Improvements for Dam Failure MPM Simulations and Visualization
Keywords: MPM, geomechanics, large-deformations, boundary conditions, dam failures, Lower San Fernando Dam
TL;DR: MPM advancements, such as nonconforming pressure and adhesion boundaries, applied to the Lower San Fernando Dam failure.
Abstract: Recent MPM developments have allowed researchers to create more accurate large-deformation simulations of geotechnical problems. Effective and realistic boundary conditions are an important consideration in numerical modelling which is especially challenging in the MPM, relative to other mesh-based methods such as FEM or FDM. Such challenges include absorbing boundaries for dynamic simulations given the MPM Eulerian mesh. Nonconforming boundaries are also a consideration, given the material domain may not align with the mesh in MPM. In addition, given the computational demand of the MPM, constitutively-compatible boundary conditions are increasingly important.
Discussion includes technical advancements and implementations in the Berkeley Geomechanics MPM code for a virtual stress boundary condition and an adhesion boundary condition. These implementations will be applied to a well-known case study, the Lower San Fernando Dam (LSFD), in order to show what kind of improvements are possible. This simulation will also feature the B-bar method to prevent volumetric locking and the objective Jaumann stress rate. A FDM to MPM transitioning model is used to avoid the challenges associated with dynamic boundary conditions in MPM. In addition, a post-processing visualization of the LSFD will be shown using a developing workflow to enhance the communication value of geotechnical simulations using Houdini.
Submission Number: 9
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