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The Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) performances are strongly impacted by the compression of the Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL). Despite its fibrous microstructure, this material is usually considered as a continuous medium and characterized with uniform loading. However, the GDL is subjected to a heterogeneous compression onto rib/channel patterns in the fuel cell assembly. In the present study, a complex behavior of the GDL response is experimentally revealed when the material is loaded with a rib/channel pattern, compared to uniform compression. The tests are simulated by finite element modeling using a classical strain-dependent elastic law, using parameters fitted from uniform compression experiments. It is shown that the numerical results do not reproduce the effect of pattern observed experimentally. Hypotheses to interpret these results involve mechanisms at the fiber microscale including fiber fracture, cross-link breakage and fiber rearrangement, which are exacerbated by larger material deformation caused by the heterogeneous loading. • Unexpected impact of rib/channel patterns on GDL compression. • Experimental investigation of the effect of rib/channel width on GDL deformation. • Numerical study with classical model unable to reproduce experimental results. • Interpretations based on mechanisms at the fiber microscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Elasticity and failure behaviors of the resin-coated aramid paper are analysed. • A novel segmented equivalent mechanical model of the material is proposed. • Equivalent mechanical parameters of multi-layer structure are derived theoretically. • Proposed model performs well in ultrasonic cutting simulation of Nomex honeycomb. • Difficulty of modelling and CPU time of simulation are reduced significantly. Nomex honeycomb, as the core part of sandwich structure, has been widely used in the aviation and aerospace industries. Ultrasonic cutting, as a technology that can reduce machining defects, has been highlighted in recent years, but some problems in the cutting process still need to be investigated significantly. Finite element method (FEM) offers an alternative way of in-depth understanding of the problems. However, the multi-layer structure of the Nomex honeycomb cell wall, which is the resin-coated aramid paper, makes it difficult to establish a detailed multi-layered finite element (FE) model at a macro-scale level. Therefore, a novel segmented material mechanical model, which is applicable to the equivalent single-layer model, is proposed based on the analysis of the mechanical behaviour of the multi-layer structure of the resin-coated aramid paper. Moreover, the calculating method of equivalent mechanical parameters of the multi-layer structure are proposed theoretically. The proposed method is first verified by FE models at a micro-scale level in both single-layer and multi-layer approaches. Additionally, simulations and experiments are performed to verify that the proposed method performs well in the simulation of ultrasonic cutting for Nomex honeycomb, and the difficulty of modelling and CPU time of simulation are reduced significantly. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin-walled tubular deployable composite boom (DCB) has gained significant attention due to its lightweight, simple structure and high packaging efficiency. The experimental and numerical simulation methods were employed in this paper to investigate the folding behavior of the DCB. Using T700/epoxy unidirectional reinforced prepreg as raw material, DCB specimens were prepared by the vacuum bag method. To complete the folding experiments of DCB specimens, a folding mechanism was designed and manufactured. Folding experiments of DCB specimens were conducted and folding moment versus rotational displacement curves were measured. In addition, a Finite Element Model (FEM) was established to predict the folding behavior of the DCB. Different failure criteria were considered in the numerical analysis, including the Tsai‐Hill criterion and maximum stress criterion. Prediction results using the FEM were compared with experimental results, and both sets of results were in good agreement. It is shown that the DCB can achieve the folding function without failure. The research results in this paper are of great significance to the practical engineering application of the DCB. [Display omitted] • Six tubular deployable composite boom specimens and a precise folding mechanism were designed and prepared. • Folding experiments were conducted to measure the folding moment and rotational displacement curves. • A finite element model for predicting the folding behavior of the tubular deployable composite boom was established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In fibrous paper materials, an exposure to a variation in moisture content causes changes in the geometrical and mechanical properties. Such changes are strongly affected by the inter-fibre bonds, which are responsible for the transfer of the hygro-mechanical response from one fibre to its neighbours in the network, resulting in sheet-scale deformation. Most models developed in literature assume perfect bonding between fibres. In the 3D reality, there is some flexibility in the bond region, even for the perfectly bonded fibres, because of the possibility of deformation gradients through the fibre thickness. In earlier 2D idealizations, perfectly bonded fibres were assumed, implying full kinematic constraint through the entire thickness of the sheet. The purpose of the present study is to assess the effect of this assumption. Using a homogenization approach, a random network of fibres is generated with different coverages and modelled using finite elements. In order to understand the role of bonding between fibres on the hygro-expansive behaviour of a network, a bond model is developed. In this model, the fibres are modelled using 2D regular bulk finite elements and the bonds are represented by interfacial elements of finite stiffness, which are introduced between each pair of fibres bonded in the network. These embedded interfacial elements form a connection between two respective fibres, allowing relative displacements between their mid-planes. The hygro-elastic response of networks obtained with this bond model is investigated by varying the bond stiffness and the network coverage under the application of mechanical loading and changes in moisture content. Furthermore, the bond model is used to analyse the influence of inter-fibre bonds on the anisotropic response of the paper fibre network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly-(meta-phenylene isophthal-amide) (PMIA) is regarded as an ideal insulating medium for electronic devices owing to its excellent chemical stability and breakdown strength. However, the poor thermal conductivity limited the application under complex electrical-thermal environment. In this work, the size-graded AlN/PMIA composite papers were fabricated, with a multi-scale structure of matrix and fillers, and maintain qualified stability, mechanical strength and electrical insulation properties. With doping 40 wt% of 10 μm AlN and 10 wt% of 200 nm AlN, the optimum paper with in-plane (λ ∥) and out-of-plane (λ ⊥) of optimal paper reached thermal conductivity of 17.3 W/(mK) and 1.96 W/(mK) is obtained, and the breakdown strength increased to 69 kV/mm. The improvement mechanism brought by size-graded fillers was further revealed by the co-simulation of finite element method and loop nesting algorithm. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotube buckypaper has been considered as one of the promising candidates for chemiresistive sensor applications, especially with environmental monitoring purpose due to large surface area, device flexibility, and the broad spectrum of responsive chemical vapor molecules. However, one of typical drawbacks in carbon-based sensors is incomplete recovery to their initial state after chemical reactions with analytes, degrading sensing reproducibility. In this work, we present a thermally stable and robust boron nitride nanotube/carbon nanotube (BNCNT) hybrid paper for self-enhanced chemiresistive sensing with full reversibility. Boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) plays an essential role in long-term reliability (33 days) at the operating temperature of 200 °C. In addition, a finite-element method was applied to understand the thermal behavior of the BNCNT network structure. The BNCNT paper-based chemiresisitve sensor exhibited highly sensitive, selective, and fully reversible responses to NO 2 without external heating. Also, the sensor demonstrated the detection limit of parts per billion (ppb)-levels under strain with high reliability. With these remarkable strengths, significantly facile and cost-effective fabrication processes provide an environmental sensing platform for use in smart clothing with wearable electronics. • Boron nitride nanotube/carbon nanotube (BNCNT)-based chemiresistive sensor with full reversibility was developed. • The BNCNT paper exhibits a highly sensitive detection to NO 2 at room temperature. • The detection limit (DL) is 3.41 parts per billion (ppb) even under strained conditions with high reliability. • The BNCNT papers maintained its self-enhanced temperature of 200 °C during a long-term stability test for 33 days. • The BNNT plays a major role in the long-term reliability of maintaining a temperature of CNT networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-like electronics with thin multi-layer structures, which can be repeatedly bent and twisted like paper, are promising for diverse innovation application. Employing surface-mounted flexible strain sensors is a general way to monitor the bending characteristics of each layer inside paper-like electronics, however, the deviation of measured strain will reach up to 15% on account of the layer-to-layer interface sliding, neutral axes offset resulted from the extra effect of the flexible strain sensor. Here, we proposed a precise measurement method to evaluate the surface bending strain of paper-like electronics by using flexible sensors. In combination with the effects of the thickness, length, etc, a strain compensation model has been established to compensate the measurement deviation. Meanwhile, a slip failure model has been developed to guide the design of the sensitivity unit within the non-sliding area of the flexible sensor. Validated by finite element analysis and experiment, the bending strain of paper-like electronics (eg., ∼50 μm) can be evaluated much more accurate compared to the frequent access one. The newly-proposed method provides a powerful basis for further research of paper-like electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper is a complex material consisting of a network of cellulose fibres at the micro-level. During manufacturing, the network is dried under restraint conditions due to tension in the paper web in machine direction. This gives rise to internal strains that are stored in the produced sheet. Upon exposure to a moisture cycle, these strains may be released. This results in permanent shrinkage that may cause instabilities such as curl or waviness of the sheet. The prime objective of this paper is to model this irreversible shrinkage and to link its magnitude to the properties of the fibres and of the network. For this purpose, randomly generated fibrous networks of different coverages (i.e. ratio of the area occupied by fibres and that of the sheet) are modeled by means of a periodic representative volume element (RVE). Within such RVEs, a finite element method combined with a kinematic hardening plasticity model at the scale of the fibres is used to capture the irreversible response. The computational results obtained demonstrate that the magnitude of the irreversible strains increases with coverage until a certain coverage and beyond that coverage decreases in magnitude. This phenomenon is explained by considering the area fraction of free-standing fibre segments relative to bonded fibre segments in the network. A structure–property dependency of irreversible strains at the sheet-level on the micro-structural parameters of the network is thereby established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper designs, analyzes, and implements a finite element analysis for the simulation of the nonlinear advection-diffusion model. The key feature of the proposed work is to provide novel a priori error estimates in Bôchner norms L 2 (0 , T ; H 0 1 (Ω)) and L ∞ (0 , T ; H 0 1 (Ω)) simultaneously. To achieve the desired error estimates for both semidiscrete and fully discrete schemes, our idea is to introduce the Ritz projection operator that allows us to enforce the known estimates for P 1 and P 2 finite elements in the formulation of the desired results. Further, this paper establishes the stability, existence, and uniqueness in the precise normed spaces. Finally, we prove the fully discrete error estimates using the Backward Euler and Crank-Nicolson's schemes which are corroborated by numerical experiments to validate the developed theory on various domains for both schemes. To the best of author's knowledge, this is the first finite element simulation that provides the estimates in the L 2 Bôchner norm for any such types of time-dependent problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes the effective components of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) resin composites that contribute to achieving greater mechanical properties and further development. In silico multi-scale analysis, in silico nonlinear dynamic finite element analysis (FEA), and artificial intelligence (AI) were used to explore the effective components of CAD-CAM resin composites. The effects of the filler diameter and silane coupling ratio on the mechanical properties of CAD-CAM resin composites have been clarified through multi-scale analysis. The effects of the filler contents, and filler and monomer compositions have been investigated by AI algorithms. The fracture behavior of CAD-CAM composite crown was analyzed using in silico non-linear dynamic FEA. The longevity of CAD-CAM composite crown was assessed through step-stress accelerating life testing (SSALT). As the filler diameter decreases, there is an increase in elastic moduli and compressive strengths at the macroscale. At the nanoscale, a decrease in the filler diameter results in a decrease in the maximum value of the maximum principal strain. When the silane coupling ratio decreases, there is a decrease in the elastic modulus and compressive strength. According to the exhaustive search and feature importance analysis based on the AI algorithm, the combination of certain components was narrowed down to achieve a flexural strength of 269.5 MPa. The in silico non-linear FEA successfully detected the sign of the initial crack of the CAD-CAM composite molar crown. The SSALT revealed that CAD-CAM resin composite molar crowns containing nanofillers with a high fraction of resin matrix demonstrated great longevity. This paper summarized the effective components of CAD-CAM resin composites for their further development. The integration of in vitro and in silico approaches will expedite the advancement of CAD-CAM resin composites, offering benefits such as time efficiency and reduction of material waste for researchers and manufacturers. • The effective components of CAD-CAM resin composites (RC) have been summarized. • A smaller filler and a high silane coupling ratio enhance the mechanical properties of CAD-CAM RC. • Non-linear FEA has detected the sign of the initial crack in the CAD-CAM composite crown. • AI has been utilized to narrow down the effective components that achieve high flexural strength. • CAD-CAM composite crowns with a high fraction of resin matrix demonstrate remarkable longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the deficiencies of traditional board-level assembly CubeSat, such as low modularity, complex assembly process and poor scalability, a sandwich module assembly structure and method with no drive components is proposed, which can achieve quick connection and flexible assembly between modules. First, the proposed CubeSat standard module can be compatible with the standard interface of traditional CubeSat. The 4-in-1 interface of Mechanical-Electrical-Thermal-Data does not occupy the internal space of the standard module, and the electrical and thermal interfaces meet the requirements of CubeSat in-orbit work. Secondly, in order to improve the reliability of the connection between the modules, a plug-in connection scheme of the mechanical interface was designed. Finally, a genetic algorithm was used to optimize the interface size, so that it has better plug-in performance. The simulation results show that the performance of the male interface of titanium alloy material is the best, and the error between the finite element analysis and genetic algorithm results is less than 4.8 %, which is consistent with the actual tensile test results of the optimized prototype, and meets the mechanical requirements of the launch process and space orbit operation for CubeSat. The test results can guide production and provide a reference for subsequent engineering applications of CubeSat modular assembly. • In this paper, a standardized modular assembly method of CubeSat sandwich structure is designed. The assembly structure does not include driving parts, is simple in form, can be quickly connected, is flexible in assembly mode, and does not occupy the internal space of the standard module. • A standard 4-in-1 connection device was designed in this paper, including four interfaces: mechanical, electrical, thermal and data, which can achieve "plug and play". • This paper uses genetic algorithm to optimize the structure of the mechanical connection male joint, and obtains the optimal configuration of the male joint. This ensures the reliability, firmness and stability of mechanical connections, and meets the mechanical requirements of CubeSats during launch and in orbit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grinding damage of hard and brittle materials has a direct impact on part strength and subsequent polishing efficiency. Damage suppression is one of the key research issues in hard and brittle material processing. Due to the uncertain damage evolution law, there is still a lack of optimization methods for the multi-step grinding process under given damage constraints. In this paper, the extended finite element method is used to establish a model between the prefabricated crack depth and final crack depth, which reveals the influence of various existing subsurface damages on crack propagation. It is found that only when the prefabricated crack depth is close to the indentation crack depth on the perfect surface, the final crack depth will be affected to some extent. To optimize the grinding process to achieve low damage, a semi-empirical model for predicting grinding damage is proposed which is suitable for process optimization and does not rely on some difficult-to-obtain parameters. Finally, based on the damage evolution law and prediction model, the core content of this paper is proposed, that is, a multi-step grinding process optimization method with variable grinding depth. This method can minimize the damage while ensuring the same processing efficiency, the damage depth is reduced by 25 %. The effectiveness of the optimization method and the correctness of the damage evolution law are proved by experiments. This method is suitable for engineering applications and has practical significance for understanding the damage evolution mechanism, which is helpful for the suppression of grinding damage and the optimization of the grinding process. • Reveal the evolution mechanism of various existing subsurface damage on crack propagation by XFEM. • Propose a semi-empirical model for grinding damage prediction suitable for process optimization. • Propose a multi-step grinding process optimization method for hard brittle materials with variable grinding depth. • Prove the effectiveness of the optimization method and the evolutionary model through experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, further in-depth research on chip formation mechanism is conducted on the cutting of metallic glasses. The study of chips contributes to a better understanding of the machining nature of materials, which is of significant importance for improving product quality, reducing energy consumption, and resource utilization. This paper employs a combination of simulation and experimental methods, wihch not only analyzes the mechanism of chip formation in depth, but also investigates the time-varying characteristics of cutting forces. The results indicate that, when comparing simulation with experiments, the average error in cutting forces is 7.62%, and the chip morphology is also quite similar. Observations in the simulation show that as the cutting thickness increases from 7.96 μm to 23.87 μm, the free surface of the chip exhibits serrated features, and the main shear zone of the chip becomes clearer. Cutting forces exhibit periodic variations, with alternating peaks and valleys representing the formation of shear zones in the chip. In the experiment, observed chips displays a wrinkled free surface and a smooth non-free surface, with some chip edges exhibiting a burr phenomenon. By selecting appropriate machining parameters, the generation of secondary shear bands on the free surface was effectively reduced. By observing the chip morphology, it is found that the chip formation is accompanied by the material removal of plasticity and brittleness, which is the result of the combined action of heat, stress, and free volume. It should be considered to lower temperature to reduce the phenomenon of chip adhesion, providing guidance for further optimizing the cutting process of metallic glass. This paper can provide to readers further understanding of the chip formation mechanism in milling metal glass. • 2D finite element modeling was used to simulate the chip formation. • The shear zones appeared on the serrated chips. • The experimental results verified the accuracy of the simulation model. • The chips of BMG have smooth non-free surface and wrinkled free surface. • The serrated chips are the result of heat, stress, and free volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper "Abhimanyu Kumar and Souvik Ganguli 'A new Hall-effect enabled voltage amplifier device based on magnetic and thermal properties of materials.' Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 514 (2020): 167054." it is claimed that the output voltage V out of a Hall plate can be larger than its input voltage V in. This clearly contradicts the well-known "no-voltage amplification property" of Hall plates. Within this comment we proof the no-voltage amplification theorem by simple methods. Hence, the main statement of Kumar et al. is proven to be incorrect. In addition, we give a simple proof that the solution of the governed equation has a unique solution with regards to the current flow. To illustrate the current flow and the obtained output voltage numerical examples using the finite element method are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our previous work, the coaxial electrostatic spinning method was applied to construct nanofiber/SiBCN ceramic aerogel with an elytra-mimetic structure. The material presented excellent mechanical, insulation, oxidation resistance, and other properties. Based on preliminary experiments and literature reports, the integrated heat transfer behavior of nanofiber/SiBCN composite ceramic aerogels in high-temperature environments was affected by several factors, such as coaxial fiber size properties, fiber particle content, interactions, and spatial distribution. Moreover, the above factors overlapped and interacted with each other, and it was hard to generalize a clear law of action through traditional experiments and characterization. Therefore, the paper constructed a representative volume unit (RVE) model based on the complex spatial distribution characteristics of composite aerogels, using fractal theory, Rosseland equation theory, and multiphase model theory. This paper investigated the fiber and particle content, the size characteristics of the coaxial fibers, and the overall heat transfer process in high-temperature environments using the finite element method. The finite element simulated the effective thermal conductivity of multiphase aerogel composites under multiple parameters, such as fiber occupancy, fiber core-shell diameter ratio, temperature, and heat transfer mode. We obtained the property parameters of the complex composition of the material through fractal theory. The model was combined with finite elements to study the fiber particle content, the size characteristics of coaxial fibers, and the integrated heat transfer process in high-temperature environments. The fibers improved the absorption and reflection of thermal radiation with increasing fiber mass fraction, leading to improved ability of ceramic fiber aerogel to extinguish light. The fibers had a larger area to absorb and reflect thermal radiation. Based on the excellent extinction ability of SiC fibers, the composite ceramic aerogel had improved thermal performance at a specifically fiber-to-shell diameter ratio through a comprehensive multifactor simulation analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Realization of an experimental heat pump based on elastocaloric effect. • The device is made of elastocaloric wires crossed by air as heat transfer fluid. • The energy and environmental impacts of the device with many elastocaloric materials were tested. • Evaluation of the environmental impact through a TEWI analysis compared with a HFC32 heat pump. • Ni 55.92 Ti 44.08 and (Ni 50 Mn 31.5 Ti 18.5) 99.8 B 0.2 provide a significant reduction of the environmental impact (−50/−60 %) with respect to HFC32 heat pump. Solid-state refrigeration can constitute a breakthrough point since based on solid-state refrigerants that do not have any direct greenhouse effect (GWP = 0). The refrigeration systems based on caloric effect can be categorized as: magnetocaloric, electrocaloric, elastocaloric or barocaloric. The theme of interest for the investigation introduced in this paper is elastoCaloric Effect (eCE). In this paper the environmental impact in terms of Total Equivalent Warming Impact (TEWI) of an elastocaloric rotary device ensuring continuous fluxes of cold/hot air for the air conditioning applications is evaluated. The final aim is the construction of an experimental device based on eCE working as a heat pump that operates at peak performance and that would be eco-friendly. Indeed, a rotary two-dimensional model based on finite element method was developed to couple with the device during its realization. The device has been virtually tested while mounting various elastocaloric effect materials to examine and select the ones resulting most suitable both from energetical and environmental points of view. The evaluation of the environmental impact has been perpetuated through a TEWI analysis comparing the indexes of the elastocaloric prototype operating with different elastocaloric materials (Ni 50.8 Ti 49.2 , Ni 55.9 Ti 44.1 , Ni 45 Ti 47.2 Cu 5 V 2.75 , (Ni 50 Mn 31.5 Ti 18.5) 99.8 B 0.2 and PbTiO 3) and a vapor compression heat pump (A ++/ A +) working with HFC32. The analysis was perpetuated for both the functioning modes: cooling and heating modes. The most remarkable data on the analysis is that only Ni 55.92 Ti 44.08 and (Ni 50 Mn 31.5 Ti 18.5) 99.8 B 0.2 provide a significant reduction of the environmental impact (−50/−60 %) appropriately selecting the operative conditions (air velocity ranging from 9 to 12 ms−1 and cycle frequency 0.4 ÷ 0.5 Hz). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: With the rapid development of civil engineering, the traditional low rise building model can no longer meet the needs of urbanization, and high-rise building structure has become the future development direction. In recent years, earthquake disasters occur frequently in China, which has caused huge losses to high-rise buildings. Therefore, we must strengthen the relevant research of high-rise building structures, which can make the high-rise building structural columns meet the requirements of safety performance. Therefore, the health detection and seismic performance evaluation of high-rise buildings will be of great significance. Research method: Through static elastic-plastic evaluation, we can calculate the dissipated strain energy of the structural column, which will further obtain the damage index of the structural column and obtain relevant data. Through this calculation method, we can complete the seismic performance evaluation of high-rise buildings, which is a calculation mode different from the traditional finite element software analysis. Through static elastic-plastic analysis, the seismic performance evaluation of high-rise buildings will have higher accuracy, which will build a damage index. Therefore, this paper uses a variety of research methods, mainly literature survey and empirical analysis. Through literature analysis, this paper can fully and correctly understand the methods of health detection and seismic performance evaluation of high-rise building structures at home and abroad, which will further clarify the current research level at home and abroad. Through empirical research, this paper analyzes specific examples, which can obtain more accurate results. Conclusion: In this paper, the seismic performance of high-rise buildings is comprehensively evaluated according to the damage index value of building structural columns. The simulation results show that more ideal seismic evaluation results can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current paper, we introduce an error analysis method and a new procedure to accelerate the convergence of finite element (FE) approximation of the Steklov eigenvalue problem. The error analysis consists of three steps. First, we introduce an optimal residual type the a posteriori error estimator, and prove its efficiency and reliability. Next, we present a residual type the a priori estimate in terms of derivatives of the eigenfunctions. Finally, we prove accurate the a priori error estimates by combining the a priori residual estimate and the a posteriori error estimates. The new procedure for accelerating the convergence comes from a postprocessing technique, in which we solve an auxiliary source problem on argument spaces. The argument space can be obtained similarly as in the two-space method by increasing the order of polynomials by one. We end the paper by reporting the results of a couple of numerical tests, which allow us to assess the performance of the new error analysis and the postprocessing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient finite element method using the sub-parametric transformations of the curved boundaries for the 45-node octic order triangular element is presented in this paper. The one-sided curved and two-sided straight triangle in the universal coordinate system (x , y) is mapped onto an isosceles triangle (ξ , η) ∈ [ 0 , 1 ] and ξ + η ≤ 1 in the (ξ , η)-coordinate system by using an isoparametric coordinate transformation. Using such a transformation, the curved edge of the triangular element is altered implicitly by a newly defined octic curve. Such an octic curve is obtained by using the topology of the curved edge. With an apparent condition of arc being a parabola, a new transformation is developed to find a unique curve for each edge that passes through the points on the original curved arc. Overall, the new sub-parametric transformations are developed, these include the transformation for the curved edge on the original boundary, in addition to the parameters from the curved triangle's interior. Several numerical experiments are presented to show the efficacy of the proposed method. The computational results obtained for a boundary value problem using octic order basis functions outperform the results obtained using the existing higher order basis functions such as quadratic (6-node), cubic (10-node), quartic (16-node), quintic (21-node), sextic (28-node), and septic (36-node) order triangular elements (TEs) with curves. The method implemented in this paper can be easily extendable to quasi-static and dynamic crack evolution problems within linear and nonlinear elasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the analysis of the free and force vibration characteristics of FGM double layered cylindrical/conical/spherical shell and annular plate coupled structures under various boundary conditions and coupled connection conditions. The spectral geometry method is utilized to represent the displacement variable for FGM shell and annular plate structures in the uniform form, which overcomes the discontinuity or jump phenomenon at the boundary. To simulate the boundary conditions and coupling connection relationship between the FGM plate and shell substructures, the artificial virtual spring technique is implemented by adjusting the stiffness values of linear or rotational springs. Based on the Rayleigh-Ritz procedure, the unified dynamic equations of the FGM double layered cylindrical/conical/spherical shell and annular plate coupled structures are derived. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the convergence of the proposed model, and the accuracy and correctness of the proposed analytical model are verified by comparing the results with the vibration results obtained by the finite element method. Furthermore, parametric analysis is conducted to investigate the effect of material parameters, geometric parameters, and position parameters on the inherent characteristics and steady-state response of the FGM double layered coupled structure under various boundary conditions. Overall, this paper contributes to the understanding of the dynamic behavior of FGM double layered coupled structures and provides a useful analytical tool for the design and optimization of such structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present paper, effect of holding time at 600 °C during the brazing cooling process on creep life of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with bonded compliant seal (BCS) is investigated by the finite element method. The research indicates that creep crack initiation time in BCS structure increases significantly with the holding time increasing. Compared with that the traditional cooling method during the brazing process, the creep crack initiation time can be prolonged more than twice by the holding time of 150 h with the operating temperature of 600 °C, it increases from 14,949 h to 31,911 h. When the operating temperature is 800 °C, the creep crack initiation time of SOFC can hardly be affected if the holding time exceeds 10 h. Based on the creep damage analysis and considering the cost of the SOFC manufacturing process, it is recommended that the holding time should not be exceeded 300 h if the operating temperature is below 750 °C. And when the operating temperature is 800 °C, the recommended holding time should not be longer than 10 h. The research of the present paper can provide theoretical guidance for the long life manufacturing and reliability operation of SOFC. • Effect of holding time in brazing process on creep life of SOFC is investigated. • Creep life of SOFC increases significantly with the holding time increasing. • Holding time should not exceed 300 h if the operating temperature is below 750 °C. • Recommend holding time is 10 h when operating temperature is higher than 800 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, based on the Wachspress generalized barycentric coordinates, we propose and analyze a polygonal finite volume element method (PFVEM) for solving the anisotropic diffusion equation on convex polygonal meshes. In particular, the PFVEM reduces to the classical P 1 -FVEM on triangular meshes and it is not identical to the classical Q 1 -FVEM on quadrilateral meshes. A new proof is given to Proposition 8 in [19] , a result that is crucial to the derivation of the interpolation error estimates in both H 1 and H 2 norms. The original proof is based on a certain geometric assumption, which is shown not always true by a counterexample given in this paper. Moreover, for the error analysis of the PFVEM, we prove the H 2 error estimate of the Wachspress interpolation. Under the coercivity assumption, the optimal H 1 error estimate for the finite volume element solution is obtained. Several numerical examples are presented to show the efficiency and robustness of the proposed method for the heterogeneous and anisotropic diffusion problems on polygonal meshes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we will develop an energy stable numerical method for computing the complex fluids in an L-shaped cavity. The complex fluids possess a number of interesting technological applications in various fields. However, numerical computations for complex fluids in an L-shaped cavity are least understood. In this paper, the Red blood cell is the main focus because of their importance and remarkable deformability presenting particular simulation challenges in the L-shaped cavity. In order to study such complex fluids possessing complicated nature and multi-scale properties, the partial differential equations have been used to formulate the mathematical model of the complex fluids. To solve the mathematical model, energy stable schemes have been first constructed. Next, the numerical results are calculated followed by discussion for different surface tensions. A nonlinear coupling system is discretized into a (1) decoupled (2) stable, and (3) linear multi-step numerical scheme by adding a stability term. Fourth-order phase field equation is transformed into two second-order elliptic problems by using some reasonable decouple techniques, which is easy to implement. Furthermore, the finite element method is used for the spatial discretization. Numerical results confirm the energy decay property and deformability of the Red blood cell in the L-shaped domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we establish the convergence and quasi-optimality of an adaptive finite element method for nonmonotone elliptic problems on L 2 errors for a sufficiently fine initial mesh. Although additional refinements are needed to keep the meshes sufficiently mildly graded, it does not affect the convergence and quasi-optimality of the adaptive finite element method presented in this paper. Our theoretical results are verified by some numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cascading rotor and stator in axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) machine is a beneficial concept to increase the power density without increasing the diameter of the machine. Multi-stage AFPM can provide higher torque capability in applications requiring high power density. In this regard single-stator double- rotor (SSDR) and double-stator single-rotor (DSSR) are efficient machines compared to single -stage AFPM. Since SSDR and DSSR are also considered modular units to make multi-stage AFPM, like single-stage AFPM, this paper makes a comparison with analysis between SSDR and DSSR AFPM machines. Based on 3-D finite element analysis (FEA), the air-gap magnetic flux, voltage, current, torque, torque ripple, power and power density, efficiency are comparatively investigated to evaluate their performance. Results show that fully coreless topology only be achieved in SSDR AFPM machine with a higher power density. Finally, a prototype multi-stage coreless generator has been developed using a single stator double rotor (SSDR) configuration to justify the fully coreless concept. This prototype coreless generator eliminates eddy current losses and reduces weight, making it a suitable option for certain portable applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The compressive buckling analysis of cracked nanosheets is performed by XFEM, considering small-scale effect. • The contribution of this work is the study of buckling of nanosheets in the presence of a crack. • The studied variables include small-scaling parameter, crack length, nanosheet dimensions, and boundary supports. • The results show that the cracking phenomenon and the increase of its length intensify the nonlocal effect. The process used to produce nanosheets may cause damage such as cracks in them. These cracks can adversely affect the buckling capacity of nanosheets. The main contribution of this research endeavor is to extend the previous studies on undamaged nanosheets to the cracked ones concerning the size-dependent effect. On the nanoscale, the assumption of material continuity, which is the fundamental assumption in classical continuum mechanics, is not valid. In this case, nonlocal non-classical theories are employed to analyze nanosheets. The present paper examines the nonlocal buckling of cracked graphene sheets under uniaxial and biaxial loads. To this end, the governing equations are developed based on the first-order shear deformation theory and using Eringen's nonlocal elasticity theory. Moreover, cracked nanosheets with various boundary conditions are analyzed via the extended finite element method. The variables under study are the small scaling parameter, crack length, nanosheet dimensional parameters, and support conditions. The results indicate that while the small scaling parameter reduces the critical buckling capacity of nanosheets, the presence of a crack in the nanosheet and the increase in its length intensify the nonlocal effect. In addition, as the aspect ratio of the nanosheet increases from one, the nonlocal effect decreases gradually. The small-scale effect increases by constraining the edges of the cracked nanosheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A fully coupled three-dimensional THMC model (DEHydrate) is developed for simulating hydrate dissociation. • The numerical results obtained from the proposed model are in good agreement with those from other simulations. • Only a small fraction of gas produced from radial hydrate dissociation is collected from the wellbore. • The model provides an effective tool to predict the mechanical behavior during hydrate dissociation. Due to high energy density and huge reserves, many trial projects worldwide have been conducted to exploit natural gas hydrates (NGH). However, most of them did not meet the commercialization requirements because of submarine hazards, low gas production and sand production. Therefore, it is important to investigate the NGH dissociation process. In this paper, a fully coupled multiphase, strongly nonlinear three-dimensional (3D) thermal–hydro–mechanical–chemical model (DEHydrate) is developed to consider the multiphysics behaviours including solid-liquid-gas multiphase flow, heat transfer, NGH phase transition and solid deformation during hydrate dissociation. The model is solved using a fully implicit finite element method. The gas-liquid flow and heat transfer are simulated by low-order elements while the solid deformation is calculated by high- or low-order elements. The behaviours of the multiphase seepage and geomechanics are fully coupled and the physical properties of the reservoir are updated iteratively based on changes in pressure, temperature and displacement. The DEHydrate simulator provides an effective tool to predict the evolution of reservoir mechanical behavior during hydrate dissociation, including transient pressure, temperature, displacement and stress in the reservoir, as well as multiphase saturation, hydrate dissociation rate/mass and gas production rate/mass. During the NGH dissociation, the initial stage exhibits a rapid dissociation rate of up to 206.23 kg/(d·m) for NGH layer with a length of 600 m and a thickness of 22 m, which subsequently decreases to 11.64 kg/(d·m). Only a small portion of the gas generated during NGH dissociation is collected at the wellbore (approximately 35.6 % after 100 days), while the majority remains trapped in the reservoir. In addition, throughout NGH dissociation, the reservoir matrix continues to move toward the wellbore in the horizontal direction. While in the vertical direction, the reservoir matrix below the wellbore moves upwards, with decreasing displacement due to low-pressure diffusion, while the reservoir matrix above the wellbore moves downwards, with increasing displacement. The largest displacements occur near the wellbore during the early stage of NGH dissociation, while in the late stage, the largest displacements occur above the reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce and analyze a lowest-order locking-free weak Galerkin (WG) finite element scheme for the grad-div formulation of linear elasticity problems. The scheme uses linear functions in the interior of mesh elements and constants on edges (2D) or faces (3D), respectively, to approximate the displacement. An H (d i v) -conforming displacement reconstruction operator is employed to modify test functions in the right-hand side of the discrete form, in order to eliminate the dependence of the L a m e ´ parameter λ in error estimates, i.e., making the scheme locking-free. The method works without requiring λ ‖ ∇ ⋅ u ‖ 1 to be bounded. We prove optimal error estimates, independent of λ , in both the H 1 -norm and the L 2 -norm. Numerical experiments validate that the method is effective and locking-free. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transient Stokes magnetohydrodynamic (Stokes MHD) equations are thoroughly investigated in this paper using the variational subgrid multiscale stabilized finite element approach. In order to get the optimal order of convergence, appropriate stabilization parameter expressions have been derived using Fourier analysis. The theoretical convergence analysis of the subgrid algebraic stabilized numerical scheme is also presented in this study. The numerical studies on multiply-driven cavity flow establish the credibility of the variational algebraic subgrid multiscale stabilized finite element approach. Further, the theoretically determined convergence rate is numerically validated. For different Hartmann, Reynolds, and magnetic force inclination angle values, the flow fields are traced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper investigates static deformation, free vibration, and patch loading response of one-dimensional (1D) hexagonal quasicrystal (QC) plates by the symplectic method. The Hamiltonian system is established by utilizing the variational principle, and then the symplectic analytical solutions of the extended displacement and traction vectors are obtained with simply supported boundary conditions. Numerical examples illustrate the effect of stacking sequence on the bending deformation of multilayered plates made up of QC and crystal materials. Moreover, the effects of the patch region, frequency, and phonon-phason coupling elastic coefficients on the corresponding problems are investigated. The symplectic analytical solutions presented in the article can be further used as benchmarks for numerical methods, such as the finite integral transformation and finite element methods. • The Hamiltonian system for dynamic equations of 1D hexagonal QC is established using the variational principle. • Analytic solutions of 1D hexagonal QC are rationally derived by the symplectic method. • The static deformation, free vibration, and patch loading response of 1D hexagonal QCs plates are investigated. • Some numerical tests are illustrated to justify the symplectic method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An accurate algorithm is presented for transcranial magneto-acoustic-electrical stimulation. • Unstructured mesh used in mesh discretization facilitates the pre-processing. • Our algorithm possesses higher calculation accuracy and faster convergence rate. • The developed model can achieve superior computational efficiency. • The proposed method is insensitive to mesh distortion. In this paper, a numerical method for simulating transcranial magneto-acoustic-electrical stimulation (TMAES) is presented. The smoothed finite element method (SFEM) is applied to calculate the magnetic field and the Rayleigh integral (RI) is used for solving the ultrasonic field. Three-node triangular and four-node tetrahedral elements are set as the background cells for constructing the smoothing domains (SDs). A gradient smoothing technique (GST) is applied over each SD to obtain the magnetic flux density. The discretized system equations are obtained by using the generalized smoothed Galerkin weakform. To solve the sound pressure, the ultrasonic transducer is discretized into a series of micro-elements. The acoustic pressure in the problem domain is then equal to the superposition of that generated by the individual micro-element. Finally, the current density can be calculated by the magneto-acoustic coupling effect. Numerical examples demonstrate that SFEM can improve accuracy, convergence rate, and efficiency to 10, 1.8, and 4 times those of FEM, respectively. In the calculation of coupled fields, SFEM-RI also improves the accuracy by 2.5 times. Additionally, the presented method possesses the property of insensitivity to mesh distortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of the piezo-stack and the flexible mechanism are both influenced by temperature, which induces the performance change of piezoelectric actuators in low-temperature. This study investigates how temperature affects the dynamics model's stiffness, damping, driving force, and friction. An axial heat conduction model based on Fourier's heat conduction law was established, and finite element analysis was carried out to study the temperature distribution of the piezo-stack. Moreover, finite element analysis was carried out at various temperatures to investigate the impact of temperature on the flexible mechanism's deformation. Based on the aforementioned study, a dynamics model with variable stiffness and damping is proposed in this paper, and the simulation results are verified. In the experiment, the effects of temperature, voltage, and frequency on the output performance of the piezoelectric actuator were investigated separately using impedance and amplitude-frequency characteristic curves to determine the resonant frequency and damping ratio of the flexible mechanism at low temperatures. Theory and experiment show that high stiffness and low piezoelectric constants at low temperatures reduce the piezoelectric actuator's output displacement, friction reduction will enhance the driving displacement of the piezoelectric actuator, and the effect of damping on output displacement is insignificant. This study offers significant theoretical value and guidance for the use of piezoelectric actuators in low-temperature situations. • Temperature distribution across a piezo stack via mechanical series and electrical parallel connections. • Calculate stiffness, damping, and piezo constants at low temperatures, integrate them with a dynamics model for simulation. • Assess the influence of dynamics model parameters on piezo actuators through theoretical simulations and experiments. • Clarify the effect of each parameter of the dynamics model on the performance of piezoelectric actuators by means of experimental and theoretical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a new error analysis of a class of charge-conservative finite element methods for stationary inductionless magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations. The methods use the standard inf-sup stable Mini/Taylor–Hood pairs to discretize the velocity and pressure, and the Raviart–Thomas face element for solving the current density. Due to the strong coupling of the system and the pollution of the lower-order Raviart–Thomas face approximation in analysis, the existing analysis is not optimal. In terms of a mixed Poisson projection and the corresponding estimate in negative norms, we establish new and optimal error estimates. In particular, we prove that the method with the lowest-order Raviart–Thomas face element and Mini element provides the optimal accuracy for the velocity in L 2 -norm, and the method with the lowest-order Raviart–Thomas face element and P 2 − P 1 Taylor-Hood element supplies the optimal accuracy for the velocity in H 1 -norm and the pressure in L 2 -norm. Furthermore, we propose a simple recovery technique to obtain a new numerical current density of one order higher accuracy by re-solving a mixed Poisson equation. Numerical results are provided to verify the theoretical analysis. • New and optimal error analysis of charge-conservative finite element methods are established. • A simple recovery technique is proposed to obtain a new current density with higher accuracy. • Numerical examples are provided to verify the theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with a class of nonlinear multi-term time fractional wave equations. Based on the Galerkin finite element method (FEM) in space and the L 2- 1 σ formula in time, combined with the corresponding fast algorithm, an efficient fully discrete scheme is constructed. The unconditional optimal convergence property in H 1 -norm of the proposed scheme is discussed by utilizing the time-space splitting technique. Furthermore, the optimal L 2 -norm convergence and the H 1 -norm superconvergence results of the method are obtained. Finally, several illustrative numerical experiments are performed to verify the theoretical results. Compared with the existing works, studying the convergence of FEMs for the nonlinear fractional wave equation is a great challenging task, and there are significant differences in research approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an application of stable finite element (FE) approximations of convection-diffusion initial boundary value problems (IBVPs) using a weighted least squares FE method, the automatic variationally stable finite element (AVS-FE) method [1]. The transient convection-diffusion problem leads to issues in classical FE methods as the differential operator can be considered a singular perturbation in both space and time. The stability property of the AVS-FE method, allows us significant flexibility in the construction of FE approximations in both space and time. Thus, in this paper, we take two distinct approaches to the FE discretization of the convection-diffusion problem: i) considering a space-time approach in which the temporal discretization is established using finite elements, and i i) a method of lines approach in which we employ the AVS-FE method in space whereas the temporal domain is discretized using the generalized- α method. We also consider another space-time technique in which the temporal direction is partitioned, thereby leading to finite space-time "slices" in an attempt to reduce the computational cost of the space-time discretizations. We present numerical verifications for these approaches, including numerical asymptotic convergence studies highlighting optimal convergence properties. Furthermore, in the spirit of the discontinuous Petrov-Galerkin (DPG) method by Demkowicz and Gopalakrishnan [2–6] , the AVS-FE method also leads to readily available a posteriori error estimates through a Riesz representer of the residual of the AVS-FE approximations. Hence, the norm of the resulting local restrictions of these estimates serves as error indicators in both space and time for which we present multiple numerical verifications in mesh adaptive strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dynamic modelling of soft tissue deformation based on the dynamic model decomposition. • No prior knowledge of the system governing equation is required. • Construct a reduced-order model by extracting the essential features of the full model. This paper studies a new approach to dynamic modelling of soft tissue nonlinear deformation behavior based on dynamic model decomposition. This approach derives the deformation relationship between two continuous time points from correlated system snapshots. Subsequently, it constructs a reduced-order system by extracting most relevant information via thin-singular value decomposition to capture dynamic characteristics of the full-order deformation system. Unlike the existing methods which mainly rely on the establishment of complex constitutive equations for governing soft tissue deformation, the proposed method conducts tissue deformation directly from measured samples without involving constitutive governing equations. Simulation results show that the proposed method not only achieves real-time performance, but also sustains similar accuracy as the nonlinear finite element method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the linearized backward Euler finite element scheme for the Navier-Stokes-Poisson-Nernst-Planck (NSPNP) equations. We aim to derive the unconditional error estimates of all variables in l ∞ (L 2) and l ∞ (H 1) norms. Compared with some previous results, we remove the mesh restriction. In addition, we derive two important physical properties for the proposed numerical scheme. Finally, three numerical examples are implemented to verify the theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main idea of this paper is to investigate numerical solutions of Noyes Field model for Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction by implementing the combination of two well-known numerical techniques. The proposed methods are collocation method based on finite elements, which is a useful and very flexible approach for solving partial differential equations (PDE), and operator splitting method which is a widely used procedure in the numerical solution of initial and boundary value problems for PDEs. Especially, for this paper, the application of collocation methods are based on trigonometric cubic B-splines. With the help of two techniques discrete schemes are investigated. Next, we presented stability of discrete schemes with Von- Neumann stability analysis. Also, we present the result of applying methods to Noyes Field model and the error norms L 2 and L ∞ to show how accurate numerical solutions to exact ones and graphical representations associated numerical results are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new topology approach based on the finite element method coupled with a density approach is proposed. • An alternative projection function and a new objective function are improved and applied. • All parameters and equations are treated as global dimensionless in the proposed approach. • The verification schemes for the proposed approach and the optimized structure performance are carried out. The present work is based on the Finite Element Method as the discretization technique coupled to a density approach, an alternative interpolation function in this paper. A new dimensionless objective function combining minimum energy consumption and maximum thermal performance of topology optimization is proposed, and the performance of the approach and the optimized structure in this paper are verified. The result shows: that the alternative interpolation function can effectively solve the checkerboard and gray cell problems in topology optimization; the new objective function can reduce the vibration problem in the calculation process caused by nonlinearity; in the same conjugate heat transfer systems, the objective function value obtained by the Finite Element Method is 2.24% higher than that of Finite Volume Method and 4.26% higher than that of the Lattice Boltzmann Method; under high Reynolds number, topology structure shows superior comprehensive performance, which is increased by 19.5% -65.2%, and energy consumption per heat transfer can be reduced by up to 38.85%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, variation of temperature and velocity in the x-direction and the angular velocity of the nanofluids flow through triangular and rectangular and chamfer fins are investigated in the existence of a uniform magnetic field. The innovation of this paper is to investigate parameters of Mwcnt and TiO2 nanofluids passing from the different fins and blades on the stretching surface and compare their results together. Also by using FlexPDE and Design software, we were able to show all temperature and angular velocity counters in the form of diagrams and 3D images. The finite Element Method is selected for solving governing equations. The second part of the description relates to the use RSM method in the Design-Expert software. In this paper by using the RSM method, optimized the nanofluid velocity and heat transfer passing from the stretching sheet. Based on the results obtained from the angular velocity graphs and the heat transfer cantors in the Design-Expert software, the best optimization occurred for nanofluid velocity and nanofluid temperature, and angular velocity with u = 1.19 and T = 21.15 and N = 117.28. By comparison between the passing of MWCNT and TiO2 nanofluids flow on the different fins and blades, the results show that the temperature of MWCNT nanofluid around the fins has a greater value than the TiO2 nanofluids. The maximum heat transfer and temperature occurs near the rectangular fins for TiO2, and is 0.14% bigger than triangular and chamfer fins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents our researching results regarding numerical calculus by Finite Element Method (FEM) of the Functionally Graded Plates (FGP). Two approching ways were used: the concept of multilayered plate and the concept of equivalent plate. By using of the multilayer plate concept, the continuous variation of the material law is replaced by a step variation; the layers have homogeneous and isotropic properties, with values established according to the methodology presented in this paper. When the equivalent plate concept is used, the FGP is replaced by a completely homogeneous and isotropic plate, but with fictitious properties that lead to a behavior similar to the real plate. The significance of the study consists in the elaboration and presentation of the FGPs calculus models, which can be approached with the existing current means, available to any researcher. The aim of this study is to enrich the knowledge regarding the numerical calculus, with the finite element method, of the FGP, using the current general knowledge and software products. The objectives of our study were to develop models and methodologies for calculus by FEM, available immediately. The results of the numerical simulations were validated by comparison with the adopted analytical solution. The use of the Ansys program, with the general options, available in many professional program by FEM, is still a reliable element in the numerical results and the validation of the results of our study. The methodologies, observations and conclusions are valid for any of these material laws presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]