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Complex Geometries (complex + geometry)
Selected AbstractsStructuring Strategies for Complex GeometriesARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, Issue 4 2010Wolf Mangelsdorf Abstract Over the last couple of decades, computation has proved a great facilitator for design, allowing far greater scope for analysis and generative design. Intelligent engineering, though, can only be truly set apart by the pursuit of the right design strategy, as outlined here by Wolf Mangelsdorf of Buro Happold. Mangelsdorf highlights four different models that enable the generation and engineering of geometrically complex forms and describes how they have been applied by Buro Happold in four very diverse projects with different architect collaborators. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Properties of discrete Chebyshev collocation differential operators in curvilinear geometriesNUMERICAL LINEAR ALGEBRA WITH APPLICATIONS, Issue 8 2008P. Pironkov Abstract The properties of discrete systems resulting from spectral Chebyshev collocation discretizations are investigated with respect to the solution efficiency of corresponding solvers. Complex geometries are encountered by a mapping technique to connect computational and physical domains. Several representative transformation techniques are considered. The influences of the differential operators, the boundary conditions, the geometry, and the number of grid points are systematically studied. The convergence properties of the BiCGSTAB method when iteratively solving the discrete systems are investigated. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Fast Inverse Reflector Design (FIRD)COMPUTER GRAPHICS FORUM, Issue 8 2009A. Mas I.3.7 [Computer Graphics]: Three-Dimensional Graphics and Realism; I.3.5 [Computer Graphics]: Computational Geometry and Object Modeling , Physically based modeling; I.3.1 [Hardware architecture]: Graphics processors Abstract This paper presents a new inverse reflector design method using a GPU-based computation of outgoing light distribution from reflectors. We propose a fast method to obtain the outgoing light distribution of a parametrized reflector, and then compare it with the desired illumination. The new method works completely in the GPU. We trace millions of rays using a hierarchical height-field representation of the reflector. Multiple reflections are taken into account. The parameters that define the reflector shape are optimized in an iterative procedure in order for the resulting light distribution to be as close as possible to the desired, user-provided one. We show that our method can calculate reflector lighting at least one order of magnitude faster than previous methods, even with millions of rays, complex geometries and light sources. [source] Diffusion of strongly sorbed solutes in soil: a dual-porosity model allowing for slow access to sorption sites and time-dependent sorption reactionsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2010M. Ptashnyk We use homogenization techniques to derive a dual (or double) porosity model of solute diffusion and reaction in soil, allowing for slow access to sorption sites within micro-aggregates and time-dependent sorption reactions. We give a means for determining the conditions in which micro-scale concentration gradients affect macro-scale gradients and fluxes. We present equations for a unit volume of soil represented as a series of uniformly-spaced, porous spherical particles, containing and surrounded by solution through which solutes diffuse. The methods we use can, in principle, be applied to more complex geometries. We compare the model's predictions with those of the equivalent single porosity model for commonly used boundary conditions. We show that failure to allow for slow access to reaction sites can lead to seriously erroneous results. Slow access has the effect of decreasing the sorption of solute into soil from a source or desorption from soil to a sink. As a result of slow access, the diffusion coefficients of strongly-sorbed solutes measured at the macro-scale will be time-dependent and will depend on the method of measurement. We also show that slow access is more often likely to limit macro-scale diffusion than rates of slow chemical reactions per se. In principle, the unimportance of slow reactions except at periods longer than several weeks of diffusion simplifies modelling because, if slow access is correctly allowed for, sorption can be described with equilibrium relations with an understanding of speciation and rapid sorption-desorption reactions. [source] Evaluation of creep damage accumulation models: Considerations of stepped testing and highly stressed volumeFATIGUE & FRACTURE OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES, Issue 8 2007W. A. GRELL ABSTRACT Many components experience combined temperature and stress loading and are designed to withstand creep. In this study, experimental creep testing was performed under both static and stepped loading conditions with constant temperature for two specimen geometries (tensile and three-point bend). The objective of this study was to evaluate whether existing damage accumulation models accurately predict creep performance when considering step loading and stress gradients. Model predictions, based on static tensile creep data and using a highly stressed volume correction for the three-point bend specimens and the experimental average damage sum, agreed well with experimental data; differences were on average within 38% (static) and 2.2 h (stepped). Comparisons showed more accurate predictions using an exponential Larson,Miller parameter curve and the Pavlou damage accumulation model. Findings of the current study have applicability to component design, where complex geometries often contain stress gradients and it is desirable to predict creep performance from static tensile creep data. [source] Thermally Responsive Biomineralization on Biodegradable Substrates,ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 16 2007J. Shi Abstract Biomineralization offers an elegant example of how nature can design complex, hierarchical, and structurally/morphologically controllable materials. In this work, the surface of bioactive substrates prepared from poly(L -lactic acid) and reinforced with Bioglass are modified by the graft polymerization of poly(N -isopropylacrylamide), (PNIPAAm) after plasma activation. It is found that such treatment, together with temperature, could trigger the formation of apatite on the biodegradable substrate upon immersion in simulated body fluid above the PNIPAAm lower critical solution temperature (LCST); in contrast, no apatite is formed at room temperature. A control experiment on a material that is not subjected to surface treatment does not show any evidence of mineral deposition at the two analyzed temperatures. This "smart" biomineralization concept is combined with patterning methodologies to control the microstructure of the surface onto which PNIPAAm is grafted. In this case, the apatite is formed at 37,°C in the modified regions. We suggest that this concept could be extended in the biomimetic production of other minerals, where it would be triggered by another kind of stimulus (e.g., pH or ionic strength) in substrates with more complex geometries. [source] Non-locking tetrahedral finite element for surgical simulationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 7 2009Grand Roman Joldes Abstract To obtain a very fast solution for finite element models used in surgical simulations, low-order elements, such as the linear tetrahedron or the linear under-integrated hexahedron, must be used. Automatic hexahedral mesh generation for complex geometries remains a challenging problem, and therefore tetrahedral or mixed meshes are often necessary. Unfortunately, the standard formulation of the linear tetrahedral element exhibits volumetric locking in case of almost incompressible materials. In this paper, we extend the average nodal pressure (ANP) tetrahedral element proposed by Bonet and Burton for a better handling of multiple material interfaces. The new formulation can handle multiple materials in a uniform way with better accuracy, while requiring only a small additional computation effort. We discuss some implementation issues and show how easy an existing Total Lagrangian Explicit Dynamics algorithm can be modified in order to support the new element formulation. The performance evaluation of the new element shows the clear improvement in reaction forces and displacements predictions compared with the ANP element in case of models consisting of multiple materials. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] An integral-collocation-based fictitious-domain technique for solving elliptic problemsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 11 2008N. Mai-Duy Abstract This paper presents a new fictitious-domain technique for numerically solving elliptic second-order partial differential equations (PDEs) in complex geometries. The proposed technique is based on the use of integral-collocation schemes and Chebyshev polynomials. The boundary conditions on the actual boundary are implemented by means of integration constants. The method works for both Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions. Several test problems are considered to verify the technique. Numerical results show that the present method yields spectral accuracy for smooth (analytic) problems. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Octree-based reasonable-quality hexahedral mesh generation using a new set of refinement templatesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 13 2009Yasushi Ito Abstract An octree-based mesh generation method is proposed to create reasonable-quality, geometry-adapted unstructured hexahedral meshes automatically from triangulated surface models without any sharp geometrical features. A new, easy-to-implement, easy-to-understand set of refinement templates is developed to perform local mesh refinement efficiently even for concave refinement domains without creating hanging nodes. A buffer layer is inserted on an octree core mesh to improve the mesh quality significantly. Laplacian-like smoothing, angle-based smoothing and local optimization-based untangling methods are used with certain restrictions to further improve the mesh quality. Several examples are shown to demonstrate the capability of our hexahedral mesh generation method for complex geometries. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A FETI-based multi-time-step coupling method for Newmark schemes in structural dynamicsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 13 2004A. Prakash Abstract We present an efficient and accurate multi-time-step coupling method using FETI domain decomposition for structural dynamics. Using this method one can divide a large structural mesh into a number of smaller subdomains, solve the individual subdomains separately and couple the solutions together to obtain the solution to the original problem. The various subdomains can be integrated in time using different time steps and/or different Newmark schemes. This approach will be most effective for very large-scale simulations on complex geometries. Our coupling method builds upon a method previously proposed by Gravouil and Combescure (GC method). We show that for the simplest case when the same time step is used in all subdomains of the mesh our method reduces to the GC method and is unconditionally stable and energy preserving. In addition, we show that our method possesses these desirable properties for general multi-time-step cases too unlike the GC method which is dissipative. Greater computational efficiency is also achieved through our method by limiting the computation of interface forces to the largest time step as opposed to the smallest time step in the GC method. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Finite element analysis and evaluation of design limits for structural materials in a cyclic state of creepINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 14 2003M. Boulbibane Abstract In this paper a direct non-time stepping method derived from the minimum theorems given by the authors (European Journal of Mechanics , A/Solids 2002; 21:915,925) is outlined. This method can be used in the prediction of the deformation and life assessment of structures subjected to cyclic mechanical and thermal loadings. It produces accurate predictions of failure modes based on material behaviour incorporated into constitutive equations. It also can be used to define limit loads related to certain design criteria. Generally, for complex geometries and load histories, the identification of load histories that correspond to predefined design conditions, in the form of time or number of cycles to failure, can only be achieved by extensive and repeated calculations. For the Linear Matching Method, however, the representation of materially non-linear stress and strain fields by linear behaviour with spatially varying moduli, indicates the possibility that direct evaluation of loads and temperature ranges that correspond to a design restriction may be evaluated directly through the construction of the exact cyclic state and via sequence of approximations. The technique employs the finite element method combined with the cyclic state solution. The description of the material behaviour is given by a non-linear viscous model (Norton's law). It can also apply to any class of material behaviour that includes internal state variables. This technique has been applied successfully to a set of characteristics problems (Bree problem and plate containing a circular hole and subjected to radial temperature gradient). Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A hybrid immersed boundary and material point method for simulating 3D fluid,structure interaction problemsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 12 2008Anvar Gilmanov Abstract A numerical method is developed for solving the 3D, unsteady, incompressible Navier,Stokes equations in curvilinear coordinates containing immersed boundaries (IBs) of arbitrary geometrical complexity moving and deforming under forces acting on the body. Since simulations of flow in complex geometries with deformable surfaces require special treatment, the present approach combines a hybrid immersed boundary method (HIBM) for handling complex moving boundaries and a material point method (MPM) for resolving structural stresses and movement. This combined HIBM & MPM approach is presented as an effective approach for solving fluid,structure interaction (FSI) problems. In the HIBM, a curvilinear grid is defined and the variable values at grid points adjacent to a boundary are forced or interpolated to satisfy the boundary conditions. The MPM is used for solving the equations of solid structure and communicates with the fluid through appropriate interface-boundary conditions. The governing flow equations are discretized on a non-staggered grid layout using second-order accurate finite-difference formulas. The discrete equations are integrated in time via a second-order accurate dual time stepping, artificial compressibility scheme. Unstructured, triangular meshes are employed to discretize the complex surface of the IBs. The nodes of the surface mesh constitute a set of Lagrangian control points used for tracking the motion of the flexible body. The equations of the solid body are integrated in time via the MPM. At every instant in time, the influence of the body on the flow is accounted for by applying boundary conditions at stationary curvilinear grid nodes located in the exterior but in the immediate vicinity of the body by reconstructing the solution along the local normal to the body surface. The influence of the fluid on the body is defined through pressure and shear stresses acting on the surface of the body. The HIBM & MPM approach is validated for FSI problems by solving for a falling rigid and flexible sphere in a fluid-filled channel. The behavior of a capsule in a shear flow was also examined. Agreement with the published results is excellent. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Coupled ghost fluid/two-phase level set method for curvilinear body-fitted gridsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 9 2007Juntao Huang Abstract A coupled ghost fluid/two-phase level set method to simulate air/water turbulent flow for complex geometries using curvilinear body-fitted grids is presented. The proposed method is intended to treat ship hydrodynamics problems. The original level set method for moving interface flows was based on Heaviside functions to smooth all fluid properties across the interface. We call this the Heaviside function method (HFM). The HFM requires fine grids across the interface. The ghost fluid method (GFM) has been designed to explicitly enforce the interfacial jump conditions, but the implementation of the jump conditions in curvilinear grids is intricate. To overcome these difficulties a coupled GFM/HFM method was developed in which approximate jump conditions are derived for piezometric pressure and velocity and pressure gradients based on exact continuous velocity and stress and jump in momentum conditions with the jump in density maintained but continuity of the molecular and turbulent viscosities imposed. The implementation of the ghost points is such that no duplication of memory storage is necessary. The level set method is adopted to locate the air/water interface, and a fast marching method was implemented in curvilinear grids to reinitialize the level set function. Validations are performed for three tests: super- and sub-critical flow without wave breaking and an impulsive plunging wave breaking over 2D submerged bumps, and the flow around surface combatant model DTMB 5512. Comparisons are made against experimental data, HFM and single-phase level set computations. The proposed method performed very well and shows great potential to treat complicated turbulent flows related to ship flows. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Improvement of mass source/sink for an immersed boundary methodINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 11 2007Wei-Xi Huang Abstract An improved immersed boundary method using a mass source/sink as well as momentum forcing is developed for simulating flows over or inside complex geometries. The present method is based on the Navier,Stokes solver adopting the fractional step method and a staggered Cartesian grid system. A more accurate formulation of the mass source/sink is derived by considering mass conservation of the virtual cells in the fluid crossed by the immersed boundary. Two flow problems (the decaying vortex problem and uniform flow past a circular cylinder) are used to validate the proposed formulation. The results indicate that the accuracy near the immersed boundary is improved by introducing the accurate mass source/sink. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] High-order stable interpolations for immersed boundary methodsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 11 2006Nikolaus Peller Abstract The analysis and improvement of an immersed boundary method (IBM) for simulating turbulent flows over complex geometries are presented. Direct forcing is employed. It consists in interpolating boundary conditions from the solid body to the Cartesian mesh on which the computation is performed. Lagrange and least squares high-order interpolations are considered. The direct forcing IBM is implemented in an incompressible finite volume Navier,Stokes solver for direct numerical simulations (DNS) and large eddy simulations (LES) on staggered grids. An algorithm to identify the body and construct the interpolation schemes for arbitrarily complex geometries consisting of triangular elements is presented. A matrix stability analysis of both interpolation schemes demonstrates the superiority of least squares interpolation over Lagrange interpolation in terms of stability. Preservation of time and space accuracy of the original solver is proven with the laminar two-dimensional Taylor,Couette flow. Finally, practicability of the method for simulating complex flows is demonstrated with the computation of the fully turbulent three-dimensional flow in an air-conditioning exhaust pipe. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Large eddy simulation of turbulent flows via domain decomposition techniques.INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 4 2005Part 1: theory Abstract The present paper discusses large eddy simulations of incompressible turbulent flows in complex geometries. Attention is focused on the application of the Schur complement method for the solution of the elliptic equations arising from the fractional step procedure and/or the semi-implicit discretization of the momentum equations in velocity,pressure representation. Fast direct and iterative Poisson solvers are compared and their global efficiency evaluated both in serial and parallel architecture environments for model problems of physical relevance. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Large eddy simulation of turbulent flows via domain decomposition techniques.INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 4 2005Part 2: applications Abstract The present paper discusses the application of large eddy simulation to incompressible turbulent flows in complex geometries. Algorithmic developments concerning the flow solver were provided in the companion paper (Int. J. Numer. Meth. Fluids, 2003; submitted), which addressed the development and validation of a multi-domain kernel suitable for the integration of the elliptic partial differential equations arising from the fractional step procedure applied to the incompressible Navier,Stokes equations. Numerical results for several test problems are compared to reference experimental and numerical data to demonstrate the potential of the method. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Numerical simulation of dense gas flows on unstructured grids with an implicit high resolution upwind Euler solverINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 7 2004P. Colonna Abstract The study of the dense gas flows which occur in many technological applications demands for fluid dynamic simulation tools incorporating complex thermodynamic models that are not usually available in commercial software. Moreover, the software mentioned can be used to study very interesting phenomena that usually go under the name of ,non-classical gasdynamics', which are theoretically predicted for high molecular weight fluids in the superheated region, close to saturation. This paper presents the numerical methods and models implemented in a computer code named zFlow which is capable of simulating inviscid dense gas flows in complex geometries. A detailed description of the space discretization method used to approximate the Euler equations on unstructured grids and for general equations of state, and a summary of the thermodynamic functions required by the mentioned formulation are also given. The performance of the code is demonstrated by presenting two applications, the calculation of the transonic flow around an airfoil computed with both the ideal gas and a complex equation of state and the simulation of the non-classical phenomena occurring in a supersonic flow between two staggered sinusoidal blades. Non-classical effects are simulated in a supersonic flow of a siloxane using a Peng,Robinson-type equation of state. Siloxanes are a class of substances used as working fluids in organic Rankine cycles turbines. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Linearized and non-linear acoustic/viscous splitting techniques for low Mach number flowsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 10 2003Mohammad Farshchi Abstract Computation of the acoustic disturbances generated by unsteady low-speed flow fields including vortices and shear layers is considered. The equations governing the generation and propagation of acoustic fluctuations are derived from a two-step acoustic/viscous splitting technique. An optimized high order dispersion,relation,preserving scheme is used for the solution of the acoustic field. The acoustic field generated by a corotating vortex pair is obtained using the above technique. The computed sound field is compared with the existing analytic solution. Results are in good agreement with the analytic solution except near the centre of the vortices where the acoustic pressure becomes singular. The governing equations for acoustic fluctuations are then linearized and solved for the same model problem. The difference between non-linear and linearized solutions falls below the numerical error of the simulation. However, a considerable saving in CPU time usage is achieved in solving the linearized equations. The results indicate that the linearized acoustic/viscous splitting technique for the simulation of acoustic fluctuations generation and propagation by low Mach number flow fields seems to be very promising for three-dimensional problems involving complex geometries. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Numerical simulation of three-dimensional free surface flowsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 7 2003V. Maronnier Abstract A numerical model is presented for the simulation of complex fluid flows with free surfaces in three space dimensions. The model described in Maronnier et al. (J. Comput. Phys. 1999; 155(2) : 439) is extended to three dimensional situations. The mathematical formulation of the model is similar to that of the volume of fluid (VOF) method, but the numerical procedures are different. A splitting method is used for the time discretization. At each time step, two advection problems,one for the predicted velocity field and the other for the volume fraction of liquid,are to be solved. Then, a generalized Stokes problem is solved and the velocity field is corrected. Two different grids are used for the space discretization. The two advection problems are solved on a fixed, structured grid made out of small cubic cells, using a forward characteristic method. The generalized Stokes problem is solved using continuous, piecewise linear stabilized finite elements on a fixed, unstructured mesh of tetrahedrons. The three-dimensional implementation is discussed. Efficient postprocessing algorithms enhance the quality of the numerical solution. A hierarchical data structure reduces memory requirements. Numerical results are presented for complex geometries arising in mold filling. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Analysis of the near-wall behaviour of some self-adaptive subgrid-scale models in finite-differenced simulations of channel flowINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 10 2002P. Sagaut Abstract Self-adaptive subgrid-scale models are proposed and assessed. They are based on the use of the Germano,Lilly dynamic procedure and the use of a selection function. These models, which do not incorporate any information related to the location of the solid walls, are well suited for the simulation of turbulent flows in complex geometries. Their reliability, when used together with a second-order non-dissipative numerical method, is assessed on the plane channel configuration for two values of the Reynolds number (Re, = 180 and 395) for two grid resolutions. The selection function approach for deriving self-adaptive subgrid models is found to yield results very similar to those obtained using a dynamic model, without requiring any numerical stabilization procedure. The use of the selection function is shown to be the only one which is able to capture the backscatter process in the buffer layer, while producing a strictly positive subgrid viscosity. This is demonstrated to be linked to the capability of the selection function to permit a decorrelation between the mean strain and the fluctuations of the subgrid stresses. That point is illustrated thanks to the introduction of a new decomposition of the fluctuating strain subgrid dissipation. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A numerical model for the flooding and drying of irregular domainsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 3 2002P. Brufau Abstract A numerical technique for the modelling of shallow water flow in one and two dimensions is presented in this work along with the results obtained in different applications involving unsteady flows in complex geometries. A cell-centred finite volume method based on Roe's approximate Riemann solver across the edges of both structured and unstructured cells is presented. The discretization of the bed slope source terms is done following an upwind approach. In some applications a problem arises when the flow propagates over adverse dry bed slopes, so a special procedure has been introduced to model the advancing front. It is shown that this modification reproduces exactly steady state of still water in configurations with strong variations in bed slope and contour. The applications presented are mainly related with unsteady flow problems. The scheme is capable of handling complex flow domains as will be shown in the simulations corresponding to the test cases that are going to be presented. Comparisons of experimental and numerical results are shown for some of the tests. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A general methodology for investigating flow instabilities in complex geometries: application to natural convection in enclosuresINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 2 2001E. Gadoin Abstract This paper presents a general methodology for studying instabilities of natural convection flows enclosed in cavities of complex geometry. Different tools have been developed, consisting of time integration of the unsteady equations, steady state solving, and computation of the most unstable eigenmodes of the Jacobian and its adjoint. The methodology is validated in the classical differentially heated cavity, where the steady solution branch is followed for vary large values of the Rayleigh number and most unstable eigenmodes are computed at selected Rayleigh values. Its effectiveness for complex geometries is illustrated on a configuration consisting of a cavity with internal heated partitions. We finally propose to reduce the Navier,Stokes equations to a differential system by expanding the unsteady solution as the sum of the steady state solution and of a linear combination of the leading eigenmodes. The principle of the method is exposed and preliminary results are presented. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Sexual Homicide: A Spatial Analysis of 25 Years of Deaths in Los AngelesJOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 5 2007Isaac T. Van Patten Ph.D. Abstract: Although it has been frequently studied over the last 100 years, empirical studies of sexual homicide are lacking. The majority of the existing studies have been descriptive in nature. In this study, we consider the spatial geometry of sexual homicide and the impact of time and distance on case solvability. An analysis of sexual homicides (n = 197) from 1980 to 2004 for Los Angeles County was conducted. Offender and victim journey to encounter site, journey to body disposal site, and journey-after-crime trips were examined. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed to examine victim, offender and case characteristics. Using logistic regression models both time factors and offense geometries were found to be significant predictors in case solvability. Simpler geometries are significantly more likely to be solved than cases with complex geometries and the longer a case remains unsolved the less likely it is that it will be closed. The results provide support for some of the findings from earlier descriptive studies and extend our understanding of the spatial geometry of sexual homicide. [source] Hybrid DEM-compartment modeling approach for granular mixingAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 1 2007Patricia M. Portillo Abstract A new hybrid approach to model powder mixing based on the use of discrete element method (DEM) and compartment modeling is presented. The main motivation behind the proposed approach is to reduce the computational expense of modeling powder mixing by partitioning the mixing system into high shear areas that are modeled using detailed DEM simulations, whereas the remaining process is simulated using stochastic models. The approach can, thus, be used to model complex geometries, as well as a large number of particles that is typically unfeasible with the existing approaches. The results of a horizontal convective mixing vessel are used to illustrate the applicability and efficiency of the proposed approach. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J 2007 [source] Imaging glacial sediment inclusions in 3-D using ground-penetrating radar at Kongsvegen, Svalbard,JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE, Issue 5 2010Tavi Murray Abstract The quiescent-phase surge-type glacier, Kongsvegen, flows confluent with the continuously fast-flowing Kronebreen in northwestern Spitsbergen. The lower regions of Kongsvegen overlie glaciomarine sediments, which have been incorporated into the ice during multiple surge events. The resulting englacial structures are exposed at the surface and on a cliff section. These structures have variously been interpreted as thrusts, formed by compression, or sediment-filled crevasses, formed by extension. We collected a grid of closely spaced ground-penetrating radar profiles in the area adjacent to the cliff section. Several structures were imaged in 3-D, including a strong subhorizontal basal reflector, which was underlain by a second, weaker subhorizontal reflector. The basal reflector was occasionally reverse faulted, suggesting compression. Clear englacial features extended upwards from it, dipping up-glacier at angles of <40° and steepening towards the glacier surface; they had complex geometries that changed rapidly cross-glacier. The structures were orientated at ,30° to ice flow, suggesting modification by lateral compression from Kronebreen. Some of these englacial structures clearly crossed the basal reflector. We conclude that the englacial features imaged are not likely to be derived from crevasse filling and were probably formed by thrusting. The results contribute to our understanding of surge initiation and termination processes, and interpretation of features in the palaeorecord. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Humic acid metal cation interaction studied by spectromicroscopy techniques in combination with quantum chemical calculationsJOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION, Issue 2 2010M. Plaschke Humic acids (HA) have a high binding capacity towards traces of toxic metal cations, thus affecting their transport in aquatic systems. Eu(III),HA aggregates are studied by synchrotron-based scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) at the carbon K -edge and laser scanning luminescence microscopy (LSLM) at the 5D0,7F1,2 fluorescence emission lines. Both methods provide the necessary spatial resolution in the sub-micrometre range to resolve characteristic aggregate morphologies: optically dense zones embedded in a matrix of less dense material in STXM images correspond to areas with increased Eu(III) luminescence yield in the LSLM micrographs. In the C 1s -NEXAFS of metal-loaded polyacrylic acid (PAA), used as a HA model compound, a distinct complexation effect is identified. This effect is similar to trends observed in the dense fraction of HA/metal cation aggregates. The strongest complexation effect is observed for the Zr(IV),HA/PAA system. This effect is confirmed by quantum chemical calculations performed at the ab initio level for model complexes with different metal centres and complex geometries. Without the high spatial resolution of STXM and LSLM and without the combination of molecular modelling with experimental results, the different zones indicating a `pseudo'-phase separation into strong complexing domains and weaker complexing domains of HA would never have been identified. This type of strategy can be used to study metal interaction with other organic material. [source] Visualization of active devices and automatic slice repositioning ("SnapTo") for MRI-guided interventionsMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 4 2010Ashvin K. George Abstract The accurate visualization of interventional devices is crucial for the safety and effectiveness of MRI-guided interventional procedures. In this paper, we introduce an improvement to the visualization of active devices. The key component is a fast, robust method ("CurveFind") that reconstructs the three-dimensional trajectory of the device from projection images in a fraction of a second. CurveFind is an iterative prediction-correction algorithm that acts on a product of orthogonal projection images. By varying step size and search direction, it is robust to signal inhomogeneities. At the touch of a key, the imaged slice is repositioned to contain the relevant section of the device ("SnapTo"), the curve of the device is plotted in a three-dimensional display, and the point on a target slice, which the device will intersect, is displayed. These features have been incorporated into a real-time MRI system. Experiments in vitro and in vivo (in a pig) have produced successful results using a variety of single- and multichannel devices designed to produce both spatially continuous and discrete signals. CurveFind is typically able to reconstruct the device curve, with an average error of approximately 2 mm, even in the case of complex geometries. Magn Reson Med 63:1070,1079, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Transparent Polycrystalline Alumina Ceramic with Sub-Micrometre Microstructure by Means of Electrophoretic DepositionMATERIALWISSENSCHAFT UND WERKSTOFFTECHNIK, Issue 4 2006A. Braun Abstract The optical quality attainable in coarse-grained polycrystalline alumina is severely limited by grain-boundary scattering, which is inherent to non-cubic materials. The optical properties of sub-micrometre polycrystalline alumina are of growing interest triggered by the fact that a decrease in the grain sizes of the final sintered material yields an improvement in the optical quality while the scattering mechanism changes as the grain size becomes comparable with the wavelength of light. To achieve transparent alumina ceramics with a fine-grained microstructure, however, porosity and other defects must be avoided. This necessitates the optimization of processing and sintering procedures. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a colloidal process in which ceramic bodies are directly shaped from a stable suspension by application of an electric field. Electrophoretic deposition enables the formation of homogeneous, uniform green microstructures with high density, which can be sintered to transparency. It is a simple and precise technique to synthesize not only monoliths, but also composites with complex geometries [1]. Alumina green bodies were deposited from stabilized aqueous suspensions with and without doping. Green alumina compacts were evaluated based on their pore size distribution and density. Densification behaviour was characterized by dilatometric studies conducted at constant heating rate. Samples were sintered at different temperatures with subsequent post-densification by hot isostatic pressing. Transparency was evaluated by means of spectroscopic measurements. The measured in-line transmission of the samples at 645 nm was more than 50,% and that is 58,% of the value of sapphire. The influence of dopings on transparency was investigated. The mechanical properties of the samples were tested. [source] Applications of transformed-space non-uniform PSTD (TSNU-PSTD) in scattering analysis without the use of the non-uniform FFTMICROWAVE AND OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 1 2003Xiaoping Liu Abstract In this work, we extend the transformed-space, non-uniform pseudo-spectral time domain (TSNU-PSTD) Maxwell solver for a 2D scattering analysis. Prior to implementing the PSTD in this analysis, we first transform the non-uniform grids {xi} and {yj} sampled in the real space for describing complex geometries to uniform ones {ui} and {vj}, in order to fit the dimensions of practical structures and utilize the standard fast Fourier transform (FFT). Next, we use a uniform-sampled, standard FFT to represent spatial derivatives in the space domain of (u, v). It is found that this scheme is as efficient as the conventional uniform PSTD with the computational complexity of O(N log N), since the difference is only the factors of du/dx and dv/dy between the conventional PSTD and the TSNU-PSTD technique. Additionally, we apply an anisotropic version of the Berenger's perfectly matched layers (APML) to suppress the wraparound effect at the open boundaries of the computational domain, which is caused by the periodicity of the FFT. We also employ the pure scattered-field formulation and develop a near-to-far-zone field transformation in order to calculate scattered far fields. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 38: 16,21, 2003 [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||