YuanTong Gu

Bio: YuanTong Gu is an academic researcher from Queensland University of Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Finite element method & Meshfree methods. The author has an hindex of 52, co-authored 550 publications receiving 12583 citations. Previous affiliations of YuanTong Gu include Nanjing Medical University & National University of Singapore.

Using visualization tool to help engineering students learning dynamics

Abstract: Dynamics is an essential core engineering subject. It includes high level mathematical and theoretical contents, and basic concepts which are abstract in nature. Hence, Dynamics is considered as one of the hardest subjects in the engineering discipline. To assist our students in learning this subject, we have conducted a Teaching and Learning project to study ways and methods to effectively teach Dynamics based on visualization techniques. The research project adopts the five basic steps of Action Learning Cycle. It is found that visualization technique is a powerful tool for students learning Dynamics and helps to break the barrier of students who perceived Dynamics as a hard subject.

A node-based smoothed conforming point interpolation method (NS-CPIM) for elasticity problems

Abstract: This paper formulates a node-based smoothed conforming point interpolation method (NS-CPIM) for solid mechanics. In the proposed NS-CPIM, the higher-order CPIM shape functions have been constructed to produce a continuous and piecewise quadratic displacement field over the whole problem domain, whereby the smoothed strain field was obtained through smoothing operation over each smoothing domain associated with domain nodes. The smoothed Galerkin weak form was then developed to create the discretized system equations. Numerical studies have demonstrated the following good properties: NS-CPIM (1) can pass both standard and quadratic patch tests; (2) provides an upper bound of strain energy; (3) avoids the volumetric locking; and (4) provides the higher accuracy than those in the node-based smoothed schemes of the original PIMs.

Trans-scale Granular Modelling of Cytoskeleton: aMini-Review

Abstract: Free to read Living cells are the functional unit of organs that controls reactions to their exterior. However, the mechanics of living cells can be difficult to characterize due to the crypticity of their microscale structures and associated dynamic cellular processes. Fortunately, multiscale modelling provides a powerful simulation tool that can be used to study the mechanical properties of these soft hierarchical, biological systems. This paper reviews recent developments in hierarchical multiscale modeling technique that aimed at understanding cytoskeleton mechanics. Discussions are expanded with respects to cytoskeletal components including: intermediate filaments, microtubules and microfilament networks. The mechanical performance of difference cytoskeleton components are discussed with respect to their structural and material properties. Explicit granular simulation methods are adopted with different coarse-grained strategies for these cytoskeleton components and the simulation details are introduced in this review.

Effect of Fe-doping on bending elastic properties of single-crystalline rutile TiO2 nanowires

Abstract: Transition-metal-doping can improve some physical properties of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanowires (NWs), which leads to important applications in miniature devices. Here, we investigated the elastic moduli of single-crystalline pristine and Fe-doped rutile TiO2 NWs using the three-point bending method, which is taken as a case study of impacts on the elastic properties of TiO2 NWs caused by transition-metal-doping. The Young's modulus of the pristine rutile TiO2 NWs decreases when the cross-sectional area increases (changing from 246 GPa to 93.2 GPa). However, the elastic modulus of the Fe-doped rutile NWs was found to increase with the cross-sectional area (changing from 91.8 GPa to 200 GPa). For NWs with similar geometrical size, the elastic modulus (156.8 GPa) for Fe-doped rutile NWs is 24% smaller than that (194.5 GPa) of the pristine rutile TiO2 NWs. The vacancies generated by Fe-doping are supposed to cause the reduction of elastic modulus of rutile TiO2 NWs. This work provides a fundamental understanding of the effects of transition-metal-doping on the elastic properties of TiO2 NWs.

Electrohydrodynamic viscous fingering of leaky dielectric fluids in a channel

Abstract: Viscous fingering is a commonly observed interfacial instability during fluid displacement, where a finger-like shape is formed at the fluid interface when a more viscous fluid is displaced by a less viscous fluid. In this study, a hybrid numerical model based on the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) and finite difference method (FDM) is developed for investigating the control of viscous fingering of leaky dielectric fluids in a channel using electro-hydrodynamics. Extensive simulations are carried out for studying the effects of the strength and direction of the electric field as well as the fluid properties, including the permittivity and conductivity ratio, on viscous fingering. It is shown that a horizontal electric field, i.e., when the direction of the electrical field is perpendicular to the direction of fluid motion, can either promote or suppress the viscous fingering, depending on the permittivity and conductivity ratio. For a vertical electric field, the extent of promotion of viscous fingering first decreases and then increases with the increase of conductivity ratio at a constant permittivity ratio. Also, various interfacial morphologies, such as broad fingers and thin jets, are observed under different fluid properties. A phase diagram for both the horizontal and vertical electric field is established based on the simulations with different permittivity and conductivity ratios to characterize the interfacial morphologies. This study offers insights into the electro-hydrodynamic effects on viscous fingering of leaky dielectric fluids, which could facilitate the control of multiphase flow in various applications, such as enhanced oil recovery and coupled chromatographic systems.

I and i

Abstract: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality. Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

Fast parallel algorithms for short-range molecular dynamics

Abstract: Three parallel algorithms for classical molecular dynamics are presented. The first assigns each processor a fixed subset of atoms; the second assigns each a fixed subset of inter-atomic forces to compute; the third assigns each a fixed spatial region. The algorithms are suitable for molecular dynamics models which can be difficult to parallelize efficiently—those with short-range forces where the neighbors of each atom change rapidly. They can be implemented on any distributed-memory parallel machine which allows for message-passing of data between independently executing processors. The algorithms are tested on a standard Lennard-Jones benchmark problem for system sizes ranging from 500 to 100,000,000 atoms on several parallel supercomputers--the nCUBE 2, Intel iPSC/860 and Paragon, and Cray T3D. Comparing the results to the fastest reported vectorized Cray Y-MP and C90 algorithm shows that the current generation of parallel machines is competitive with conventional vector supercomputers even for small problems. For large problems, the spatial algorithm achieves parallel efficiencies of 90% and a 1840-node Intel Paragon performs up to 165 faster than a single Cray C9O processor. Trade-offs between the three algorithms and guidelines for adapting them to more complex molecular dynamics simulations are also discussed.

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change

Abstract: ▶ Addresses a wide range of timely environment, economic and energy topics ▶ A forum to review, analyze and stimulate the development, testing and implementation of mitigation and adaptation strategies at regional, national and global scales ▶ Contributes to real-time policy analysis and development as national and international policies and agreements are discussed and promulgated ▶ 94% of authors who answered a survey reported that they would definitely publish or probably publish in the journal again