PREDICTION OF VORTEX-INDUCED VIBRATION OF FLEXIBLE RISER USING AN IMPROVED WAKE-OSCILLATOR MODEL

Based on improving the wake-oscillator model, an analytical model for vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of flexible riser under non-uniform current is presented, in which the variation of added mass at lock-in and the nonlinear relationship between amplitude of response and reduced velocity are considered. By means of empirical formula combining iteration computation, the improved analytical model can be conveniently programmed into computer code with simpler and faster computation process than CFD so as to be suitable to application of practical engineering. This model is validated by comparing with experimental result and numerical simulation. Our results show that the improved model can predict VIV response and lock-in region more accurately. At last, illustrative examples are given in which the amplitude of response of flexible riser experiencing VIV under action of non-uniform current is calculated and effects of riser tension and flow distribution along span of riser are explored. It is demonstrated that with the variation of tension and flow distribution, lock-in region of mode behaves in different way, and thus the final response is a synthesis of response of locked modes.

Computer simulation of the damage evolution of fiber-reinforced polypropylene-matrix composites with matrix defects

The damage evolution of fiber-reinforced polypropylene-matrix composites with matrix defects was studied via a Monte Carlo technique combined with a finite element method. A finite element model was constructed to predict the effects of various matrix defect shapes on the stress distributions. The results indicated that a small matrix defect had almost no effect on fiber stress distributions other than interfacial shear stress distributions. Then, a finite element model with a statistical distribution of the fiber strength was constructed to investigate the influences of the spatial distribution and the volume fraction of matrix defects on composite failure. The results showed that it was accurate to use the shear-lag models and Green's function methods to predict the tensile strength of composites even though the axial stresses in the matrix were neglected.

NEW TOPOLOGICAL INDEX AND PREDICTION OF PHASE-TRANSFER ENERGY FOR PROTONATED AMINES AND TETRAALKYLAMINES IONS

The applications of new topological indices A(x1)-A(x3) suggested in our laboratory for the prediction of Gibbs energy values of phase transfer (water to nitrobenzene) of amine ions are described with satisfactory results. Multiple regression analysis and neural network were employed simultaneously in this study.

State Vector: A New Approach to Prediction of the Failure of Brittle Heterogeneous Media and Large Earthquakes

The concept of state vector stems from statistical physics, where it is usually used to describe activity patterns of a physical field in its manner of coarsegrain. In this paper, we propose an approach by which the state vector was applied to describe quantitatively the damage evolution of the brittle heterogeneous systems, and some interesting results are presented, i.e., prior to the macro-fracture of rock specimens and occurrence of a strong earthquake, evolutions of the four relevant scalars time series derived from the state vectors changed anomalously. As retrospective studies, some prominent large earthquakes occurred in the Chinese Mainland (e.g., the M 7.4 Haicheng earthquake on February 4, 1975, and the M 7.8 Tangshan earthquake on July 28, 1976, etc) were investigated. Results show considerable promise that the time-dependent state vectors could serve as a kind of precursor to predict earthquakes.

The Uniaxial Tensile Deformation of Ni Nanowire: Atomic-Scale Computer Simulations

The mechanical deformations of nickel nanowire subjected to uniaxial tensile strain at 300 K are simulated by using molecular dynamics with the quantum corrected Sutten-Chen many-body force field. We have used common neighbor analysis method to investigate the structural evolution of Ni nanowire during the elongation process. For the strain rate of 0.1%/ps, the elastic limit is up to about 11% strain with the yield stress of 8.6 GPa. At the elastic stage, the deformation is carried mainly through the uniform elongation of the distances between the layers (perpendicular to the Z-axis) while the atomic structure remains basically unchanged. With further strain, the slips in the {111} planes start to take place in order to accommodate the applied strain to carry the deformation partially, and subsequently the neck forms. The atomic rearrangements in the neck region result in a zigzag change in the stress-strain curve; the atomic structures beyond the region, however, have no significant changes. With the strain close to the point of the breaking, we observe the formation of a one-atom thick necklace in Ni nanowire. The strain rates have no significant effect on the deformation mechanism, but have some influence on the yield stress, the elastic limit, and the fracture strain of the nanowire.

Load-Unload Response Ratio and Accelerating Moment/Energy Release Critical Region Scaling and Earthquake Prediction

The main idea of the Load-Unload Response Ratio (LURR) is that when a system is stable, its response to loading corresponds to its response to unloading, whereas when the system is approaching an unstable state, the response to loading and unloading becomes quite different. High LURR values and observations of Accelerating Moment/Energy Release (AMR/AER) prior to large earthquakes have led different research groups to suggest intermediate-term earthquake prediction is possible and imply that the LURR and AMR/AER observations may have a similar physical origin. To study this possibility, we conducted a retrospective examination of several Australian and Chinese earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 5.0 to 7.9, including Australia's deadly Newcastle earthquake and the devastating Tangshan earthquake. Both LURR values and best-fit power-law time-to-failure functions were computed using data within a range of distances from the epicenter. Like the best-fit power-law fits in AMR/AER, the LURR value was optimal using data within a certain epicentral distance implying a critical region for LURR. Furthermore, LURR critical region size scales with mainshock magnitude and is similar to the AMR/AER critical region size. These results suggest a common physical origin for both the AMR/AER and LURR observations. Further research may provide clues that yield an understanding of this mechanism and help lead to a solid foundation for intermediate-term earthquake prediction.

Dependence of collision frequency on distance between two hard-sphere particles estimated by computer simulation

A Monte Carlo simulation is performed to study the dependence of collision frequency on interparticle distance for a system composed of two hard-sphere particles. The simulation quantitatively shows that the collision frequency drops down sharply as the distance between two particles increases. This characteristic provides a useful evidence for the collision-reaction dynamics of aggregation process for the two-particle system described in the other reference.

Prediction of structural dynamic plastic shear failure by Johnson's damage number

It is proved that Johnson's damage number is the sole similarity parameter for dynamic plastic shear failure of structures loaded impulsively, therefore, dynamic plastic shear failure can be understood when damage number reaches a critical value. It is suggested that the damage number be generally used to predict the dynamic plastic shear failure of structures under various kinds of dynamic loads (impulsive loading, rectangular pressure pulse, exponential pressure pulse, etc.,). One of the advantages for using the damage number to predict such kind of failure is that it is conveniently used for dissimilar material modeling.

High Aspect Ratio (L/D) Riser Viv Prediction Using Wake Oscillator Model

A two-dimensional (2-D) vortex-induced vibration (VIV) prediction model for high aspect ratio (LID) riser subjected to uniform and sheared flow is studied in this paper. The nonlinear structure equations are considered. The near wake dynamics describing the fluctuating nature of vortex shedding is modeled using classical van der Pol equation. A new approach was applied to calibrate the empirical parameters in the wake oscillator model. Compared the predicted results with the experimental data and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) results. Good agreements are observed. It can be concluded that the present model can be used as simple computational tool in predicting some aspects of VIV of long flexible structures. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Computer Simulation Of Random Sphere Packing In An Arbitrarily Shaped Container

Most simulations of random sphere packing concern a cubic or cylindric container with periodic boundary, containers of other shapes are rarely studied. In this paper, a new relaxation algorithm with pre-expanding procedure for random sphere packing in an arbitrarily shaped container is presented. Boundaries of the container are simulated by overlapping spheres which covers the boundary surface of the container. We find 0.4 similar to 0.6 of the overlap rate is a proper value for boundary spheres. The algorithm begins with a random distribution of small internal spheres. Then the expansion and relaxation procedures are performed alternately to increase the packing density. The pre-expanding procedure stops when the packing density of internal spheres reaches a preset value. Following the pre-expanding procedure, the relaxation and shrinking iterations are carried out alternately to reduce the overlaps of internal spheres. The pre-expanding procedure avoids the overflow problem and gives a uniform distribution of initial spheres. Efficiency of the algorithm is increased with the cubic cell background system and double link data structure. Examples show the packing results agree well with both computational and experimental results. Packing density about 0.63 is obtained by the algorithm for random sphere packing in containers of various shapes.

Fast Computing For Lurr Of Earthquake Prediction

The LURR theory is a new approach for earthquake prediction, which achieves good results in earthquake prediction within the China mainland and regions in America, Japan and Australia. However, the expansion of the prediction region leads to the refinement of its longitude and latitude, and the increase of the time period. This requires increasingly more computations, and the volume of data reaches the order of GB, which will be very difficult for a single CPU. In this paper, a new method was introduced to solve this problem. Adopting the technology of domain decomposition and parallelizing using MPI, we developed a new parallel tempo-spatial scanning program.

Computer simulation of influence of sedimentation on rapid coagulation

A computer simulation was performed to explore the features and effects of sedimentation on rapid coagulation. To estimate the accumulated influence of gravity on coagulation for dispersions, a sedimentation influence ratio is defined. Some factors possibly related to the influence of sedimentation were considered in the simulation and analysed by comparing the size distribution of aggregates, the change in collision number, and coagulation rates at different gravity levels (0 g, 1 g and more with g being the gravitational constant).

Computer simulation on the collision-sticking dynamics of two colloidal particles in an optical trap

Collisions of a particle pair induced by optical tweezers have been employed to study colloidal stability. In order to deepen insights regarding the collision-sticking dynamics of a particle pair in the optical trap that were observed in experimental approaches at the particle level, the authors carry out a Brownian dynamics simulation. In the simulation, various contributing factors, including the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek interaction of particles, hydrodynamic interactions, optical trapping forces on the two particles, and the Brownian motion, were all taken into account. The simulation reproduces the tendencies of the accumulated sticking probability during the trapping duration for the trapped particle pair described in our previous study and provides an explanation for why the two entangled particles in the trap experience two different statuses. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.

On the influence zone and the prediction of tensile strength of particulate polymeric composites

An intended numerical investigation is carried out. The results indicate that, even if a perfect adhesive bond is preserved between the particles and matrix materials, the two-phase element cell model is unable to predict the strength increment of the particulate polymeric composites (PPC). To explore the main reinforcing mechanism, additional microscopic experiment is performed. An ''influence zone'' was observed around each particle which is measured about 2 to 10 micrometers in thickness for a glass-polyethylene mixture. Then, an improved computational model is presented to include the ''influence zone'' effect and several mechanical behaviors of PPC are well simulated through this new model.

Collective evolution characteristics and computer simulation of short fatigue cracks

Fatigue testing was conducted using a kind of triangular isostress specimen to obtain the short-fatigue-crack behaviour of a weld low-carbon steel. The experimental results show that short cracks continuously initiate at slip bands within ferrite grain domains and the crack number per unit area gradually increases with increasing number of fatigue cycles. The dispersed short cracks possess an orientation preference, which is associated with the crystalline orientation of the relevant slip system. Based on the observed collective characteristics, computer modelling was carried out to simulate the evolution process of initiation, propagation and coalescence of short cracks. The simulation provides progressive displays which imitate the appearance of experimental observations. The results of simulation indicate that the crack path possesses a stable value of fractal dimension whereas the critical value of percolation covers a wide datum band, suggesting that the collective evolution process of short cracks is sensitive to the pattern of crack site distribution.