Where do we get the Courage to Sign the Blueprint?

Overview

The sources of error in numerical simulation and methods used for controlling them will be discussed. It will be shown that when the size of the numerical errors in the quantities of interest (QoI) are not known then it is not possible to certify that a design is in compliance with the design rules. Therefore error estimation in terms of the QoI is an essential technical requirement. Error estimation is possible only when the mathematical model is properly formulated.

The differences between finite element modeling and numerical simulation will be highlighted. The creative aspects of formulating mathematical models and objective methods for ranking their performance will be addressed. The importance of simulation governance and management will be emphasized. Writing technical requirements and formulating use cases for engineering applications was discussed. The main points was illustrated by examples.

Note: The presentation and recording are only available to NAFEMS members.

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This webinar was available to all NAFEMS members exclusively as part of their membership.

About the speakers

Dr. Barna Szabó is Co-Founder and Chairman of Engineering Software Research and Development, Inc. a company whose mission is to create and market software tools for the advancement of the quality, reliability and timeliness of information that serves engineering decision-making processes.

Dr. Szabó was a full-time member of the faculty of the School of Applied Science and Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis from 1968 until his retirement as the Albert P. and Blanche Y. Greensfelder Professor of Mechanics. His areas of expertise include mathematical modeling techniques, error estimation and quality control procedures in finite element analysis, methods for controlling modeling errors in engineering computations and assurance of the reliability of engineering decisions based on computed information.

Dr. Szabó is the principal author of two textbooks on finite element analysis (John Wiley & Sons, 1991 and 2011) and has published over two hundred technical papers, mostly on the finite element method. Dr. Szabó is an external member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Fellow of the St. Louis Academy of Sciences, holds an honorary doctorate and is a founding member and fellow of the US Association for Computational Mechanics. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Missouri.

Dr. Ricardo Actis is the President and CEO of Engineering Software Research and Development, Inc. Prior to his appointment as President and CEO in 2016 Dr. Actis was responsible for the implementation of advanced FEA procedures in the commercial finite element analysis software product StressCheck®, including material and geometric nonlinearities, thin solids formulation, plates and shells, multi-body contact, composite material analysis techniques, and extraction of fracture mechanics parameters for metallic and composite structures. Dr. Actis also holds an academic appointment as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Sciences of the School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis where he has been teaching strength of materials, aircraft structures, and numerical simulation.