TrackError Custom Task

A custom task to archive simulations results compared to theoretical predictions

Introduction

This tasks can compare particle values to a theoretical model and archive some metric for accuracy of the simulation. It is useful for tracking convergence of MPM simulations.

Simulation Error Metrics

Imagine a generic distance from particle value to a theoretical expectation for that value equal to [math]\displaystyle{ |x_p| }[/math]. For example, the distance could be difference between particle stress in the x directions and expected stress:

      [math]\displaystyle{ |x_p| = |\sigma_{p,xx} - \sigma_{xx}({\rm theory})| }[/math]

If the particle value is a vector, the distance would be a vector distance. For example, velocity distance would be:

      [math]\displaystyle{ |x_p| = \sqrt{\bigl(\vec V_p-\vec V({\rm theory})\bigr)\cdot\bigl(\vec V_p-\vec V({\rm theory})\bigr)} }[/math]

The P-norm for a give distance is defined as:

      [math]\displaystyle{ ||x||_P = \left( \sum_{p=1}^{N_p} |x_p|^P\right)^{1/P} }[/math]

where [math]\displaystyle{ N_p }[/math] is the number of particles. The root-mean-squared distance is defined as:

      [math]\displaystyle{ {\rm RMS} = \sqrt{{1\over N_p} \sum_{p=1}^{N_p} |x_p|^2} }[/math]

This task can archive mean P-norm values and RMS distances for any entered function of [math]\displaystyle{ |x_p|^P }[/math]. These mean values can be for each time step or cumulatively averaged over all time steps.

Task Scheduling

In scripted files, a TrackError custom task is scheduled using

CustomTask TrackError
Parameter archiveTime,(timeInterval)
Parameter firstArchiveTime,(firstTime)
Parameter P,(Pvalue)
Parameter Cumulative,(cumulative)
Parameter function,(xpPexpr)
   . . .

In XML files, this tasks is scheduled using a Schedule element, which must be within the single <CustomTasks> block:

<Schedule name='TrackError'>
   <Parameter name='archiveTime'>(timeInterval)</Parameter>
   <Parameter name='firstArchiveTime'>(firstTime)</Parameter>
   <Parameter name='P'>(Pvalue)</Parameter>
   <Parameter name='cumulative'>(cumulative)</Parameter>
   <Parameter name='function'>(xpPexpr)</Parameter>
        . . .
</Schedule>

where the first two parameters, both of which are optional, are

• (timeInterval) - Enter the time interval (in alt time units) between calculations of error metrics. If this parameter is omitted, the calculations are done on the same steps as the particle archives.
• (firstTime) - Enter the time to start error metric calculations (in alt time units). After this time is reached, subsequent calculations will be spaced by the entered (timeInterval) This parameter is ignored unless the (timeInterval) parameter is set as well.

Next, you enter up to 10 [math]\displaystyle{ |x_p|^P }[/math] expressions for evaluating error metric. The expression (written in the style of user-define function, but can contain more variables:

* t for simulation time (in alt time units)
* x, y, and z for particle position (in length units)
* xo, yo, and zo for original particle position (in length units)
* vx, vy, and vz for particle position (in velocity units)
* sxx, syy, szz, sxy, sxz, and syz for particle stress (in pressure units)