This monograph presents a summary account of the subject of a posteriori error estimation for finite element approximations of problems in mechanics. The study primarily focuses on methods for linear elliptic boundary value problems. However, error estimation for unsymmetrical systems, nonlinear problems, including the Navier-Stokes equations, and indefinite problems, such as represented by the Stokes problem are included. The main thrust is to obtain error estimators for the error measured in the energy norm, but techniques for other norms are also discussed.

A Posteriori Error Estimation in Finite Element Analysis

A dimension reduction method called discrete empirical interpolation is proposed and shown to dramatically reduce the computational complexity of the popular proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method for constructing reduced-order models for time dependent and/or parametrized nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). In the presence of a general nonlinearity, the standard POD-Galerkin technique reduces dimension in the sense that far fewer variables are present, but the complexity of evaluating the nonlinear term remains that of the original problem. The original empirical interpolation method (EIM) is a modification of POD that reduces the complexity of evaluating the nonlinear term of the reduced model to a cost proportional to the number of reduced variables obtained by POD. We propose a discrete empirical interpolation method (DEIM), a variant that is suitable for reducing the dimension of systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) of a certain type. As presented here, it is applicable to ODEs arising from finite difference discretization of time dependent PDEs and/or parametrically dependent steady state problems. However, the approach extends to arbitrary systems of nonlinear ODEs with minor modification. Our contribution is a greatly simplified description of the EIM in a finite-dimensional setting that possesses an error bound on the quality of approximation. An application of DEIM to a finite difference discretization of the one-dimensional FitzHugh-Nagumo equations is shown to reduce the dimension from 1024 to order 5 variables with negligible error over a long-time integration that fully captures nonlinear limit cycle behavior. We also demonstrate applicability in higher spatial dimensions with similar state space dimension reduction and accuracy results.

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Nonlinear Model Reduction via Discrete Empirical Interpolation

An ‘empirical interpolation’ method: application to efficient reduced-basis discretization of partial differential equations

A new four‐node (non‐flat) general quadrilateral shell element for geometric and material non‐linear analysis is presented. The element is formulated using three‐dimensional continuum mechanics theory and it is applicable to the analysis of thin and thick shells. The formulation of the element and the solutions to various test and demonstrative example problems are presented and discussed.

http://web.mit.edu/kjb/www/Publications_Prior_to_1998/A_Continuum_Mechanics_Based_Four-Node_Shell_Element_for_General_Nonlinear_Analysis.pdf

A continuum mechanics based four‐node shell element for general non‐linear analysis

In this paper we consider (hierarchical, La-grange)reduced basis approximation anda posteriori error estimation for linear functional outputs of affinely parametrized elliptic coercive partial differential equa-tions. The essential ingredients are (primal-dual)Galer-kin projection onto a low-dimensional space associated with a smooth “parametric manifold” - dimension re-duction; efficient and effective greedy sampling meth-ods for identification of optimal and numerically stable approximations - rapid convergence;a posteriori er-ror estimation procedures - rigorous and sharp bounds for the linear-functional outputs of interest; and Offine-Online computational decomposition strategies - min-imummarginal cost for high performance in the real-time/embedded (e.g., parameter-estimation, control)and many-query (e.g., design optimization, multi-model/ scale)contexts. We present illustrative results for heat conduction and convection-diffusion,inviscid flow, and linear elasticity; outputs include transport rates, added mass,and stress intensity factors.

/pdf/reduced-basis-approximation-and-a-posteriori-error-1csv7ta4m6.pdf

Reduced basis approximation and a posteriori error estimation for affinely parametrized elliptic coercive partial differential equations

A review is made of the different approaches used for modeling multilayered composite plates. Discussion focuses on different approaches for developing two-dimensional shear deformation theories; classification of two-dimensional theories based on introducing plausible displacement, strain and/or stress assumptions in the thickness direction; and first-order shear deformation theories based on linear displacement assumptions in the thickness coordinate. Extensive numerical results are presented showing the effects of variation in the lamination and geometric parameters of simply supported composite plates on the accuracy of the static and vibrational responses predicted by six different modeling approaches (based on two-dimensional shear deformation theories). The standard of comparison is taken to be the exact three-dimensional elasticity solutions. Some of the future directions for research on the modeling of multilayered composite plates are outlined.

Assessment of Shear Deformation Theories for Multilayered Composite Plates

A review is made of the different approaches used for modeling multilayered composite shells. Discussion focuses on different approaches for developing two-dimensional shear deformation theories; classification of two-dimensional theories based on introducing plausible displacement, strain and/or stress assumptions in the thickness direction; first-order shear deformation theories based on linear displacement assumptions in the thickness coordinate; and efficient computational strategies for anisotropic composite shells. Extensive numerical results are presented showing the effects of variation in the lamination and geometric parameters of simply supported composite cylinders on the accuracy of the static and vibrational responses predicted by eight different modeling approaches (based on two-dimensional shear deformation theories).

Assessment of Computational Models for Multilayered Composite Shells

A reduced basis technique and a computational' algorithm are presented for predicting the nonlinear static response of structures. A total Lagrangian formulation is used and the structure is discretized by using displacement finite element models. The nodal displacement vector is expressed as a linear combination of a small number of basis vectors and a Rayleigh-Ritz technique is used to approximate the finite element equations by a reduced system of nonlinear equations. The Rayleigh-Ritz approximation functions (basis vectors) are chosen to be those commonly used in the static perturbation technique namely, a nonlinear solution and a number of its path derivatives. A procedure is outlined for automatically selecting the load (or displacement) step size and monitoring the solution accuracy. The high accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by means of numerical examples.

Reduced Basis Technique for Nonlinear Analysis of Structures

The status and some recent developments in computational modeling of flexible multibody systems are summarized. Discussion focuses on a number of aspects of flexible multibody dynamics including: modeling of the flexible components, constraint modeling, solution techniques, control strategies, coupled problems, design, and experimental studies. The characteristics of the three types of reference frames used in modeling flexible multibody systems, namely, floating frame, corotational frame, and inertial frame, are compared. Future directions of research are identified. These include new applications such as micro- and nano-mechanical systems; techniques and strategies for increasing the fidelity and computational efficiency of the models; and tools that can improve the design process of flexible multibody systems. This review article cites 877 references. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1590354#

https://hosting.umons.ac.be/html/mecara/grasmech/PaperWasfyNoor.pdf

Computational strategies for flexible multibody systems

Summary of some of the results of a recent study of the reliability and range of validity of two-dimensional plate theories in application to low-frequency free vibration analysis of simply supported, bidirectional, multilayered plates consisting of a large number of layers. These results show that for composite plates the error in the predictions of the classical plate theory is strongly dependent on the number and stacking of the layers, in addition to the degree of orthotropy of the individual layers and the thickness ratio of the plate.

Ahmed K. Noor

Papers

Assessment of Shear Deformation Theories for Multilayered Composite Plates

Assessment of Computational Models for Multilayered Composite Shells

Reduced Basis Technique for Nonlinear Analysis of Structures

Computational strategies for flexible multibody systems

Free vibrations of multilayered composite plates.