geometric and processing complexities. Classical closed-form homogenization approaches allow for composite thermos-chemo-mechanical properties to be characterized at any fiber volume fraction. In this work, virtual curing is applied to the inter- and intra-tow matrix materials of a plain weave repeating unit cell (RUC). Thermo-chemo-mechanical property evolution within the tows is calculated using the Concentric Cylinder Model (CCM) and the Rule of Mixtures (ROM). Curing is implemented through user-written subroutines within the commercial finite element method software Abaqus. Virtual curing results are compared with those from a linear-elastic thermal cool down simulation in Abaqus. Results indicate that tow property evolution during curing has a non-negligible effect on the final stress state.

curing↗
DOE OSTI2016

Numerical and experimental study of Lamb wave propagation in a two-dimensional acoustic black hole

The propagation of laser-generated Lamb waves in a two-dimensional acoustic black-hole structure was studied numerically and experimentally. The geometrical acoustic theory has been applied to calculate the beam trajectories in the region of the acoustic black hole. The finite element method was also used to study the time evolution of propagating waves. An optical system based on the laser-Doppler vibration method was assembled. The effect of the focusing wave and the reduction in wave speed of the acoustic black hole has been validated.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

The Young's modulus of high-aspect-ratio carbon/carbon nanotube composite microcantilevers by experimental and modeling validation

This paper reports the Young's modulus of a carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced carbon/CNT (C/CNT) composite microcantilevers measured by laser Doppler vibrometer and validated by finite element method. Also, the microfabrication process of the high-aspect-ratio C/CNT microcantilever arrays based on silicon micromolding and pyrolysis is presented in detail. With the in-plane natural resonant frequencies of the microcantilevers measured by a laser Doppler vibrometer, a single degree of freedom (SDoF) model based on Euler-Bernoulli (E-B) beam theory is used to calculate the Young's modulus of this composite. To figure out whether this SDoF model can be applied to these composite microcantilevers, the finite element (FE) simulation of these microcantilevers was performed. The Young's modulus of C/CNT composite microcantilevers fabricated by the pyrolysis process at 600 °C is 9391 MPa, and a good agreement between the results from experiments and FE simulation is obtained.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Alignment of graphene oxide nanostructures between microgap electrodes via dielectrophoresis for hydrogen gas sensing applications

Graphene oxide (GO) nanostructures have been aligned between conducting electrodes via dielectrophoresis (DEP) with different electrical configurations. The arrangement of ground with respect to peak-to-peak voltage (V{sub pp}) plays a crucial role in manipulating the GO nanostructures. Grounds on both sides of the V{sub pp} electrode give an excellent linking of GO nanostructures which is explained by scanning electron microscopy and current-voltage characteristics. A finite element method simulation explains the electric field and voltage variation profile during DEP process. The optimized aligned GO nanostructures are used as hydrogen gas sensor with a sensitivity of 6.0% for 800 ppm hydrogen gas.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Crash simulation of UNS electric vehicle under frontal front impact

Sebelas Maret University has been developing an Electric Vehicle namely SmarT-EV UNS. The main structure of the car are chasis and body. The chasis is made from steel and the body is made from fiberglass composite. To ensure the safety of the car, both static and dynamic tests were carried out to these structures, including their materials, like: tensile test, bending test, and impact test. Another test needed by this vehicle is crashworthiness test. To perform the test, it is needed complex equipments and it is quite expensive. Another way to obtain vehicle crashworthiness behaviour is by simulate it. The purpose of this study was to simulate the response of the Smart-EV UNS electric vehicle main structure when crashing rigid barrier from the front. The crash simulation was done in according to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) within the speed of the vehicle of 35 mph. The UNS Electric Vehicle was modelled using SolidWorks software, and the simulation process was done by finite element method using ANSYS software. The simulation result showed that the most internal impact energy was absorbed by chassis part. It absorbed 76.2% of impact energy, then the base absorbed 11.3 %, while the front body absorbed 2.5 %, and the rest was absorbed by fender, hood, and other parts.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2019

Effects of Nucleus Density and Dendritic Growth Influenced by Ti and Nb on Solidification Structure of Fe-18 Pct Cr Ferritic Stainless Steel

The effects of nucleus density and dendritic growth influenced by Ti and Nb on the solidification structure of Fe-18 pct Cr ferritic stainless steel (FSS) ingots were investigated. The equiaxed zone ratios (EZR) were 8.5, 28.8, 67.5, and 57.3 pct in the blank, Nb-bearing, Ti-bearing, and Ti-Nb-bearing FSS ingots, respectively. The grain size was the smallest in the Ti-Nb-bearing ingot. Silicon oxide was present in the blank sample and Nb-bearing ingot, but the complex nuclei that were composed of TiO{sub x}-Ti(C, N) and TiO{sub x}-(Ti, Nb){sub x}(C, N){sub y} existed in the Ti-bearing and Ti-Nb-bearing ingots, respectively. The bulk density of the complex nucleus decreased by 70 pct when the Ti content decreased from 0.16 to 0.14 mass pct. Thermodynamic calculations indicate that the phase transformation from Ti{sub 3}O{sub 5} to Ti{sub 2}O{sub 3} was delayed in the ingot with a lower Ti content and that the Ti{sub 2}O{sub 3} shows more potential for TiN nucleation compared with Ti{sub 3}O{sub 5} according to the disregistry theory. The increased EZR mechanism was illustrated by a cellular-automaton–finite-element method with actual distribution statistics of the complex nucleus and dendritic-growth-kinetic analysis. The heterogeneous nucleation effect of the complex nucleus by Ti addition and the variations in dendritic-growth kinetics by Ti and Nb contribute to the EZR increase of FSS.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗