Mesh-free models have become increasingly popular in the computational mechanics community, especially when traditional mesh-based approaches –such as the Finite Element Method (FEM)– may lose their predictive capacity due to excessive mesh distortions induced by large deformations. However, mesh-free models remain relatively unknown among most engineers (compared to FEM), and are relegated to purely academic cases most of the time. One of the reasons may be the fact that engineers do not usually design conventional structures to behave in the finite deformation regime, which is commonly associated with the post-failure behaviour of the structure (buckling, slope failure and others). Indeed, before it happens, FEM simulations are able to predict the early stages of the dominant failure mechanism and thus calculate safety factors, which is in most of the cases the main concern of professional engineers. Naturally, the following questions may arises, there is room for mesh-free methods in daily engineering? And finally, what are the applications that can be subject to this type of methodology? This thematic seminar aims answer this question (and related-ones) and to open a discussion between pure numerical researchers and those which interact with industry.
Further information can be found on the following links:
https://www.semta.org.es/activities/seminars-workshops/23-thematic-seminar-mesh-free
https://sites.google.com/view/semta-meshfree-models