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Mesh Free Methods

Introduction
Nico van der Aa
19th November 2003

JJ J N I II / department of mathematics and computer science 1/31

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Contents
• What is a Mesh Free Method?
– Mesh
– Free
– Method
• Why do we like to have Mesh Free Methods?
• How can we use Mesh Free Methods?
– Node generation
– Shape functions
• Conclusions
• Questions

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What is a mesh?

A mesh is a net that is formed by connecting nodes in a predefined manner.

Other words are grid, volumes, cells or elements.

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What is mesh free?

Mesh Free Methods use a set of nodes scattered within the problem domain
as well as sets of nodes scattered on the boundaries of the domain to repre-
sent (not discretize) the problem domain and its boundaries.

No mesh implies no information on the relationship between the nodes is

required.

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When is a method a Mesh Free Method?
• minimum requirement:
A predefined mesh is not necessary (at least in field variable interpola-
tion).

• ideal requirement:
No mesh is necessary at all throughout the process of solving the prob-
lem of a given arbitrary geometry governed by partial differential system
equations subject to all kinds of boundary conditions.

The Mesh Free Methods developed so far are not really ideal.

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Why the need for Mesh Free Methods?
• For an engineer the concern is more the manpower time, and less the
computer time,

• Large deformations can deteriorate the accuracy because of element

distortions,

• Specific physical problems, such as breakage of a solid and stress calcu-

lations, require more flexibility.

Mesh Free Methods are answers to the problems of the Finite Elements
Method!

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How do Mesh Free Methods work?
Step 1: Domain representation
• The problem domain is defined.

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How do Mesh Free Methods work?
Step 1: Domain representation
• The problem domain is defined.
• A set of nodes is chosen to represent the problem domain and its bound-
ary.
• In general, the density of the nodes is not uniform.

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Support Domain

• Definition
The support domain for a point x is a sphere of a certain radius that
relates to the nodal spacing near the point x.
• Reason
Determines the number of nodes to be used to approximate the function
value at x.
• Restriction
The nodal density does not vary drastically in the problem domain.

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Step 2: Field interpolation
The field variable u at any point x within the problem domain is interpolated
using the values of this field at all the nodes within the support domain of
x. Mathematically,
n
X
u(x) = φi(x)ui
j=1

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Step 3: Formulation of system equations

• The equations of a mesh free method can be formulated using the shape
functions and a strong or weak form system equation.
• Result in global system matrices for the entire problem domain.
• The procedures of forming system equations are slightly different for
different MFree methods.

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Step 4: Solving the global MFree equations

Numerical method depends on the kind of equations! Choices:

• Direct solver vs. iterative solver;
• Implicit method vs. explicit solver;
• Required accuracy;
• Speed of method;
• Stability of method;
• ...

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Features of a nodal generation
• The nodes must represent both problem domain and boundary;
• The nodes can be chosen arbitrary within reason;
• The node distribution can be uniform or not.

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Support domain vs Influence domain
An influence domain is the domain that a node exerts an influence upon. It
goes with a node.

influence domain ↔ support domain

node ↔ point
uniform distribution of nodes ↔ nonregularly distributed nodes

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Properties of Mesh Free Shape Functions
• Partition of unity (compulsory condition)
n
X
φi(x) = 1
i=1

• Linear field reproduction (preferable condition)

n
X
φi(x)xi = x
i=1

• Kronecker delta function property (preferable condition)


1 i=j
φi(xj ) =
6 j
0 i=

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Requirements of a good method of shape func-
tion construction:
1. arbitrary nodal distribution
2. stability
3. consistency
4. compact support
5. efficiency
6. delta function property
7. compatibility

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Methods to construct shape functions:
• Finite integral representation methods:
Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, ...
Z x2
f (x) = f (ξ)W (x − ξ)dξ
x1

• Finite series representation methods:

Moving Least Squares (MLS) methods, Point Interpolation Methods
(PIMs), ...
f (x) = a0 + a1p1(x) + a2p2(x) + ...
• Finite differential representation methods:
1 00
f (x) = f (x0) + f 0(x0)(x − a) + f (x0)(x − a)2 + ...
2!

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SPH method (finite integral method)
The integral representation of the field function u(x):
Z ∞
u(x) = u(ξ)δ(x − ξ)dξ
−∞
Z ∞
In SPH:
u(x) = u(ξ)W (x − ξ, h)dξ
−∞
This integral representation is valid and converges when the weight function
satisfies certain conditions:
1. W (x − ξ, h) > 0 over Ω;
2. W (x − ξ, h) = 0 outside Ω;
R
3. Ω
W (x − ξ, h)dξ = 1;
4. W is a monotonically decreasing function;
5. W (s, h) → δ(s) as h → 0.
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SPH: Discretised form
n
X n
X
uh(x) = W (x − xi)ul ∆Vl = Φi(x)ui
i=1 i=1

The shape function Φi are defined as:

Φi(x) = W (x − xi)∆Vl
Remarks:
• Kronecker delta function is not always satisfied (ul 6= uh (x));
• Compatible in field function approximation;
• Consistent in the interior of the domain, not on the boundary;
• Reproductivity in the interior of the domain, not on the boundary;
• The shape functions need to be scaled to satisfy the condition of unity.

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SPH: consistency
• C 0 consistency is ensured by the condition of unity imposed on a weight
function.
• C 1 consistency is not immediately available on the boundary.

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SPH: most commonly used shape function
• Cubic spline weight function (W1):
• Quartic spline weight function (W2):
• Exponential weight function (W3);
Weight functions
1.2
W1
W2
W3
1

0.8

0.6

SCALING IS
W

0.4

0.2
STILL
0 NECESSARY
−0.2
−1 −0.8 −0.6 −0.4 −0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

/ department of mathematics and computer science

d

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MLS (Moving Least Squares)
m
X
h
u (x) = pj (x)aj (x) = pT (x)a(x)
j=0

with
T 2 m

p (x) = 1, x, x , ..., x
T 2 2 m m

p (x, y) = 1, x, y, xy, x , y , ..., x , y
T 2 2 2 m m m

p (x, y, z) = 1, x, y, z, xy, yz, xz, x , y , z , ..., x , y , z
Features:
• finite series representation;
• ensures the approximated field function is continuous and smooth in
the entire problem domain;
• capable of producing an approximation with the desired order of consis-
tency.
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MLS: weighted residual
uh(x, xi) = pT (xi)a(x)
Weighted residual:
n
X
J= W (x − xi)[uh(x, xi) − u(xi)]2
i=1
Xn
= W (x − xi)[pT (xi)a(x) − ui]2
i=1

In MLS approximation, at an arbitrary point x, a(x) is chosen to minimize

the weighted residual.

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MLS: minimization condition requirement
∂J
= 0 ⇒ A(x)a(x) = B(x)U s
∂a
with
Pn
A(x) = i=1 Wi(x)p(xi)pT (xi) Wi(x) = W (x − xi)
B(x) = [B 1, B 2, ..., B n] B i = Wi(x)p(xi)
T
U s = {u1, u2, ..., un}
Solution
a(x) = A−1(x)B(x)U s

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MLS: shape function
n
X
h
u (x) = Φi(x)ui
i=1
with the shape functions
m
X
Φi(x) = pj (x)(A−1(x)B(x))ji = pT (x)A−1(x)B i
j=0

Remarks about the MLS shape function:

• Kronecker delta function is not satisfied;
• possesses mth order consistency;
• is reproductive;
• scaling is not necessary to satisfy the unity requirement;
• compatible.
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PIM (Point Interpolation Method)
n n
∗
X X
uh(x, xQ) = Bi(x)ai(x) = pi(x)ai(xQ) = pT (x)a(xQ)
i=1 i=1
Determination of a: enforce for every node i

ui = pT (xi)a, i = 1, ..., n
or in matrix natotation:

U s = P Qa ⇒ a = P −1
Q Us

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PIM: shape function
n
X
uh(x) = Φi(x)ui = Φ(x)U s
i=1
The matrix of shape functions is defined as

Φ(x) = pT (x)P −1
Q

Note that P −1
Q does not have to exist!

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PIM: properties of the shape function
Shape functions
• have nth order consistency;
• are linearly independent;
• possesses the Kronecker delta function property;
• are partitions of unity;
• possess reproducing properties;
• use no weight functions in their construction;
• are not compatible.

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3. Conclusions
• Mesh Free Methods are a respons to the limitations of Finite Element
Methods.
• Mesh Free Methods do not use meshes, only nodes.
• The implementation of Mesh Free Methods differs from Finite Element
Methods only in the shape function construction and node generation.
• The ideal Mesh Free Method is not found yet.

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References
Mesh free methods:
Moving beyond the finite element
method
Gui-Rong Liu
CRC Press LLC 2003

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Questions ?

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