Open Access

ARTICLE

Three-Dimensional Meshfree Analysis of Interlocking Concrete Blocks for Step Seawall Structure

by Hau Nguyen-Ngoc^1,2, H. Nguyen-Xuan³, Magd Abdel-Wahab^4,5,*

1 Soete Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Technologiepark Zwijnaarde 903, B-9052, Zwijnaarde, Belgium
2 University of Science and Technology, The University of Danang, Da Nang City, Vietnam
3 CIRTech Institute, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
4 Division of Computational Mechanics, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
5 Faculty of Civil Engineering, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

* Corresponding Author: Magd Abdel-Wahab. Email:

Computers, Materials & Continua 2021, 66(1), 165-178. https://doi.org/10.32604/cmc.2020.012948

Received 19 July 2020; Accepted 21 August 2020; Issue published 30 October 2020

Abstract

This study adapts the flexible characteristic of meshfree method in analyzing three-dimensional (3D) complex geometry structures, which are the interlocking concrete blocks of step seawall. The elastostatic behavior of the block is analysed by solving the Galerkin weak form formulation over local support domain. The 3D moving least square (MLS) approximation is applied to build the interpolation functions of unknowns. The pre-defined number of nodes in an integration domain ranging from 10 to 60 nodes is also investigated for their effect on the studied results. The accuracy and efficiency of the studied method on 3D elastostatic responses are validated through the comparison with the solutions of standard finite element method (FEM) using linear shape functions on tetrahedral elements and the well-known commercial software, ANSYS. The results show that elastostatic responses of studied concrete block obtained by meshfree method converge faster and are more accurate than those of standard FEM. The studied meshfree method is effective in the analysis of static responses of complex geometry structures. The amount of discretised nodes within the integration domain used in building MLS shape functions should be in the range from 30 to 60 nodes and should not be less than 20 nodes.

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