Coupled FE–BE method for eigenvalue analysis of elastic structures submerged in an infinite fluid domain

For thin elastic structures submerged in heavy fluid, e.g., water, a strong interaction between the structural domain and the fluid domain occurs and significantly alters the eigenfrequencies. Therefore, the eigenanalysis of the fluid–structure interaction system is necessary. In this paper, a coupled finite element and boundary element (FE–BE) method is developed for the numerical eigenanalysis of the fluid–structure interaction problems. The structure is modeled by the finite element method. The compressibility of the fluid is taken into consideration, and hence the Helmholtz equation is employed as the governing equation and solved by the boundary element method (BEM). The resulting nonlinear eigenvalue problem is converted into a small linear one by applying a contour integral method. Adequate modifications are suggested to improve the efficiency of the contour integral method and avoid missing the eigenvalues of interest. The Burton–Miller formulation is applied to tackle the fictitious eigenfrequency problem of the BEM, and the optimal choice of its coupling parameter is investigated for the coupled FE–BE method. Numerical examples are given and discussed to demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the developed FE–BE method. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solution of FE‐BE coupled eigenvalue problems for the prediction of the vibro‐acoustic behavior of ship‐like structures

To predict the vibro‐acoustic behavior of structures, both a structural problem and an acoustic problem have to be solved. For thin structures immersed in water, a strong interaction between the structural domain and fluid domain occurs. This significantly alters the resonance frequencies. In this work, the structure is modeled by the finite element method. The exterior acoustic problem is solved by a fast boundary element method employing hierarchical matrices. An FE‐BE formulation is presented, which allows the solution of the coupled eigenvalue problem and thus the prediction of the coupled eigenfrequencies and mode shapes. It is based on a Schur complement formulation of the FE‐BE system yielding a generalized eigenvalue problem. A Krylov–Schur solver is applied for its efficient solution. Hereby, the compressibility of the fluid is neglected. The coupled eigensolution is then used for a model reduction strategy allowing fast frequency sweep calculations. The efficiency of the proposed formulations is investigated with respect to memory consumption, accuracy, and computation time. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new strategy for solving fluid-structure problems

A scheme for treating unsymmetrical coupled systems is outlined. Such systems occur naturally in connection with fluid–structure interaction, where an acoustic fluid is contained in an elastic structure. The discretization is performed by means of the finite element method, using displacement formulation in the structure and either pressure or displacement potential in the fluid. Based on the eigenvalues of each subdomain some simple steps give a standard eigenvalue problem. It might also be concluded that the unsymmetrical matrices have real eigenvalues.     

A new acoustic interface element for fluid-structure interaction problems

A new comprehensive acoustic 2-D interface element capable of coupling the boundary element (BE) and finite element (FE) discretizations has been formulated for fluid–structure interaction problems. The Helmholtz equation governing the acoustic pressure in a fluid is discretized using the BE method and coupled to the FE discretization of a vibrating structure that is in contact with the fluid. Since the BE method naturally maps the infinite fluid domain into finite node points on the fluid–structure interface, the formulation is especially useful for problems where the fluid domain extends to infinity. Details of the BE matrix computation process adapted to FE code architecture are included for easy incorporation of the interface element in FE codes. The interface element has been used to solve a few simple fluid–structure problems to demonstrate the validity of the formulation. Also, the vibration response of a submerged cylindrical shell has been computed and compared with the results from an entirely finite element formulation.     

Acoustic boundary element eigenproblem with sound absorption and its solution using Lanczos algorithm

A damped system eigenvalue analysis of acoustical cavities using the boundary element method is presented. The acoustic boundary element eigenproblem formulation found in the literature is extended to include sound absorption in acoustical cavities. A dissipative term is included in the eigenvalue matrix equation to account for boundary absorption. The resulting damped system eigenvalue problem is solved using a new Lanczos subspace algorithm for quadratic eigenproblems. Since the boundary element matrices are unsym-metric, the Lanczos algorithm presented is in its most general form for unsymmetric quadratic eigenprob-lems. Examples are presented to show the application of the method in computing the eigenfrequencies of acoustic cavities with sound absorption.     

Fast BEM–FEM mortar coupling for acoustic–structure interaction

A coupling algorithm based on Lagrange multipliers is proposed for the simulation of structure–acoustic field interaction. Finite plate elements are coupled to a Galerkin boundary element formulation of the acoustic domain. The interface pressure is interpolated as a Lagrange multiplier, thus, allowing the coupling of non‐matching grids. The resulting saddle‐point problem is solved by an approximate Uzawa‐type scheme in which the matrix–vector products of the boundary element operators are evaluated efficiently by the fast multipole boundary element method. The algorithm is demonstrated on the example of a cavity‐backed elastic panel. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new boundary finite element method for fluid–structure interaction problems

In order to study problems on fluid–structure interaction, we have used a mixed formulation which couples the classical functional of the structure with a new variational formulation by integral equations for the fluid. This formulation has the advantage over the finite element methods of avoiding the discretization of the fluid domain. Furthermore, unlike collocation methods, the explicit calculation of the Hadamard finite part of the singular integrals is avoided. This leads after discretization by boundary finite elements to a small and symmetrical algebraic system. Typical examples are presented that demonstrate the efficiency of this variational formulation by studying the sound transmission through a baffled plane structure and through a flexible panel backed by a rigid cavity. These include the calculation of the transmission loss factor and the determination of which modes dominate the noise transmission. Good agreement is obtained between numerical results and analytical results found in the literature.     

The enriched space–time finite element method (EST) for simultaneous solution of fluid–structure interaction

The paper introduces a weighted residual‐based approach for the numerical investigation of the interaction of fluid flow and thin flexible structures. The presented method enables one to treat strongly coupled systems involving large structural motion and deformation of multiple‐flow‐immersed solid objects. The fluid flow is described by the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. The current configuration of the thin structure of linear elastic material with non‐linear kinematics is mapped to the flow using the zero iso‐contour of an updated level set function. The formulation of fluid, structure and coupling conditions uniformly uses velocities as unknowns. The integration of the weak form is performed on a space–time finite element discretization of the domain. Interfacial constraints of the multi‐field problem are ensured by distributed Lagrange multipliers. The proposed formulation and discretization techniques lead to a monolithic algebraic system, well suited for strongly coupled fluid–structure systems. Embedding a thin structure into a flow results in non‐smooth fields for the fluid. Based on the concept of the extended finite element method, the space–time approximations of fluid pressure and velocity are properly enriched to capture weakly and strongly discontinuous solutions. This leads to the present enriched space–time (EST) method. Numerical examples of fluid–structure interaction show the eligibility of the developed numerical approach in order to describe the behavior of such coupled systems. The test cases demonstrate the application of the proposed technique to problems where mesh moving strategies often fail. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A SPACE–TIME FINITE ELEMENT METHOD FOR THE EXTERIOR STRUCTURAL ACOUSTICS PROBLEM: TIME-DEPENDENT RADIATION BOUNDARY CONDITIONS IN TWO SPACE DIMENSIONS

A time-discontinuous Galerkin space–time finite element method is formulated for the exterior structural acoustics problem in two space dimensions. The problem is posed over a bounded computational domain with local time-dependent radiation (absorbing) boundary conditions applied to the fluid truncation boundary. Absorbing boundary conditions are incorporated as ‘natural’ boundary conditions in the space–time variational equation, i.e. they are enforced weakly in both space and time. Following Bayliss and Turkel, time-dependent radiation boundary conditions for the two-dimensional wave equation are developed from an asymptotic approximation to the exact solution in the frequency domain expressed in negative powers of a non-dimensional wavenumber. In this paper, we undertake a brief development of the time-dependent radiation boundary conditions, establishing their relationship to the exact impedance (Dirichlet-to-Neumann map) for the acoustic fluid, and characterize their accuracy when implemented in our space–time finite element formulation for transient structural acoustics. Stability estimates are reported together with an analysis of the positive form of the matrix problem emanating from the space–time variational equations for the coupled fluid-structure system. Several numerical simulations of transient radiation and scattering in two space dimensions are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the space–time method.     

FE/BE coupling for an acoustic fluid–structure interaction problem. Residual a posteriori error estimates

In this paper, we developed an a posteriori error analysis of a coupling of finite elements and boundary elements for a fluid–structure interaction problem in two and three dimensions. This problem is governed by the acoustic and the elastodynamic equations in time‐harmonic vibration. Our methods combined integral equations for the exterior fluid and FEMs for the elastic structure. It is well‐known that because of the reduction of the boundary value problem to boundary integral equations, the solution is not unique in general. However, because of superposition of various potentials, we consider a boundary integral equation that is uniquely solvable and avoids the irregular frequencies of the negative Laplacian operator of the interior domain. In this paper, two stable procedures were considered; one is based on the nonsymmetric formulation and the other is based on a symmetric formulation. For both formulations, we derived reliable residual a posteriori error estimates. From the estimators we computed local error indicators that allowed us to develop an adaptive mesh refinement strategy. For the two‐dimensional case we performed an adaptive algorithm on triangles, and for the three‐dimensional case we used hanging nodes on hexahedrons. Numerical experiments underline our theoretical results. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A fast BE‐FE coupling scheme for partly immersed bodies

Fluid–structure coupled problems are investigated to predict the vibro‐acoustic behavior of submerged bodies. The finite element method is applied for the structural part, whereas the boundary element method is used for the fluid domain. The focus of this paper is on partly immersed bodies. The fluid problem is favorably modeled by a half‐space formulation. This way, the Dirichlet boundary condition on the free fluid surface is incorporated by a half‐space fundamental solution. A fast multipole implementation is presented for the half‐space problem. In case of a high density of the fluid, the forces due to the acoustic pressure, which act on the structure, cannot be neglected. Thus, a strong coupling scheme is applied. An iterative solver is used to handle the coupled system. The efficiency of the proposed approach is discussed using a realistic model problem. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of added mass by a cloning algorithm

In problems of structure interaction with infinite surrounding of incompressible, inviscid fluid media, added mass matrices on wet surfaces have been considered for modelling the effects of outgoing waves. For an arbitrary geometry of the wet surface, an expression for the added mass matrix is derived according to a finite element procedure which utilizes the force-displacement relations of representative elements on the boundary. In the element mass matrix a certain symmetry, which characterizes interactions between the interior and exterior surfaces, helps reduce the quadratic matrix equation of the cloning algorithm to a linear eigenvalue problem. A benchmark example is included to establish the numerical accuracy of the proposed formulation.     

Boundary elements with equilibrium satisfaction—A consistent formulation for potential and elastostatic problems

A direct boundary element formulation which produces equilibrium satisfaction in the numerical solutions is presented. It consistently originates from the standard boundary integral equation with a simple modification in the fundamental solution and can be applied to general potential and elasticity problems. Since boundary equilibrium is guaranteed for any problem discretization, the procedure is also found useful to generate improved stiffness matrices, which permits combination with finite elements. Some elastostatic examples are included to demonstrate the applicability of the formulation.     

DISPLACEMENT/PRESSURE BASED MIXED FINITE ELEMENT FORMULATIONS FOR ACOUSTIC FLUID–STRUCTURE INTERACTION PROBLEMS

We present reliable finite element discretizations based on displacement/pressure interpolations for the analysis of acoustic fluid–structure interaction problems. The finite element interpolations are selected using the inf-sup condition, and emphasis is given to the fact that the boundary conditions must satisfy the mass and momentum conservation. We show that with our analysis procedure no spurious non-zero frequencies are encountered, as heretofore calculated with other displacement-based discretizations. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coupled finite element – hierarchical boundary element methods for dynamic soil–structure interaction in the frequency domain

This paper discusses the coupling of finite element and fast boundary element methods for the solution of dynamic soil–structure interaction problems in the frequency domain. The application of hierarchical matrices in the boundary element formulation allows considering much larger problems compared to classical methods. Three coupling methodologies are presented and their computational performance is assessed through numerical examples. It is demonstrated that the use of hierarchical matrices renders a direct coupling approach the least efficient, as it requires the assembly of a dynamic soil stiffness matrix. Iterative solution procedures are presented as well, and it is shown that the application of such schemes to dynamic soil–structure interaction problems in the frequency domain is not trivial, as convergence can hardly be achieved if no relaxation procedure is incorporated. Aitken's Δ²‐method is therefore employed in sequential iterative schemes for the calculation of an optimized interface relaxation parameter, while a novel relaxation technique is proposed for parallel iterative algorithms. It is demonstrated that the efficiency of these algorithms strongly depends on the boundary conditions applied to each subdomain; the fastest convergence is observed if Neumann boundary conditions are imposed on the stiffest subdomain. The use of a dedicated solver for each subdomain hence results in a reduced computational effort. A monolithic coupling strategy, often used for the solution of fluid–structure interaction problems, is also introduced. The governing equations are simultaneously solved in this approach, while the assembly of a dynamic soil stiffness matrix is avoided. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Efficient non‐linear solid–fluid interaction analysis by an iterative BEM/FEM coupling

An iterative coupling of finite element and boundary element methods for the time domain modelling of coupled fluid–solid systems is presented. While finite elements are used to model the solid, the adjacent fluid is represented by boundary elements. In order to perform the coupling of the two numerical methods, a successive renewal of the variables on the interface between the two subdomains is performed through an iterative procedure until the final convergence is achieved. In the case of local non‐linearities within the finite element subdomain, it is straightforward to perform the iterative coupling together with the iterations needed to solve the non‐linear system. In particular a more efficient and a more stable performance of the new coupling procedure is achieved by a special formulation that allows to use different time steps in each subdomain. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Arch dam–fluid interactions: By fem–bem and substructure concept

Arch dams can be conveniently analysed by the finite element method. For dam–fluid interaction problems, the fluid domain may be more conveniently handled by the boundary element method as a substructure first before connecting to the dam substructure. The added-mass matrix calculated from the fluid domain is symmetrized and lumped first so that the banded and symmetrical characteristics of the finite element method are retained. In the boundary element formulation, a mirror image method and quadratic elements are used for computational efficiency and accuracy. The strong singular terms are handled by using a solution which satisfies the governing equation and the free surface boundary condition. Infinite boundary conditions at the upstream of the reservoir can be reasonably approximated from the fundamental solution with accurate results, if the interior pressure distribution in the fluid domain is neglected. Numerical solutions on hydrodynamic pressure distribution and the natural frequencies of the dam–reservoir system with various water levels are obtained and compared with available analytical and experiment results.     

On a method for vibration analysis of viscous compressible fluid–structure systems

A fluid–structure interaction formulation for viscous compressible fluid is under consideration. The formulation involves finite element approximation of linearized Navier–Stokes equations and response determination made by means of modal superposition analysis. Standard and simplified schemes of the viscous compressible fluid–structure interaction problem solution are developed. The schemes are based on the frequency condensation method of a complex eigenvalue problem solving. Free and forced oscillations of several fluid–structure systems are studied by the standard and simplified schemes. The analysis of the results obtained shows that the simplified scheme provides a saving of 90% of the computational time required to define oscillation of the structure with viscous compressible fluid in the lowest frequency range. A certain influence of the fluid viscosity on the transient response of the fluid–structure system is also demonstrated. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Elasto–acoustic and acoustic–acoustic coupling on non‐matching grids

Flexible discretization techniques for the approximative solution of coupled wave propagation problems are investigated, focussing on aero–acoustic and elasto–acoustic coupling. In particular, the advantages of using non‐matching grids are presented, when one subregion has to be resolved by a substantially finer grid than the other subregion. For the elasto–acoustic coupling, the problem formulation remains essentially the same as for the matching situation, while for the aero–acoustic coupling, the formulation is enhanced with Lagrange multipliers within the framework of mortar finite element methods. Several numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the flexibility and applicability of the approach. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dispersion analysis of stabilized finite element methods for acoustic fluid interaction with Reissner–Mindlin plates

The application of stabilized finite element methods to model the vibration of elastic plates coupled with an acoustic fluid medium is considered. A complex‐wavenumber dispersion analysis of acoustic fluid interaction with Reissner–Mindlin plates is performed to quantify the accuracy of stabilized finite element methods for fluid‐loaded plates. Results demonstrate the improved accuracy of a recently developed hybrid least‐squares (HLS) plate element based on a modified Hellinger–Reissner functional, consistently combined with residual‐based methods for the acoustic fluid, compared to standard Galerkin and Galerkin gradient least‐squares plate elements. The technique of complex wavenumber dispersion analysis is used to examine the accuracy of the discretized system in the representation of free waves for fluid‐loaded plates. The influence of fluid and coupling matrices resulting from consistent implementation of pressure loading in the residual for the plate equation is examined and clarified for the different finite element approximations. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.