• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.75 no.6
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• pp.685-699
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• 2020

Polygonal finite element provides a great flexibility in mesh generation of crack propagation problems where the topology of the domain changes significantly. However, the control of the discretization error in such problems is a main concern. In this paper, a polygonal-FEM is presented in modeling of crack propagation problems via an automatic adaptive mesh refinement procedure. The adaptive mesh refinement is accomplished based on the Zienkiewicz-Zhu error estimator in conjunction with a weighted SPR technique. Adaptive mesh refinement is employed in some steps for reduction of the discretization error and not for tracking the crack. In the steps that no adaptive mesh refinement is required, local modifications are applied on the mesh to prevent poor polygonal element shapes. Finally, several numerical examples are analyzed to demonstrate the efficiency, accuracy and robustness of the proposed computational algorithm in crack propagation problems.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.74 no.4
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• pp.547-557
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• 2020

In this paper, an automatic adaptive mesh refinement procedure is presented for two-dimensional problems on the basis of a new probabilistic error estimator. First-order perturbation theory is employed to determine the lower and upper bounds of the structural displacements and stresses considering uncertainties in geometric sizes, material properties and loading conditions. A new probabilistic error estimator is proposed to reduce the mesh dependency of the responses dispersion. The suggested error estimator neglects the refinement at the critical points with stress concentration. Therefore, the proposed strategy is combined with the classic adaptive mesh refinement to achieve an optimal mesh refined properly in regions with either high gradients or high dispersion of the responses. Several numerical examples are illustrated to demonstrate the efficiency, accuracy and robustness of the proposed computational algorithm and the results are compared with the classic adaptive mesh refinement strategy described in the literature.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.331-340
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• 2010

The basic theory and application of new adaptive finite element algorithm have been proposed in this study including the adaptive hp-refinement strategy, and the effective method for constructing hp-approximation. The hp-adaptive finite element concept needs the integrals of Legendre shape function, nonuniform p-distribution, and suitable constraint of continuity in conjunction with irregular node connection. The continuity of hp-adaptive mesh is an important problem at the common boundary of element interface. To solve this problem, the constraint of continuity has been enforced at the common boundary using the connectivity mapping matrix. The effective method for constructing of the proposed algorithm has been developed by using hierarchical nature of the integrals of Legendre shape function. To verify the proposed algorithm, the problem of simple cantilever beam has been solved by the conventional h-refinement and p-refinement as well as the proposed hp-refinement. The result obtained by hp-refinement approach shows more rapid convergence rate than those by h-refinement and p-refinement schemes. It it noted that the proposed algorithm may be implemented efficiently in practice.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.50-56
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• 2010

Meshfree methods show many advantages over finite element method(FEM) in the class of problems for which the remeshing process is inevitable when the conventional FEM used, such as propagating crack problems, large deformation and so on. One of the promising applications of meshfree methods is the adaptive refinement for problems having multi-scale nature. In this study, an adaptive node generation procedure is proposed and several numerical examples are also presented to illustrate the efficiency of proposed method.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.2932-2943
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• 1994

An efficient approach to the automatic construction of effective quadrilateral finite element meshes for two-dimensional analysis is presented. The procedure is composed of, firstly, an initial mesh generation and, secondly, an h-version of adaptive refinement based on error analysis. As for an initial mesh generation scheme, a modified looping algorithm has been employed. For the adaptive refinement process, an error indicator obtained by computing the residual error of the equilibrium equations in the energy norm with a relaxation factor has been employed. Examples of mesh generation and self-adaptive mesh improvements are given. These example solutions demonstrate that an effective mesh for a given error tolerance can be obtained in a few steps of the analysis processes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.767-793
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• 2011

An efficient edge-based smoothed finite element method (ES-FEM) has been recently developed for solving solid mechanics problems. The ES-FEM uses triangular elements that can be generated easily for complicated domains. In this paper, the complexity study of the ES-FEM based on triangular elements is conducted in detail, which confirms the ES-FEM produces higher computational efficiency compared to the FEM. Therefore, the ES-FEM offers an excellent platform for adaptive analysis, and this paper presents an efficient adaptive procedure based on the ES-FEM. A smoothing domain based energy (SDE) error estimate is first devised making use of the features of the ES-FEM. The present error estimate differs from the conventional approaches and evaluates error based on smoothing domains used in the ES-FEM. A local refinement technique based on the Delaunay algorithm is then implemented to achieve high efficiency in the mesh refinement. In this refinement technique, each node is assigned a scaling factor to control the local nodal density, and refinement of the neighborhood of a node is accomplished simply by adjusting its scaling factor. Intensive numerical studies, including an actual engineering problem of an automobile part, show that the proposed adaptive procedure is effective and efficient in producing solutions of desired accuracy.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.2189-2196
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• 2006

The present work is concerned with the development of a procedure for adaptive computations of shear localization problems. The maximum jump of equivalent strain rates across element boundaries is proposed as a simple error indicator based on interpolation errors, and successfully implemented in the adaptive mesh refinement scheme. The time step is controlled by using a parameter related to the Lipschitz constant, and state variables in target elements for refinements are transferred by $L_2$-projection. Consistent tangent moduli with a proper updating scheme for state variables are used to improve the numerical stability in the formation of shear bands. It is observed that the present adaptive mesh refinement procedure shows an excellent performance in the simulation of shear localization problems.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1990.10a
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• pp.9-15
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• 1990

In this study, an adaptive mesh h-refinement procedure was presented in plate bending problems. By introducing the transition elements for the procedure, same drawbacks due to the irregular nodes are eliminated which are generated in the consequence of local mesh refinement in common adaptive h-version performed by single type of quadrilateral elements. For the above objective, compatible 5-node through 7-node transition plate bending elements are developed by including variable number of midside nodes. Using the Zienkiewicn-Zhu error estimator, some numerical examples are presented to show the effectiveness of the adaptive h-refinement using the transition elements.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.17 no.3_4
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• pp.379-391
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• 2004

This paper deals with the development of h-version adaptive mesh refinement and recovery strategy using variable-node elements and its application to various engineering field problems with 2D quadrilateral and 3D hexahedral models. The variable-node elements which have variable mid-side nodes on edges or faces are effectively used in overcoming some problems in connecting the different layer patterns of the transition zone between the refined and coarse mesh. A modified recovery technique of gradients adequate for variable-node elements and proper selection of error norms for each engineering field problems are proposed. In the region in which the error is greater than the permissible refinement error, the mesh is locally refined by subdivision. Reversely, in some parts of the domain having the error smaller than the permissible recovery error, the mesh is locally recovered (coarsened) by combination. Hierarchical structures (e.g. quadtrees and octrees) and element-based storage structures are composed to perform this adaptive process of refinement and recovery. Some numerical examples of a 3D heat conduction analysis of the concrete with hydration heat and a 2D flow analysis of vortex shedding show effectiveness and validity of the proposed scheme.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.901-920
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• 2016

MeshFree methods have become popular owing to the ease with which high stress gradients can be identified and node density distribution can be reformulated to accomplish faster convergence. This paper presents a strategy for nodal density refinement with strain energy as basis in Element-Free Galerkin MeshFree technique. Two popular flat plate problems are considered for the demonstration of the proposed strategies. Issue of integration errors introduced during nodal density refinement have been addressed by suggesting integration cell refinement. High stress effects around two symmetrical semi-circular notches under in-plane axial load have been addressed in the first problem. The second considers crack propagation under mode I and mode II fracture loading by the way of introducing high stress intensity through line crack. The computational efficacy of the adaptive refinement strategies proposed has been highlighted.