Triangular Cellular Automata for Computing Two-Dimensional Elastodynamic Response on Arbitrary Domains

Abstract

This study extends a recently developed cellular automata (CA) modeling approach (Leamy, 2008, “Application of Cellular Automata Modeling to Seismic Elastodynamics,” Int. J. Solids Struct., 45(17), pp. 4835–4849) to arbitrary two-dimensional geometries via the development of a rule set governing triangular automata (cells). As in the previous rectangular CA method, each cell represents a state machine, which updates in a stepped manner using a local “bottom-up” rule set and state input from neighboring cells. Notably, the approach avoids the need to develop and solve partial differential equations and the complexity therein. The elastodynamic responses of several general geometries and loading cases (interior, Neumann, and Dirichlet) are computed with the method and then compared with results generated using the earlier rectangular CA and finite element approaches. Favorable results are reported in all cases with numerical experiments indicating that the extended CA method avoids, importantly, spurious oscillations at the front of sharp wave fronts.