Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Element”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,477 records · Page 82
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1989

Finite element analysis of high speed compressible flows using mesh refinement/movement procedures

An adaptive mesh refinement procedure for analyzing high-speed inviscid and viscous compressible flows is described. The adaptation procedure which uses both quadrilateral and triangular elements is implemented with an explicit finite element formulation. Elements in regions of strong and weak gradients are refined or coarsened based on inviscid and viscous indicators. Nodal locations are also adaptively moved to better resolve flow features. The effectiveness of the finite element procedure is demonstrated by modeling flows with complex shock structure and viscous-inviscid interactions. Numerical results are compared with experimental data.

Ramakrishnan, R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Finite element mesh refinement criteria for stress analysis

This paper discusses procedures for finite-element mesh selection and refinement. The objective is to improve accuracy. The procedures are based on (1) the minimization of the stiffness matrix race (optimizing node location); (2) the use of h-version refinement (rezoning, element size reduction, and increasing the number of elements); and (3) the use of p-version refinement (increasing the order of polynomial approximation of the elements). A step-by-step procedure of mesh selection, improvement, and refinement is presented. The criteria for 'goodness' of a mesh are based on strain energy, displacement, and stress values at selected critical points of a structure. An analysis of an aircraft lug problem is presented as an example.

Kittur, Madan G.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Local and global accuracy estimates for boundary element analysis

An a posteriori error estimation strategy for the boundary element solution of two-dimensional heat conduction problem is presented. The error estimate formulation is based on the boundary element equations and employs a least squares fit of the solutions obtained from these equations. A local error estimate is evaluated for the unknown quantity in each element. The global error estimates are found from local (element) quantities. The range and accuracy of the proposed strategy is very good as demonstrated by problems containing smooth and non-smooth solutions.

Rencis, Joseph J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Adaptive remeshing method for finite-element thermal analysis

A finite-element remeshing approach that makes use of quadrilateral and triangular elements is described. The approach uses the solution on a previous mesh to create a new mesh. Meshes are completely unstructured with highly refined elements in regions of steep gradients and larger elements where gradients are smaller. Studies of convergence rates for heat conduction problems with exact solutions show that for problems with highly localized solution variations, the remeshing approach gives smaller solution errors with fewer unknowns than refinement of uniform, structured meshes.

Thornton, Earl A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The abundances of elements and isotopes in the solar wind

Solar wind abundances have now been measured for eleven elements and the isotopes of the noble gases. Aside from solar wind protons and alpha particles, which have been studied extensively since the 1960's, information for heavier elements is limited. Nevertheless, two effects stand out. First is the enrichment of abundances of elements with low first ionization potential (FIP), most likely the combined result of an atom-ion separation process in the upper chromosphere, and a marginal coupling of low-charge-state heavy ions to protons and alphas during the acceleration of the solar wind. Second, there is variability in the solar wind composition over a whole range of time scales. Recent measurements carried out in the earth's magnetosheath during times that included high-speed coronal-hole-associated flows indicate a significantly lower overabundance of low FIP elements. Given the fact that the He/H ratio is remarkably constant in the coronal hole solar wind, this result suggests that both enrichment and variability are reduced in such flows.

Gloeckler, George↗
NASA NTRS1990

Evaluation of finite-element models and stress-intensity factors for surface cracks emanating from stress concentrations

A re-evaluation of the 3-D finite-element models and methods used to analyze surface crack at stress concentrations is presented. Previous finite-element models used by Raju and Newman for surface and corner cracks at holes were shown to have ill-shaped elements at the intersection of the hole and crack boundaries. Improved models, without these ill-shaped elements, were developed for a surface crack at a circular hole and at a semi-circular edge notch. Stress-intensity factors were calculated by both the nodal-force and virtual-crack-closure methods. Comparisons made between the previously developed stress-intensity factor equations and the results from the improved models agreed well except for configurations with large notch-radii-to-plate-thickness ratios. Stress-intensity factors for a semi-elliptical surface crack located at the center of a semi-circular edge notch in a plate subjected to remote tensile loadings were calculated using the improved models.

Tan, P. W.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Crystal chemical effects on the partitioning of trace elements between mineral and melt - An experimental study of melilite with applications to refractory inclusions from carbonaceous chondrites

Results are presented on the partitioning experiments for trace elements Be, Sc, Ba, La, Ce, and Tm between melilite and melt for a bulk composition relevant to Type B inclusions, using a technique, described by Brody and Flemings (1966), by which distributon coeffecients can be obtained over the entire range of crystallization from trace element analysis of a single zoned crystal. Zoned crystals of melilite were grown during controlled cooling rate experiments, and trace element concentrations were determined by SIMS. At each step in the crystal growth, trace element concentrations in the coexisting melt were determined by mass balance, using stepwise integration of a Rayleigh fractionation equation.

Beckett, John R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A SIMS study of lunar 'komatiitic glasses' - Trace element characteristics and possible origin

In Apollo 16 regolith breccias, Wentworth and McKay (1988) identified a suite of minute (less than 120 microns) 'komatiitic glass beads'. The wide major element compositional range, and ultra-Mg-prime character of the glasses suggest a variety of possible origins from complex impact processes to complex volcanic processes involving rather unusual and primitive magmatism. The extent of trace element depletion or enrichment in these glasses appears to be correlated to the siderophile character of the element (ionization potential or experimentally determined silicate melt/Fe metal partition coefficients. The ultra-Mg-prime glasses are depleted in Co relative to a bulk Moon Mg/Co exhibited by many lunar samples (volcanic glasses, basalts, regolith breccia, estimated upper mantle). The low Co and high incompatible element concentrations diminish the possibility that these glasses are a product of lunar komatiitic volcanism or impact, excavation, and melting of a very high Mg-prime plutonic unit.

Shearer, C. K.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Developments in variational methods for high performance plate and shell elements

This paper is part of a series on the variational foundations of high-performance elements, with emphasis on plate and shell elements constructed with the free formulation (FF) and assumed natural strain (ANS) methods. Attention is given to parametrized variational principles that provide a common foundation for the FF and ANS methods, as well as a combination of both. From this unified formulation, a variant of the ANS formulation called the 'assumed natural deviatoric strain' (ANDES) formulation, emerges as an important case. The first ANDES element, a high-performance 9-dof triangular Kirchhoff plate bending element, is briefly described to illustrate the use of the new formulation.

Felippa, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Wideband arrays with variable element sizes

A new planar array architecture based on adding half-sized elements in between the other elements in order to extend the frequency by one octave is proposed and validated. This wideband array with variable element sizes (WAVES) antenna is shown by calculations and by measurements using Archimedean spirals to be the elements necessary to maintain a simple clean mainbeam and principal plane sidelobes below about -10 dB over two octaves. In spite of using a test antenna with a simple parallel feed and no impedance matching or isolation, the agreement between predicted and measured results is good.

Shively, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Thermal-structural finite element analysis using linear flux formulation

A linear flux approach is developed for a finite element thermal-structural analysis of steady state thermal and structural problems. The element fluxes are assumed to vary linearly in the same form as the element unknown variables, and the finite element matrices are evaluated in closed form. Since numerical integration is avoided, significant computational time saving is achieved. Solution accuracy and computational speed improvements are demonstrated by solving several two and three dimensional thermal-structural examples.

Pandey, Ajay K.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Vibration transmission through rolling element bearings in geared rotor systems

A new mathematical model is proposed to examine the vibration transmission through rolling element bearings in geared rotor systems. Current bearing models, based on either ideal boundary conditions for the shaft or purely translational stiffness element description, cannot explain how the vibratory motion may be transmitted from the rotating shaft to the casing. Experimental results have shown that the casing plate motion is primarily flexural. Here, this issue is clarified qualitatively and quantitatively by developing a comprehensive bearing stiffness matrix of dimension 6 to model precision rolling element bearings using basic principles. The proposed bearing stiffness matrix is partially verified using available analytical and experimental data, and is completely characterized. The study extends the proposed bearing formulation to analyze the overall geared rotor system dynamics including casing and mounts. The bearing stiffness matrix is included in discrete system models using lumped parameter and/or dynamic finite element techniques.

Singh, Rajendra↗
NASA NTRS1991

Use of system identification techniques for improving airframe finite element models using test data

A method for using system identification techniques to improve airframe finite element models was developed and demonstrated. The method uses linear sensitivity matrices to relate changes in selected physical parameters to changes in total system matrices. The values for these physical parameters were determined using constrained optimization with singular value decomposition. The method was confirmed using both simple and complex finite element models for which pseudo-experimental data was synthesized directly from the finite element model. The method was then applied to a real airframe model which incorporated all the complexities and details of a large finite element model and for which extensive test data was available. The method was shown to work, and the differences between the identified model and the measured results were considered satisfactory.

Hanagud, Sathya V.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Single element magnetic suspension actuator

The invention, a single element magnetic suspension actuator with bidirectional force capability along a single axis, includes an electromagnet and a nonmagnetic suspended element. A permanent magnet mounted on the suspended element interacts with a magnetic field established by the electromagnet to produce bidirectional forces in response to a variable force command voltage V (sub FC) applied to the electromagnet. A sensor measures the position of the suspended element on the single axis which is a function of force command voltage V (sub FC).

Groom, Nelson J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The MHOST finite element program: 3-D inelastic analysis methods for hot section components. Volume 1: Theoretical manual

Formulations and algorithms implemented in the MHOST finite element program are discussed. The code uses a novel concept of the mixed iterative solution technique for the efficient 3-D computations of turbine engine hot section components. The general framework of variational formulation and solution algorithms are discussed which were derived from the mixed three field Hu-Washizu principle. This formulation enables the use of nodal interpolation for coordinates, displacements, strains, and stresses. Algorithmic description of the mixed iterative method includes variations for the quasi static, transient dynamic and buckling analyses. The global-local analysis procedure referred to as the subelement refinement is developed in the framework of the mixed iterative solution, of which the detail is presented. The numerically integrated isoparametric elements implemented in the framework is discussed. Methods to filter certain parts of strain and project the element discontinuous quantities to the nodes are developed for a family of linear elements. Integration algorithms are described for linear and nonlinear equations included in MHOST program.

Nakazawa, Shohei↗
NASA NTRS1991

Use of system identification techniques for improving airframe finite element models using test data

A method for using system identification techniques to improve airframe finite element models using test data has been developed and demonstrated. The method uses linear sensitivity matrices to relate changes in selected physical parameters to changes in the total system matrices. The values for these physical parameters were determined using constrained optimization with singular value decomposition. The method was confirmed using both simple and complex finite element models for which pseudo-experimental data was synthesized directly from the finite element model. The method was then applied to a real airframe model which incorporated all of the complexities and details of a large finite element model and for which extensive test data was available. The method was shown to work, and the differences between the identified model and the measured results were considered satisfactory.

Hanagud, Sathya V.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Preliminary examination of the Yamato-86032 lunar meteorite. II - Major and trace element chemistry

Results of the chemical composition analysis of Yamato-86032, found in Antarctica in 1986, are summarized. The meteorite may be classified as an anorthositic breccia, but its trace element composition is different from the composition of the other known lunar meteorites. The major element chemistry of Y-86032 is similar to the other lunar meteorites, except for the iron content, which is lower by a factor of about 1.4. The abundances of incompatible and lithophile elements such as Zr, Hf, Ta, Th, or the REEs are very low and comparable to Y-82192/3. Other elements, in particular Fe, Ti, Sc, Cr, Mn, and Co, have lower abundances in Y-86032 than in Y-82192/3. Variations between individual analysis demonstrate that the rock itself is heterogeneous.

Koeberl, Christian↗
NASA NTRS1990

Electromagnetic axisymmetric finite elements based on a gauged four-potential variational principle

Electromagnetic finite elements are derived based on a variational principle that uses the electromagnetic four-potential as a primary variable. The Lorentz gage normalization is incorporated as a constraint condition through a Lagrange multiplier field to construct elements suitable for downstream coupling with mechanical and thermal finite elements for the analysis of high-temperature superconductor devices with aerospace applications. The main advantages are: jump discontinuities on interfaces are naturally handled; no a priori approximations are invoked; and the number of degrees of freedom per node remains modest as the problem dimensionality increases. The new elements are tested on two magnetostatic axisymmetric problems. The results are in excellent agreement with analytical solutions and previous solutions for the 1D problem of a conducting infinite wire, in which case the multiplier field has no effect. For materials of widely different permeability, jump conditions are naturally accommodated by the present formulation.

Schuler, J.↗