Element Modeling (element + modeling)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Kinds of Element Modeling

  • finite element modeling


  • Selected Abstracts


    Analytic Element Modeling of Embedded Multiaquifer Domains

    GROUND WATER, Issue 1 2006
    Mark Bakker
    An analytic element approach is presented for the modeling of multiaquifer domains embedded in a single-aquifer model. The inside of each domain may consist of an arbitrary number of aquifers separated by leaky layers. The analytic element solution is obtained through a combination of existing single-aquifer and multiaquifer analytic elements and allows for the analytic computation of head and leakage at any point in the aquifer. Along the boundary of an embedded multiaquifer domain, the normal flux is continuous everywhere; continuity of head across the boundary is met exactly at collocations points and approximately, but very accurately, in between. The analytic element solution compares well with an existing exact solution. A hypothetical example with a river intersecting two embedded domains illustrates the practical application of the proposed approach. [source]


    Multilayer Analytic Element Modeling of Radial Collector Wells

    GROUND WATER, Issue 6 2005
    Mark Bakker
    A new multilayer approach is presented for the modeling of ground water flow to radial collector wells. The approach allows for the inclusion of all aspects of the unique boundary condition along the lateral arms of a collector well, including skin effect and internal friction losses due to flow in the arms. The hydraulic conductivity may differ between horizontal layers within the aquifer, and vertical anisotropy can be taken into account. The approach is based on the multilayer analytic element method, such that regional flow and local three-dimensional detail may be simulated simultaneously and accurately within one regional model. Horizontal flow inside a layer is computed analytically, while vertical flow is approximated with a standard finite-difference scheme. Results obtained with the proposed approach compare well to results obtained with three-dimensional analytic element solutions for flow in unconfined aquifers. The presented approach may be applied to predict the yield of a collector well in a regional setting and to compute the origin and residence time, and thus the quality, of water pumped by the collector well. As an example, the addition of three lateral arms to a collector well that already has three laterals is investigated. The new arms are added at an elevation of 2 m above the existing laterals. The yield increase of the collector well is computed as a function of the lengths of the three new arms. [source]


    Texture Analysis and Finite Element Modeling of Operational Stresses in Ceramic Injection Molding Components for High-Pressure Pumps

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2005
    Martin Wenzelburger
    Texturization of microstructures in ceramic components during injection of thermoplastic feedstocks into the mold is a well-known problem in ceramic injection molding (CIM) technology. The influences of textures on the mechanical properties of components with anisotropic properties, which depend on crystallite structure and orientation, usually involve weakening of the structure by the formation of separation planes and accumulation of stresses, which can lead to crack initiation and subcritical failure. A light optical texture analysis technique was developed for the analysis of thin section preparations from optically anisotropic ceramic materials. An internal Al2O3 gear rim for high-pressure gear pumps that is manufactured by CIM was chosen for the evaluation of this technique. Components were produced from thermoplastic ceramic feedstocks with different rheological behavior. Thin sections were prepared from the sintered parts. The texture was analyzed by polarized transmission light microscopy of the thin sections and colorimetric analysis of the crystal orientation. For the evaluation of the component properties, function, and lifetime, operating tests on a test bench were carried out as well as finite element (FE) simulation of the stress distribution in the components under operational load with regard to the texturization. The results were used for the localization of stress gradients and their comparison and correlation to the texturization. The functionality of this texture analysis method was proved by the tests, and it is expected to be a convenient novel method for the analysis and optimization of the parameters in CIM processes and the design of injection gate and mold. [source]


    Instability investigation of cantilevered seacliffs

    EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 11 2008
    Adam P. Young
    Abstract Wave action is a fundamental mechanism in seacliff erosion, whereby wave undercutting creates an unstable cantilevered seacliff profile and can lead to large catastrophic cliff failures, thus threatening coastal infrastructure. This study investigated the instability of two such failures that occurred in Solana Beach, California, by combining terrestrial LIDAR scanning, cantilever beam theory and finite element analysis. Each landslide was detected by evaluating the surface change between subsequent high resolution digital terrain models derived from terrestrial LIDAR data. The dimensions of failed cantilever masses were determined using the surface change measurements and then incorporated into failure stress analysis. Superimposing stress distributions computed from elastic cantilever beam theory and finite element modeling provided a method to back-calculate the maximum developed tensile and shear stresses along each failure plane. The results of the stress superposition revealed that the bending stresses caused by the cantilevered load contributed the majority of stress leading to collapse. Both shear and tensile failure modes were investigated as potential cliff failure mechanisms by using a comparison of the back-calculated failure stresses to material strengths found in laboratory testing. Based on the results of this research, the tensile strength of the cliff material was exceeded at both locations, thus causing the cliffs to collapse in tension. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    X-ray Diffraction Studies of Free-Standing Electrodeposited Cu-patterns,

    ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 10 2004
    K. Pantleon
    Free-standing Cu-line patterns with various line widths and interline distances in the range of a few micrometers were electrodeposited. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was applied for quantification of crystallographic texture and XRD-peak broadening studies in dependence on the Cu-line dimensions. Supplementary to XRD, finite element modeling of the strain distribution within individual Cu-lines was carried out. [source]


    Reversibly Deformable and Mechanically Tunable Fluidic Antennas

    ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 22 2009
    Ju-Hee So
    Abstract This paper describes the fabrication and characterization of fluidic dipole antennas that are reconfigurable, reversibly deformable, and mechanically tunable. The antennas consist of a fluid metal alloy injected into microfluidic channels comprising a silicone elastomer. By employing soft lithographic, rapid prototyping methods, the fluidic antennas are easier to fabricate than conventional copper antennas. The fluidic dipole radiates with ,90% efficiency over a broad frequency range (1910,1990,MHz), which is equivalent to the expected efficiency for a similar dipole with solid metallic elements such as copper. The metal, eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn), is a low-viscosity liquid at room temperature and possesses a thin oxide skin that provides mechanical stability to the fluid within the elastomeric channels. Because the conductive element of the antenna is a fluid, the mechanical properties and shape of the antenna are defined by the elastomeric channels, which are composed of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The antennas can withstand mechanical deformation (stretching, bending, rolling, and twisting) and return to their original state after removal of an applied stress. The ability of the fluid metal to flow during deformation of the PDMS ensures electrical continuity. The shape and thus, the function of the antenna, is reconfigurable. The resonant frequency can be tuned mechanically by elongating the antenna via stretching without any hysteresis during strain relaxation, and the measured resonant frequency as a function of strain shows excellent agreement (±0.1,0.3% error) with that predicted by theoretical finite element modeling. The antennas are therefore sensors of strain. The fluid metal also facilitates self-healing in response to sharp cuts through the antenna. [source]


    A methodology for fast finite element modeling of electrostatically actuated MEMS

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 13 2009
    Prasad S. Sumant
    Abstract In this paper, a methodology is proposed for expediting the coupled electro-mechanical finite element modeling of electrostatically actuated MEMS. The proposed methodology eliminates the need for repeated finite element meshing and subsequent electrostatic modeling of the device during mechanical deformation. We achieve this by using an approximation of the charge density on the movable electrode in the deformed geometry in terms of the charge density in the non-deformed geometry and displacements of the movable electrode. The electrostatic problem has to be solved only once and thus this method speeds up the coupled electro-mechanical simulation process. The proposed methodology is demonstrated through its application to the modeling of four MEMS devices with varying length-to-gap ratios, multiple dielectrics and complicated geometries. Its accuracy is assessed through comparisons of its results with results obtained using both analytical solutions and finite element solutions obtained using ANSYS. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Time continuity in cohesive finite element modeling

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2003
    Katerina D. Papoulia
    Abstract We introduce the notion of time continuity for the analysis of cohesive zone interface finite element models. We focus on ,initially rigid' models in which an interface is inactive until the traction across it reaches a critical level. We argue that methods in this class are time discontinuous, unless special provision is made for the opposite. Time discontinuity leads to pitfalls in numerical implementations: oscillatory behavior, non-convergence in time and dependence on nonphysical regularization parameters. These problems arise at least partly from the attempt to extend uniaxial traction,displacement relationships to multiaxial loading. We also argue that any formulation of a time-continuous functional traction,displacement cohesive model entails encoding the value of the traction components at incipient softening into the model. We exhibit an example of such a model. Most of our numerical experiments concern explicit dynamics. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Thermal analysis of multi-finger GaInP collector-up heterojunction bipolar transistors with miniature heat-dissipation packaging structures

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NUMERICAL MODELLING: ELECTRONIC NETWORKS, DEVICES AND FIELDS, Issue 1 2010
    Pei-Hsuan Lee
    Abstract We build up a finite element modeling (FEM) approach to analyze the thermal performance of collector-up (C-up) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBTs) with a heat-dissipation via configuration. Highly compact heat-dissipation packaging structures of GaInP/GaAs C-up HBTs have been designed and evaluated systematically. In this work, we devise the 2-D and 3-D models to simulate the actual devices and to investigate the temperature distribution behavior. Results from 2-D model indicate that the large heat-dissipation via configuration can be further reduced by 29% to meet the requirement of HBT-based small high-power amplifiers (HPAs) for the cellular phones. Furthermore, the demonstrated results show that the maximum temperature within the collector calculated from 3-D model is lower than that from 2-D model. In the 3-D analysis, it is revealed that the configuration can be reduced by 32%. Therefore, thinning the heat-dissipation via constructed underneath the GaInP/GaAs C-up HBT should be helpful for miniaturization of HBT-based HPAs in future mobile communication systems. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Neurophysiological and biomechanical characterization of goat cervical facet joint capsules

    JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 4 2005
    Ying Lu
    Abstract Cervical facet joints have been implicated as a major source of pain after whiplash injury. We sought to identify facet joint capsule receptors in the cervical spine and quantify their responses to capsular deformation. The response of mechanosensitive afferents in C5,C6 facet joint capsules to craniocaudal stretch (0.5 mm/s) was examined in anaesthetized adult goats. Capsular afferents were characterized into Group III and IV based on their conduction velocity. Two-dimensional strains across the capsules during stretch were obtained by a stereoimaging technique and finite element modeling. 17 (53%) Group III and 14 (56%) Group IV afferents were identified with low strain thresholds of 0.107 ± 0.033 and 0.100 ± 0.046. A subpopulation of low-strain-threshold afferents had discharge rate saturation at the strains of 0.388 ± 0.121 (n = 9, Group III) and 0.341 ± 0.159 (n = 9, Group IV). Two (8%) Group IV units responded only to high strains (0.460 ± 0.170). 15 (47%) Group III and 9 (36%) Group IV units could not be excited even by noxious capsular stretch. Simple linear regressions were conducted with capsular load and principal strain as independent variables and neural response of low-strain-threshold afferents as the dependent variable. Correlation coefficients (R2) were 0.73 ± 0.11 with load, and 0.82 ± 0.12 with principal strain. The stiffness of the C5,C6 capsules was 16.8 ± 11.4 N/mm. Our results indicate that sensory receptors in cervical facet joint capsules are not only capable of signaling a graded physiological mechanical stimulus, but may also elieit pain sensation under excessive deformation. © 2005 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. [source]


    GaN HEMT thermal behavior and implications for reliability testing and analysis

    PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 6 2008
    Daniel S. Green
    Abstract GaN HEMT reliability evaluation in a typical Arrhenius manner requires establishing peak junction temperature for a particular stress condition. Several new techniques have yielded promising results toward establishing peak temperature for these devices in combination with detailed physical modeling, particularly micro-Raman imaging. This paper compares results from finite element modeling to measurements by infrared imaging and micro-Raman imaging. The limitations of IR imaging were confirmed similar to earlier reports. Two techniques for establishing temperature from micro-Raman measurements were used to reveal excellent correlation to the model, and also provide insight into the relationship between temperature and structural change in the device. Temperature modeling data is reported for base plate temperature from 85°C to 250°C for practical GaN HEMT devices. Implications of the measurements for GaN HEMT reliability stress testing and analysis will be discussed. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    Melt processed microporous films from compatibilized immiscible blends with potential as membranes

    POLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 4 2002
    M. Xanthos
    Microporous flat films with potential as membranes were produced via melt processing and post-extrusion drawing from immiscible polypropylene/polystyrene blends containing a compatibilizing copolymer. The blends were first compounded in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder and subsequently extruded through a sheet die to obtain the precursor films. These were uniaxially drawn (100%,500%) with respect to the original dimensions to induce porosity and then post-treated at elevated temperatures to stabilize the resultant structure, which consisted of uniform microcracks in the order of a few nanometers in width. The effects of blend composition and extrusion process parameters on surface and cross-sectional porosity and solvent permeability of the prepared films are presented and related to specific microstructural features of the films before and after drawing. Finite element modeling of the stretching operation in the solid state yielded a successful interpretation of the blend response to uniaxial tension that resulted in microcrack formation. Comparison of some of the novel microporous structures of this work with commercial membranes prepared by solvent-based phase inversion processes suggests comparable pore size and porosity ranges, with narrower pore size distribution. [source]


    Energy driven crack propagation at finite strains based on the embedded strong discontinuity approach

    PROCEEDINGS IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS & MECHANICS, Issue 1 2009
    Radan Radulovic
    New advances in three-dimensional finite element modeling of crack propagation at finite strains are presented. The proposed numerical model is based on the Enhanced Assumed Strain concept. The enhanced part of the deformation gradient is associated with a displacement discontinuity. In contrast to previous works, a new, energy based criterion for crack propagation is presented. The necessity for a tracking algorithm for the crack path is avoided by using more than one discontinuity within each finite element. This leads to a strictly local formulation, i.e., no information about the neighboring elements are required. Further advantages of such a formulation are a symmetric tangent stiffness matrix and the reduction of locking effects. (© 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    Silver Coated Platinum Core,Shell Nanostructures on Etched Si Nanowires: Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Processing and Application in SERS

    CHEMPHYSCHEM, Issue 9 2010
    Vladimir A. Sivakov Dr.
    Abstract A new method to prepare plasmonically active noble metal nanostructures on large surface area silicon nanowires (SiNWs) mediated by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology has successfully been demonstrated for applications of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based sensing. As host material for the plasmonically active nanostructures we use dense single-crystalline SiNWs with diameters of less than 100 nm as obtained by a wet chemical etching method based on silver nitrate and hydrofluoric acid solutions. The SERS active metal nanoparticles/islands are made from silver (Ag) shells as deposited by autometallography on the core nanoislands made from platinum (Pt) that can easily be deposited by ALD in the form of nanoislands covering the SiNW surfaces in a controlled way. The density of the plasmonically inactive Pt islands as well as the thickness of noble metal Ag shell are two key factors determining the magnitude of the SERS signal enhancement and sensitivity of detection. The optimized Ag coated Pt islands on SiNWs exhibit great potential for ultrasensitive molecular sensing in terms of high SERS signal enhancement ability, good stability and reproducibility. The plasmonic activity of the core-shell Pt//Ag system that will be experimentally realized in this paper as an example was demonstrated in numerical finite element simulations as well as experimentally in Raman measurements of SERS activity of a highly diluted model dye molecule. The morphology and structure of the core-shell Pt//Ag nanoparticles on SiNW surfaces were investigated by scanning- and transmission electron microscopy. Optimized core,shell nanoparticle geometries for maximum Raman signal enhancement is discussed essentially based on the finite element modeling. [source]


    Anisotropic elastic properties of cancellous bone from a human edentulous mandible

    CLINICAL ORAL IMPLANTS RESEARCH, Issue 5 2000
    Aisling M. O'Mahony
    The elastic moduli have not been reported for cancellous bone from the edentulous mandible. Accurate values are needed for finite element modeling of the mandible. The aim of this study was to determine elastic modulus values in three orthogonal directions for cancellous bone taken from an edentulous jaw and to relate these values to apparent density and volume fraction. Seven samples were obtained from the edentulous mandible of a 74-year-old female. Young's modulus was determined by compression testing of cubes cut with the faces aligned with the anatomic axes. Bone volume fraction averaged 0.33 (SD 0.14) and apparent density averaged 0.55 g/cc (SD 0.29). Young's modulus was greatest in the mesio-distal direction (mean 907 MPa, SD 849 MPa), followed by the bucco-lingual (mean 511 MPa, SD 565 MPa) and infero-superior direction (mean 114 MPa, SD 78 MPa). The infero-superior direction was less than the bucco-lingual (P=0.03) and mesio-distal (P=0.002). The mesio-distal and bucco-lingual directions could not be shown to be different (P=0.32). This suggests a model of transverse isotropy for cancellous bone in the jaw, where the symmetry axis is along the infero-superior (weakest) direction. [source]