Particle-Based Boundary Conditions

Introduction

Particle-based boundary conditions are used to apply conditions directly to particles for loads, tractions, heat fluxes, and concentration fluxes. Particle-based boundary conditions are typically applied to particles on the boundary of the object. Besides particle conditions, simulations can set Grid-Based Boundary Conditions.

Particle-Based Boundary Condition in Scripted Files

In scripted files, all particle-based boundary conditions are created by a series of ParticleBC command blocks that select particles:

ParticleBC
  (one 2D or 3D shape command, which can be nested)
  (one or more load, traction, heat flux, or concentration flux condition)
    ...
EndParticleBC

In XML files, particle-based boundary conditions are created with a <BCShape> block

<BCShape>
  (one 2D or 3D shape command, which can be nested)
  (one or more load, traction, heat flux, or concentration flux condition)
    ...
</BCShape>

which must be within the main <ParticleBC> block.

All particle-based boundary conditions are created by a series of shape commands that select particles in the simulation. The shape commands define shapes (lines or arcs) and all particles withing those shapes are selected.. In scripted 2D simulations, the commands are

• LoadLine - select particles along a line
• LoadArc - select particles along an arc
• LoadRect - select particles within a rectangle

In scripted 3D simulations, the commands is:

• LoadBox - select particles within a box or a cylinder

The commands within these shape commands are used to set load, traction, heat flux, and/or concentration flux conditions.

Particle-Based Boundary Condition in XML Files

All particle-based boundary conditions must be set up within a single <ParticleBCs> element. The format is

<ParticleBCs>
   (one or more particle BC shape commands)
     ...
   <LoadBCs>
      (one or more explicit boundary conditions)
   </LoadBCs >
</ParticleBCs>

There are two ways to specify particle boundary conditions. The most common approach is to generate boundary conditions using one or more shape commands to select particles and assign specified load, traction, heat flux, and or concentration flux conditions to those particles. The other way is to explicitly list each particle condition. The explicit method is shown in the <LoadBCs> section above; it is limited to load conditions, and is usually generated with other software. You can use both shape commands and a <LoadBCs> section in the same input file.