Automated Adaptive Finite Element Modeling

Techniques to reliably automate all aspects of finite element analysis over arbitrary 3-D domains are developed. Research topics include automatic 3-D mesh generation, a posteriori error estimation, and multilevel mesh enrichment by h- and hp-methods.(Shephard/Flaherty)

Unsteady Rotor Aerodynamics

This project is concerned with the development of automated adaptive finite element techniques to perform compressible flow analyses of 3-D rotorcraft configurations accounting for the large rigid body and coupled elastic deformation of the rotor and its interaction with the airframe.(Shephard/Jensen)

Automated Metal Forming Modeling

In the development of automated finite element modeling techniques for three dimensional bulk forming simulations, emphasis is placed on the procedure to track the evolution of the domain definition of general 3-D forming problems as the simulation proceeds. (Shephard)

Automated 3-D hp-Meshing for Structural Acoustics

This project is concerned with the development of automatic mech generators to produce optimal hp-meshes for use in acoustics analysis of complex 3-D structures. (Shephard)

Analysis Idealization Control System

Development and implementation of a framework to support the explicit control of analysis idealization steps during the multiple engineering design is the focus of this project. The system supports, in a consistent feedback structure, all levels of idealization based on a posteriori estimation to knowledge-based modeling rules. (Shephard)

Mechanism-Based Modeling of Composite Materials

This project is concerned with the development of advanced multiscale analysis and adaptive idealization control techniques to predict the thermo-mechanical behavior of high performance composites accounting for nonlinear materials, damage and local failure. Automated adaptive finite element techniques employing superposition and hp-refinements are being emphasized.(Fish/Shephard)

Composite Material Process Modeling

Finite element based techniques to model the diffusion and chemical reactions governing the vapor deposition of matrix materials onto fibers is under consideration and development. (Flaherty/Shephard)

Adaptive Analysis of Soft Hydrated Materials

Soft tissure structures can be modeled using bi-phasic equations. The accurate solution of these equations over the complex 3-D configurations common to human joints requires the development of automated adaptive finite element modeling techniques, which is the focus of this projects. (Spilker/Shephard)

Automated Adaptive Analysis on Parallel Computers

The number of computations required to solve the complex nonlinear behaviors governing many phenomena of engineering interest is well beyond solution on a uni-processor, even when effective adaptive techniques are used. This project area is concerned with the development of efficient parallel solution techniques for adaptive finite element techniques on general unstructured 3-D meshes (Flahery/Shephard)

Simulation and Control of Fatigue Crack Propagation Modeling Techniques for Stiffened Shells

This project is concerned with the development of reliable analytical and numberical tools to predict the structural integrity and residual strength of aircraft fuselage structures with damage in order to determine the safe and economical service life of pressurized fuselage structures. (Fish)

Modeling of Discontinuous Fields

Efficient numerical tools to model discontinuities, such as cracks, delamination, shear bands, etc. are being developed. (Fish)

Multiscale Computational Techniques in Laminated Composite Shells

Prediction of failure mechanisms in laminated composite shell structures on the macro-scale, critical displacements and stresses, buckling loads, and on the microscale, including microbuckling, microstresses, microcracking, etc. are the major concerns of this project. (Fish)

The s-Version of the Finite Element Method

This project focuses on the development of innovative adaptive techniques for solving partial differential equations based on the combination of superposition and multigrid methods. (Fish)

Multiscale Computational Techniques

Mulutipurpose computational techniques aimed at hierarchically improving the quality of numerical solutions and mathematical models are being developed. (Fish)

Extraction Techniques

This project is concerned with the development of postprocessing techniques in extracting engineering data of interest, such as reactions, natural frequencies, stresses and displacements from the basic numerical solution. (Fish/Shephard/Maniatty)

Parallel Automatic Mesh Generation

Parallel implementations of our automatic 3-D mesh generations are aimed at producing meshes with over billion elements. (Shephard)