From tomographic imaging to numerical simulations: an open-source workflow for true morphology mesoscale FE meshes

Full-field techniques such as tomography are becoming progressively more central in the study of complex phenomena, in particular where spatiotemporal evolution is crucial, as in moisture transport or crack initiation in porous media. These techniques provide a unique insight in the local process w...

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Main Authors: Hani Cheikh Sleiman, Murilo Henrique Moreira, Alessandro Tengattini, Stefano Dal Pont
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: RILEM Publications SARL 2024-03-01
Series:RILEM Technical Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://letters.rilem.net/index.php/rilem/article/view/184
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author Hani Cheikh Sleiman
Murilo Henrique Moreira
Alessandro Tengattini
Stefano Dal Pont
author_facet Hani Cheikh Sleiman
Murilo Henrique Moreira
Alessandro Tengattini
Stefano Dal Pont
author_sort Hani Cheikh Sleiman
collection DOAJ
description Full-field techniques such as tomography are becoming progressively more central in the study of complex phenomena, in particular where spatiotemporal evolution is crucial, as in moisture transport or crack initiation in porous media. These techniques provide a unique insight in the local process whose quantification allows the improvement of our understanding and of the models describing them. Nevertheless, the model validation can be pushed further by attempting to explicitly represent the heterogeneities and simulate their role in the processes. Once validated, these models can be used to perform “virtual experiments”, and overcome the limitations of the experiments (e.g., sample size and number, fine control of the boundary and initial conditions). This study proposes a connection between tomography images and mesoscale models through a workflow that mainly employs open-source tools. This workflow is illustrated through the digitization of a Portland cement concrete sample, stemming from neutron tomographies and resulting in a numerical finite element mesh. The proposed workflow is flexible, allowing for the conversion of images from various sources, such as x-ray or neutron tomographies, to different numerical representations of the domain, such as finite element meshes or even a discrete domain required by discrete element methods, while preserving real morphologies with an accuracy proportionate to the specific need of the problem. Beside its generalizability, our method also offers automated labelling of the different domains and boundaries in both the volumetric and surface meshes, which is often necessary for assigning material properties and boundary conditions. Finally, the series of image, geometry and mesh processing steps described in this work are made available on a GitHub repository.
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spelling doaj.art-261049fe6a3a47beac271605dc78bfdb2024-03-06T09:29:11ZengRILEM Publications SARLRILEM Technical Letters2518-02312024-03-01810.21809/rilemtechlett.2023.184From tomographic imaging to numerical simulations: an open-source workflow for true morphology mesoscale FE meshesHani Cheikh Sleiman0Murilo Henrique MoreiraAlessandro Tengattini1Stefano Dal PontDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UKInstitut Laue Langevin, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France Full-field techniques such as tomography are becoming progressively more central in the study of complex phenomena, in particular where spatiotemporal evolution is crucial, as in moisture transport or crack initiation in porous media. These techniques provide a unique insight in the local process whose quantification allows the improvement of our understanding and of the models describing them. Nevertheless, the model validation can be pushed further by attempting to explicitly represent the heterogeneities and simulate their role in the processes. Once validated, these models can be used to perform “virtual experiments”, and overcome the limitations of the experiments (e.g., sample size and number, fine control of the boundary and initial conditions). This study proposes a connection between tomography images and mesoscale models through a workflow that mainly employs open-source tools. This workflow is illustrated through the digitization of a Portland cement concrete sample, stemming from neutron tomographies and resulting in a numerical finite element mesh. The proposed workflow is flexible, allowing for the conversion of images from various sources, such as x-ray or neutron tomographies, to different numerical representations of the domain, such as finite element meshes or even a discrete domain required by discrete element methods, while preserving real morphologies with an accuracy proportionate to the specific need of the problem. Beside its generalizability, our method also offers automated labelling of the different domains and boundaries in both the volumetric and surface meshes, which is often necessary for assigning material properties and boundary conditions. Finally, the series of image, geometry and mesh processing steps described in this work are made available on a GitHub repository. https://letters.rilem.net/index.php/rilem/article/view/184Conformal MeshingConcrete MesostructureMesoscale ModellingNeutron Imaging
spellingShingle Hani Cheikh Sleiman
Murilo Henrique Moreira
Alessandro Tengattini
Stefano Dal Pont
From tomographic imaging to numerical simulations: an open-source workflow for true morphology mesoscale FE meshes
RILEM Technical Letters
Conformal Meshing
Concrete Mesostructure
Mesoscale Modelling
Neutron Imaging
title From tomographic imaging to numerical simulations: an open-source workflow for true morphology mesoscale FE meshes
title_full From tomographic imaging to numerical simulations: an open-source workflow for true morphology mesoscale FE meshes
title_fullStr From tomographic imaging to numerical simulations: an open-source workflow for true morphology mesoscale FE meshes
title_full_unstemmed From tomographic imaging to numerical simulations: an open-source workflow for true morphology mesoscale FE meshes
title_short From tomographic imaging to numerical simulations: an open-source workflow for true morphology mesoscale FE meshes
title_sort from tomographic imaging to numerical simulations an open source workflow for true morphology mesoscale fe meshes
topic Conformal Meshing
Concrete Mesostructure
Mesoscale Modelling
Neutron Imaging
url https://letters.rilem.net/index.php/rilem/article/view/184
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