CAREER: Simulation of Geometrically Flexible Materials with Applications to Computer Graphics and Computational Science

3D材料和自然现象的高保真物理模拟在许多计算科学领域，如结构工程和车辆/飞机设计，以及电影，视觉效果（VFX），动画和视频游戏的关键组成部分，已经成为必不可少的。数值模拟进一步发现了越来越广泛的新应用，如实时VFX预览、虚拟现实游戏、交互式外科训练、预测软机器人和计算制造。虽然理论计算能力现在不再是一个障碍，但设计新的数值算法的创新机会及时出现，这些算法可以在数学上高精度地解决复杂的几何和多物理，并且可以最好地利用具有合理可扩展性的新计算平台。在为这一方向做出贡献的同时，该项目还将直接促进科学计算、机械工程和人机交互方面的现代跨学科研究和教育。模拟虚拟人的应用将使临床训练软件成为可能，不仅可以改善患者护理，还可以消除动物实验。对大规模地球物理模拟的支持通过改善雪崩和山体滑坡等灾害的预测来挽救生命。多功能多物理系统的创新通过模拟北极海冰促进了气候科学的进步。该项目将为非仿真专家和STEM学生提供非常有用的软件系统和教育工具。它还将通过多种多样的教育活动、交流项目和外展活动，大力鼓励本科生、未被充分代表的少数民族和妇女的参与。该项目将开发创新的计算算法，包括使用材料点方法灵活处理薄结构，这是一种统一的多材料多物理框架，用于捕获多种现象，以及利用下一代多gpu平台的新方法。共维几何形状（金属壳、流体片、细丝、生物膜、纤维复合材料、螺纹合金等）将是主要焦点。该项目将建立对异质材料具有鲁棒性的创新几何表示，以及自然捕获多物理场的数值算法。薄结构的创新处理将实现新的应用，如纤维级木材裂缝预测和纤维食品设计/加工。统一的框架将创造一个令人兴奋的机会，通过直接从断层成像中实现高保真的生物力学模拟，来改善临床计划和培训，而对数值稳定性和计算可扩展性的研究将推动计算机图形学和计算科学的协同领域。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

High-fidelity physics-based simulation of 3D materials and natural phenomena has become essential in many computational science domains such as structural engineering and vehicle/aircraft design, as well as a critical component in motion pictures, visual effects (VFX), animation, and video games. Numerical simulations have further found an increasing breadth of new applications such as real-time VFX previews, virtual reality games, interactive surgical training, predictive soft robotics, and computational fabrication. While theoretical computation capacity is now less of an impediment, a timely opportunity emerges for innovations in designing new numerical algorithms that mathematically resolve complex geometry and multi-physics with high accuracy and can best utilize new computational platforms with plausible scalability. While contributing towards this direction, the project will also directly promote modern interdisciplinary studies and education in scientific computing, mechanical engineering, and human-robot interaction. The application to simulating virtual humans will enable clinical training software, which not only improves patient care but also eliminates animal experiments. The support for large-scale geophysical simulation saves lives by improving the prediction of disasters like avalanches and landslides. The innovation of a versatile multi-physics system facilitates advances in climate sciences by modeling Arctic sea ice. This project will produce highly useful software systems for non-simulation experts and educational tools for STEM students. It will also strongly encourage the involvement of undergraduate students, underrepresented minorities, and women through a versatile set of educational events, exchange programs, and outreach activities.This project will develop innovative computational algorithms, including flexible treatment of thin structures with the Material Point Method, a unified multi-material multi-physics framework to capture versatile phenomena, along with novel approaches harnessing the power of next-generation multi-GPU platforms. Co-dimensional geometries (metallic shells, fluid sheets, filaments, biological membranes, fibrous composites, threaded alloys, etc.) will be a primary focus. The project will build innovative geometric representations that are robust for heterogeneous materials, and numerical algorithms that naturally capture multi-physics. The innovative treatment of thin structures will enable new applications such as fiber-level wood crack prediction and fibrous food design/processing. The unified framework will create an exciting opportunity to improve clinical planning and training by enabling high-fidelity biomechanical simulation directly from tomographic imaging, while investigations into numerical stability and computational scalability will advance synergistic domains in computer graphics and computational science at large.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.