Daniel Z. Huang

Daniel Z. Huang, Per-Olof Persson, Matthew J. Zahr

This work introduces a general framework for constructing high-order, linearly stable, partitioned solvers for multiphysics problems from a monolithic implicit-explicit Runge-Kutta (IMEX-RK) discretization of the semi-discrete equations. The generic multiphysics problem is modeled as a system of n systems of partial differential equations where the ith subsystem is coupled to the other subsystems through a coupling term that can depend on the state of all the other subsystems. This coupled system of partial differential equations reduces to a coupled system of ordinary differential equations via the method of lines where an appropriate spatial discretization is applied to each subsystem. The coupled system of ordinary differential equations is taken as a monolithic system and discretized using an IMEX-RK discretization with a specific implicit-explicit decomposition that introduces the concept of a predictor for the coupling term. We propose four coupling predictors that enable the monolithic system to be solved in a partitioned manner and preserve the IMEX-RK structure and therefore the design order of accuracy of the monolithic scheme. The four partitioned solvers that result from these predictors are high-order accurate, allow for maximum re-use of existing single-physics software, and two of the four solvers allow the subsystems to be solved in parallel at a given stage and time step. We also analyze the stability of a coupled, linear model problem and show that one of the partitioned solvers achieves unconditional linear stability, while the others are unconditionally stable only for certain values of the coupling strength. We demonstrate the performance of the proposed partitioned solvers on several classes of multiphysics problems including a simple linear system of ODEs, advection-diffusion-reaction systems, FSI problems, and particle-laden flows.

Daniel Z. Huang, Per-Olof Persson, Matthew J. Zahr

A high-order accurate adjoint-based optimization framework is presented for unsteady multiphysics problems. The fully discrete adjoint solver relies on the high-order, linearly stable, partitioned solver introduced in [1], where different subsystems are modeled and discretized separately. The coupled system of semi-discretized ordinary differential equations is taken as a monolithic system and partitioned using an implicit-explicit Runge-Kutta (IMEX-RK) discretization [2]. Quantities of interest (QoI) that take the form of space-time integrals are discretized in a solver-consistent manner. The corresponding adjoint equations are derived to compute exact gradients of QoI, which can be solved in a partitioned manner, i.e. subsystem-by-subsystem and substage-by-substage, thanks to the partitioned primal solver. These quantities of interest and their gradients are then used in the context of gradient-based PDE-constrained optimization. The present optimization framework is applied to two fluid-structure interaction problems: 1D piston problem with a three-field formulation and a 2D energy harvesting problem with a two-field formulation.

Philip Avery, Daniel Z. Huang, Wanli He et al.

A general-purpose computational homogenization framework is proposed for the nonlinear dynamic analysis of membranes exhibiting complex microscale and/or mesoscale heterogeneity characterized by in-plane periodicity that cannot be effectively treated by a conventional method, such as woven fabrics. The framework is a generalization of the "finite element squared" (or FE2) method in which a localized portion of the periodic subscale structure is modeled using finite elements. The numerical solution of displacement driven problems involving this model can be adapted to the context of membranes by a variant of the Klinkel-Govindjee method[1] originally proposed for using finite strain, three-dimensional material models in beam and shell elements. This approach relies on numerical enforcement of the plane stress constraint and is enabled by the principle of frame invariance. Computational tractability is achieved by introducing a regression-based surrogate model informed by a physics-inspired training regimen in which FE$^2$ is utilized to simulate a variety of numerical experiments including uniaxial, biaxial and shear straining of a material coupon. Several alternative surrogate models are evaluated including an artificial neural network. The framework is demonstrated and validated for a realistic Mars landing application involving supersonic inflation of a parachute canopy made of woven fabric.