Fast and accurate computation of interactions between linear fiber segments
ISSN: 0264-4401
Article publication date: 10 June 2021
Issue publication date: 28 July 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Fiber networks represent a vast class of materials, which can be modeled by representing its microstructure using one-dimensional fiber embedded in three-dimensional space. Investigating the statics, dynamics and thermodynamics of such structures from computational first principles requires the efficient estimation of cohesive-repulsive energies and forces between interacting fiber segments. This study offers a fast, efficient and effective computational methodology to estimate such interactions which can be coupled with Hamiltonian mechanics to simulate the behavior of fibrous systems.
Design/methodology/approach
This method preserves the uniformly continuous distribution of particles on the line segments and utilizes adaptive numerical integration of relevant distance-distribution functions to estimate the effective interaction energy and forces.
Findings
This method is found to be cheaper to compute and more accurate than the corresponding discrete scheme. This scheme is also versatile in the sense that any pair-wise interaction model can be used.
Research limitations/implications
The scheme depends on the availability of a suitable pair-interaction potential, such as a Lennard-Jones potential or Morse potential. Additionally, it can only be used for systems which are purely fibrous in nature. For example, fiber composites with a non-fibrous matrix are not addressed.
Practical implications
Paper, woven and hair can be represented as purely fibrous at some relevant length scales and are thus excellent candidate systems for this scheme.
Originality/value
This paper presents a novel method which allows rapid and accurate implementation of an otherwise computationally expensive process.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author is grateful to Prof. Catalin Picu for pointing out the need for such a computational tool and for valuable discussions. The author received no specific funding for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Citation
Pal, A. (2021), "Fast and accurate computation of interactions between linear fiber segments", Engineering Computations, Vol. 38 No. 7, pp. 3061-3076. https://doi.org/10.1108/EC-06-2020-0345
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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