Novel Computational Simulation Methodology for Complex Structural System Analysis

该项目将通过开发一种用于复杂结构系统分析的新的无网格模拟方法来建立新的结构工程计算范例。弹塑性大变形、材料分离和复杂的失效模式是基于性能的极限状态下结构响应的特点，现有的有限元技术已被证明不足以在结构设计模拟中有效地处理这些特征。因此，需要探索和开发新的工具来有效地分析和准确预测结构的性能，在基于模拟的土木工程基础设施设计时代，针对具有大变形响应的非常规荷载。采用最大熵无网格法与稳定的节点积分格式相结合的共同旋转格式的设想是为了克服目前有限元的局限性。该项目的成果包括促进对现有基础设施进行极端载荷评估的新方法，以及基于模拟的结构设计程序。这项研究工作的成果将激励新的创新方法来处理复杂结构系统在极端载荷(如地震、爆炸和冲击)下的非线性分析。与国家标准与技术研究所的研究人员的外部合作将提供一个启动研究生交流的绝佳机会，从而为改进结构系统的设计而在实验和模拟方面发展坚实的基础。该项目还包括一个教育部分，旨在向本科生和K-12年级的学生介绍结构计算领域令人兴奋的新兴方法，从而鼓励他们从事结构工程领域的职业生涯，并最终为国家保护国家-S基础设施的努力做出贡献。

This project will establish a new structural engineering computation paradigm by developing a novel meshfree simulation methodology for the analysis of complex structural systems. Inelastic large deformations, and material separation and complex failure modes are special features of structural response in performance-based limit states, and existing finite element technology has proven to be inadequate to address these features efficiently in structural design simulations. Thus, there is a need to explore and develop new tools to efficiently analyze and accurately predict the performance of structures in the era of simulation-based design of the civil infrastructure for unconventional loads with large deformation response. The adoption of maximum-entropy meshfree methods in conjunction with stable nodal-integration schemes within a co-rotational formulation is conceived to overcome the current limitations of finite elements. Outcomes from the project include a new methodology to facilitate the assessment of existing infrastructure to extreme loads and procedures to enable simulation-based structural design.The outcome of this research effort will spur new innovative methods to deal with nonlinear analysis of complex structural systems subjected to extreme loads such as earthquakes, blast and impact. External collaboration with researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology will provide an excellent opportunity to initiate graduate student exchange and hence enable the development of a strong foundation in experimentation and simulations for improved design of structural systems. The project also includes an educational component that seeks to introduce undergraduates and K-12 students to exciting and emerging methods in structural computation thereby encouraging them to pursue careers in structural engineering and eventually contribute to the national effort to preserve and protect the nation?s infrastructure.