All issues

Use of algorithms based on neural networks can be inefficient for small amounts of experimental data. Authors consider a solution of this problem in the context of modelling of properties of ceramic composite materials reinforced with carbon nanotubes using perceptron complex. This approach allowed us to obtain a mathematical description of the object of study with a minimal amount of input data (the amount of necessary experimental samples decreased 2–3.3 times). Authors considered different versions of perceptron complex structures. They found that the most appropriate structure has perceptron complex with breakthrough of two input variables. The relative error was only 6%. The selected perceptron complex was shown to be effective for predicting the properties of ceramic composites. The relative errors for output components were 0.3%, 4.2%, 0.4%, 2.9%, and 11.8%.

In the work modeling method of anthropomorphic platforms is presented. An elastostatic stiffness model is used to determine positioning errors in the robot’s lower limbs. One of the main problems in achieving a fast and stable gait are deflections caused by the flexibility in the elements of the robot. This problem was solved using virtual joint modeling to predict stiffness and deformation caused by the robot weight and external forces.

To simulate a robot in the single-support phase, the robot is represented as a serial kinematic chain with a base at the supporting leg point of contact and an end effector in the swing leg foot. In the double support phase robot modeled as a parallel manipulator with an end effector in the pelvis. In this work, two cases of stiffness modeling are used: taking into account the compliance of the links and joints and taking into account only the compliance of joints. In the last case, joint compliances also include part of the link compliances. The joint stiffness parameters have been identified for two anthropomorphic robots: a small platform and a full-sized AR-601M.

Deflections maps were calculated using identified stiffness parameters and showing errors depending on the position of the robot end effector in the workspace. The errors in Z directions have maximum amplitude, due to the influence of the robot mass on its structure.

While modeling seismic wave propagation, it is important to take into account nontrivial topography, as this topography causes multiple complex phenomena, such as diffraction at rough surfaces, complex propagation of Rayleigh waves, and side effects caused by wave interference. The primary goal of this research is to construct a method that implements the free surface on topography, utilizing an overset curved grid for characterization, while keeping the main grid structured rectangular. For a combination of the regular and curve-linear grid, the workability of the grid characteristics method using overset grids (also known as the Chimera grid approach) is analyzed. One of the benefits of this approach is computational complexity reduction, caused by the fact that simulation in a regular, homogeneous physical area using a sparse regular rectangle grid is simpler. The simplification of the mesh building mechanism (one grid is regular, and the other can be automatically built using surface data) is a side effect. Despite its simplicity, the method we propose allows us to increase the digitalization of fractured regions and minimize the Courant number. This paper contains various comparisons of modeling results produced by the proposed method-based solver, and results produced by the well-known solver specfem2d, as well as previous modeling results for the same problems. The drawback of the method is that an interpolation error can worsen an overall model accuracy and reduce the computational schema order. Some countermeasures against it are described. For this paper, only two-dimensional models are analyzed. However, the method we propose can be applied to the three-dimensional problems with minimal adaptation required.

This article studies a method of constructing a predictive neural network model of a time series based on determining the composition of input variables, constructing a training sample and training itself using the back propagation method. Traditional methods of constructing predictive models of the time series are: the autoregressive model, the moving average model or the autoregressive model — the moving average allows us to approximate the time series by a linear dependence of the current value of the output variable on a number of its previous values. Such a limitation as linearity of dependence leads to significant errors in forecasting.

Mining Technologies using neural network modeling make it possible to approximate the time series by a nonlinear dependence. Moreover, the process of constructing of a neural network model (determining the composition of input variables, the number of layers and the number of neurons in the layers, choosing the activation functions of neurons, determining the optimal values of the neuron link weights) allows us to obtain a predictive model in the form of an analytical nonlinear dependence.

The determination of the composition of input variables of neural network models is one of the key points in the construction of neural network models in various application areas that affect its adequacy. The composition of the input variables is traditionally selected from some physical considerations or by the selection method. In this work it is proposed to use the behavior of the autocorrelation and private autocorrelation functions for the task of determining the composition of the input variables of the predictive neural network model of the time series.

In this work is proposed a method for determining the composition of input variables of neural network models for stationary and non-stationary time series, based on the construction and analysis of autocorrelation functions. Based on the proposed method in the Python programming environment are developed an algorithm and a program, determining the composition of the input variables of the predictive neural network model — the perceptron, as well as building the model itself. The proposed method was experimentally tested using the example of constructing a predictive neural network model of a time series that reflects energy consumption in different regions of the United States, openly published by PJM Interconnection LLC (PJM) — a regional network organization in the United States. This time series is non-stationary and is characterized by the presence of both a trend and seasonality. Prediction of the next values of the time series based on previous values and the constructed neural network model showed high approximation accuracy, which proves the effectiveness of the proposed method.

The work is devoted to the development of a computational algorithm of the Cartesian grid method for studying the interaction of a shock wave with moving bodies with a piecewise linear boundary. The interest in such problems is connected with direct numerical simulation of two-phase media flows. The effect of the particle shape can be important in the problem of dust layer dispersion behind a passing shock wave. Experimental data on the coefficient of aerodynamic drag of non-spherical particles are practically absent.

Mathematical model is based on the two-dimensional Euler equations, which are solved in a region with varying boundaries. The defining system of equations is integrated using an explicit scheme and the Cartesian grid method. The computational algorithm at the time integration step includes: determining the step value, calculating the dynamics of the body movement (determining the force and moment acting on the body; determining the linear and angular velocities of the body; calculating the new coordinates of the body), calculating the gas parameters. At each time step, all cells are divided into two classes – external (inside the body or intersected by its boundaries) and internal (completely filled with gas). The solution of the Euler equations is constructed only in the internal ones. The main difficulty is the calculation of the numerical flux through the edges common to the internal and external cells intersected by the moving boundaries of the bodies. To calculate this flux, we use a two-wave approximation for solving the Riemann problem and the Steger-Warming scheme. A detailed description of the numerical algorithm is presented.

The efficiency of the algorithm is demonstrated on the problem of lifting a cylinder with a base in the form of a circle, ellipse and rectangle behind a passing shock wave. A circular cylinder test was considered in many papers devoted to the immersed boundary methods development. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the trajectory of the cylinder center mass is carried out on the basis of comparison with the results of simulations presented in eight other works. For a cylinder with a base in the form of an ellipse and a rectangle, a satisfactory agreement was obtained on the dynamics of its movement and rotation in comparison with the available few literary sources. Grid convergence of the results is investigated for the rectangle. It is shown that the relative error of mass conservation law fulfillment decreases with a linear rate.

Nowadays, active development of 4th generation nuclear reactors with liquid metal coolants takes place. Therefore, simulation of their elements and units in 3D modelling software are relevant. The thermal-hydraulic analysis of reactor units with liquid metal coolant is recognized as one of the most important directions of the complex of interconnected tasks on reactor unit parameters justification. The complexity of getting necessary information about operating conditions of reactor equipment with liquid-metal coolant on the base of experimental investigations requires the involvement of numerical simulation. The domestic CFD code FlowVision has been used as a research tool. FlowVision software has a certificate of the Scientific and Engineering Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Safety for the nuclear reactor safety simulations. Previously it has been proved that this simulation code had been successfully used for modelling processes in nuclear reactors with sodium coolant. Since at the moment the nuclear industry considers plants with lead-bismuth coolant as promising reactors, it is necessary to justify the FlowVision code suitability also for modeling the flow of such coolant, which is the goal of this work. The paper presents the results of lead-bismuth eutectic flow numerical simulation in the heat exchange tube bundle of NPP steam generator. The convergence studies on a grid and step have been carried out, turbulence model has been selected, hydraulic resistance coefficients of lattices have been determined and simulations with and without $k_\theta^{}$-$e_\theta^{}$ model are compared within the framework of fluid dynamics and heat exchange modeling in the heat-exchange tube bundle. According to the results of the study, it was found that the results of the calculation using the $k_\theta^{}$-$e_\theta^{}$ turbulence model are more precisely consistent with the correlations. A cross-verification with STAR-CCM+ software has been performed as an additional verification on the accuracy of the results, the results obtained are within the error limits of the correlations used for comparison.

The currently performed mathematical and computer modeling of thermal processes in technical systems is based on an assumption that all the parameters determining thermal processes are fully and unambiguously known and identified (i.e., determined). Meanwhile, experience has shown that parameters determining the thermal processes are of undefined interval-stochastic character, which in turn is responsible for the intervalstochastic nature of thermal processes in the electronic system. This means that the actual temperature values of each element in an technical system will be randomly distributed within their variation intervals. Therefore, the determinative approach to modeling of thermal processes that yields specific values of element temperatures does not allow one to adequately calculate temperature distribution in electronic systems. The interval-stochastic nature of the parameters determining the thermal processes depends on three groups of factors: (a) statistical technological variation of parameters of the elements when manufacturing and assembling the system; (b) the random nature of the factors caused by functioning of an technical system (fluctuations in current and voltage; power, temperatures, and flow rates of the cooling fluid and the medium inside the system); and (c) the randomness of ambient parameters (temperature, pressure, and flow rate). The interval-stochastic indeterminacy of the determinative factors in technical systems is irremediable; neglecting it causes errors when designing electronic systems. A method that allows modeling of unsteady interval-stochastic thermal processes in technical systems (including those upon interval indeterminacy of the determinative parameters) is developed in this paper. The method is based on obtaining and further solving equations for the unsteady statistical measures (mathematical expectations, variances and covariances) of the temperature distribution in an technical system at given variation intervals and the statistical measures of the determinative parameters. Application of the elaborated method to modeling of the interval-stochastic thermal process in a particular electronic system is considered.

Optimization of hull lines for the minimum resistance to movement is a problem of current interest in ship hydrodynamics. In practice, lines design is still to some extent an art. The usual approaches to decrease the ship resistance are based on the model experiment and/or CFD simulation, following the trial and error method. The paper presents a new method of in-detail hull form design based on the wave-based optimization approach. The method provides systematic variation of the hull geometrical form, which corresponds to alteration of longitudinal distribution of the hull volume, while its vertical volume distribution is fixed or highly controlled. It’s well known from the theoretical studies that the vertical distribution can't be optimized by condition of minimum wave resistance, thus it can be neglected for the optimization procedures. The method efficiency was investigated by application to the foreship of KCS, the well-known test object from the workshop Gothenburg-2000. The variations of the longitudinal distribution of the volume were set on the sectional area curve as finite volume increments and then transferred to the lines plan with the help of special frame transformation methods. The CFD towing simulations were carried out for the initial hull form and the six modified variants. According to the simulation results, examined modifications caused the resistance increments in the range 1.3–6.5 %. Optimization process was underpinned with the respective data analysis based on the new hypothesis, according to which, the resistance increments caused by separate longitudinal segments of hull form meet the principle of superposition. The achieved results, which are presented as the optimum distribution of volume present in the optimized designed hull form, which shows the interesting characteristics that its resistance has decrease by 8.9 % in respect to initial KCS hull form. Visualization of the wave patterns showed an attenuation of the transversal wave components, and the intensification of the diverging wave components.

We present results of a study aimed at identification of a controlled object’s channels based on postprocessing of measurements with development of a model of a multiple-input controlled object and subsequent active modelling experiment. The controlled object model is developed using approximation of its behavior by a neural network model using trends obtained during a passive experiment in the mode of normal operation. Recurrent neural network containing feedback elements allows to simulate behavior of dynamic objects; input and feedback time delays allow to simulate behavior of inertial objects with pure delay. The model was taught using examples of the object’s operation with a control system and is presented by a dynamic neural network and a model of a regulator with a known regulation function. The neural network model simulates the system’s behavior and is used to conduct active computing experiments. Neural network model allows to obtain the controlled object’s response to an exploratory stimulus, including a periodic one. The obtained complex frequency response is used to evaluate parameters of the object’s transfer system using the least squares method. We present an example of identification of a channel of the simulated control system. The simulated object has two input ports and one output port and varying transport delays in transfer channels. One of the input ports serves as a controlling stimulus, the second is a controlled perturbation. The controlled output value changes as a result of control stimulus produced by the regulator operating according to the proportional-integral regulation law based on deviation of the controlled value from the task. The obtained parameters of the object’s channels’ transfer functions are close to the parameters of the input simulated object. The obtained normalized error of the reaction for a single step-wise stimulus of the control system model developed based on identification of the simulated control system doesn’t exceed 0.08. The considered objects pertain to the class of technological processes with continuous production. Such objects are characteristic of chemical, metallurgic, mine-mill, pulp and paper, and other industries.

This article presents the results of an analytical and computer study of the chaotic evolution of a regular velocity field generated by a large-scale harmonic forcing. The authors obtained an analytical solution for the flow stream function and its derivative quantities (velocity, vorticity, kinetic energy, enstrophy and palinstrophy). Numerical modeling of the flow evolution was carried out using the OpenFOAM software package based on incompressible model, as well as two inhouse implementations of CABARET and McCormack methods employing nearly incompressible formulation. Calculations were carried out on a sequence of nested meshes with 64², 128², 256², 512², 1024² cells for two characteristic (asymptotic) Reynolds numbers characterizing laminar and turbulent evolution of the flow, respectively. Simulations show that blow-up of the analytical solution takes place in both cases. The energy characteristics of the flow are discussed relying upon the energy curves as well as the dissipation rates. For the fine mesh, this quantity turns out to be several orders of magnitude less than its hydrodynamic (viscous) counterpart. Destruction of the regular flow structure is observed for any of the numerical methods, including at the late stages of laminar evolution, when numerically obtained distributions are close to analytics. It can be assumed that the prerequisite for the development of instability is the error accumulated during the calculation process. This error leads to unevenness in the distribution of vorticity and, as a consequence, to the variance vortex intensity and finally leads to chaotization of the flow. To study the processes of vorticity production, we used two integral vorticity-based quantities — integral enstrophy ($\zeta$) and palinstrophy $(P)$. The formulation of the problem with periodic boundary conditions allows us to establish a simple connection between these quantities. In addition, $\zeta$ can act as a measure of the eddy resolution of the numerical method, and palinstrophy determines the degree of production of small-scale vorticity.