After successful completion of the course, students are able to...

• recognize the physical phenomena relevant to the problem and select solution strategies
• determine important quantities of the problem and consider them in the decision process
• adequately mesh (and simplify) a geometry and choose a suitable element type
• define correct boundary conditions
• estimate the consequences of this choice on model quality and exactness
• choose suitable stabilization methods when necessary
• critically evaluate simulation results in light of the chosen model
• derive model improvements

In the most general sense, model design deals with the abstraction of a physical problem, in order to make it available to computational treatment. This begins with the formulation of a specific problem and the identification of relevant aspects. A suitable differential equation and a numerical approximation method have to be chosen on this basis, since analytical solution methods are generally not available. These decision lead to a computational model, e.g. a finite element model, that contains all the aforementioned abstractions. This allows the execution of simulations and the results have to be interpreted. In certain cases the model has to be adjusted with respect to its suitability.

The course contains many of these aspects of model design and is supposed to make the students aware of the assumptions that are made. They should become capable of questioning the results and making suitable improvements to the model.

Lecture with materials for theory and examples; additional sketches andf igures; handouts of materials

The course will be streamed live. The format of the course may deviate due to the pandemic.

written exam part (online if necessary); oral exam part after positive result in written part (online if necessary)

Basic knowledge of finite element method, structural mechanics, fluid mechanics