SCS Colloquiums: The Finite Element Method

Abstracts:

Speaker 1: John Tyree
Modelling a dolphin swimming in gasoline: a 2 Dimensional model of a dolphin-shaped rigid body in moving fluid. Discussion will include a description of the development process behind the model, but will be largely focused on the effect of fluid velocity on the development of von Karman vortex streets at high-drag points on the dolphin body.

Speaker 2: Alex Theiakos 
Modelling the leaning tower of Pisa: This mini-project utilizes the Finite Element Method in structural mechanics to model a 2 dimensional Leaning Tower of Pisa. The soil underneath the tower is also taken into consideration and using the Total Potential Energy principle the displacements and stresses over the tower are calculated. The results demonstrate the inclination of the tower and crucial parts of the tower that undergo heavy stresses.

Speaker 3: Cong Chen
Modelling a volcano smoke transport in atmosphere: this project utilizes the COMSOL to build a 2 dimensional volcano smoke transportation model. I will introduce the development process and how to set boundary condition when solving large scale problem. The result will show the smoke erupting from the volcano and making convection and diffusion with air in transport process, and the discussion will contain the influence by modifying some parameters.