Speaker
Description
The simulation of large topological changes, such as those occurring in Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) and vibratory pile driving, still poses significant challenges in computational soil mechanics. Severe mesh distortions render classical approaches like the Finite Element Method (FEM) unsuitable, emphasizing the need for alternative methodologies. The Particle Finite Element Method (PFEM) combines standard FEM with continuous remeshing techniques, offering a robust framework specifically designed for simulating large topological changes. However, the inherent remeshing process in PFEM, combined with the mapping of state variables from integration points to nodes, can cause deviations in these variables, potentially violating admissible states in constitutive models and compromising the accuracy and stability of the simulation. This study investigates static and dynamic benchmark simulations, such as a Hertzian contact problem and the wave propagation in dry and saturated soil columns, to evaluate the influence of such mapping-induced variations on the accuracy and reliability of PFEM-based solutions. The results provide insights into the application of PFEM to more complex boundary value problems, particularly those involving advanced constitutive models, such as hypoplasticity with intergranular strain or Sanisand, which are highly sensitive to changes in their state variables.
