ElastoDict is a powerful simulation module for mechanical material property calculations on microstructures, also under consideration of thermal expansion coefficients. Specially the GeoDict 2021 release is an enrichment of the material development workflow.

What exactly can GeoDict do for mechanical and thermal material property calculation and prediction.

ElastoDict is an easy-to-operate interface between the FeelMath solver, other GeoDict tools, and the user. In cooperation with Math2Market GmbH, the FeelMath solver has been developed since 2011 by Dr. Matthias Kabel and his team at the Fraunhofer ITWM in Kaiserslautern. This unique solver has been created through the synergetic combination of focused research and many years of experience on the needs of users from the most diverse fields of application, sectors, and industries. ElastoDict blends the capacity for complex calculations on highly resolved microstructures with the usual easy handling of the GeoDict tools. The result is a variety of calculations and predictions of microstructure properties which can be set up quickly and easily by the user.

ElastoDict is built to compute mechanical properties on high resolution microstructures under consideration of thermal expansion coefficients. The source of these 3D models is imported and segmented 3D image data and/or created directly with the GeoDict generator modules. 3D image data can be imported, post-processed and segmented using GeoDict’s module ImportGeo-Vol. In this way, an exact digital representation of the existing material (the so-called statistical digital twin) is analyzed in GeoDict. A great variety of experiments can then be carried out on this statistical digital twin by modifying experimental conditions digitally.

The GeoDict solvers calculate directly on the 3D image data, on the voxels, and in doing so, avoid the additional meshing of the structure typical of solvers based on finite elements (FE). The calculations are performed directly on the numerical data of the voxels. These numerical data are information about the material itself, as well as information about the current state of the material during the simulations. 64 billion data cells are obtained for a microstructure with 4000 x 4000 x 4000 voxels, and each of cell is itself filled with information. Despite these billions of data, GeoDict 's optimized solvers run property computations quickly, accurately, and with an astonishing memory efficiency. This allows the user to calculate on detailed, high-resolution and intricate microstructures. 

This special combination of strengths makes ElastoDict unique in the commercial market of mechanical simulators with finite-volume solvers. The portfolio of ElastoDict calculations includes material property predictions for:

  • Stiffness and stiffness tensor 
  • Transversal isotropic and orthotropic properties 
  • Linear deformation 
  • Non-Linear / plastic deformation 
  • Thermal expansion 
  • Strain and stress curves 
  • Damage 
  • Failure

ElastoDict sets standards with the FeelMath solver, specially for the calculation of non-linear, plastic deformations. ElastoDict uses the GeoDict material database with numerous predefined common material models. The material database is a part of GeoDict's basic package and directly available to the user. ElastoDict determines the material behavior during mechanical property calculations by means of the property functions of the material models. The user's own material models are easily entered in the material database to be shared only with colleagues, teams, and departments company-wide.

For users whose material property analysis process goes beyond the ElastoDict computations, a combination of further analyses and simulations, in connection with ElastoDict and in the familiar GeoDict context, is presented in the next section.

Flexibility of ElastoDict

ElastoDict can thus be integrated into many processes of the material development workflow. Following are examples of practical applications of ElastoDict:

ImportGeo-Vol is used to import, segment, and analyze 3D image data and the simulation process continues with different material property calculations in GeoDict. In the following examples, all material property calculations are available regardless of the microstructure model stemming from an imported existing material or being generated with one of GeoDict 's material design modules.

The effect of compression of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) during production on the performance of the fuel cell is determined with ElastoDict. A combination of ElastoDict and FlowDict is used to calculate how different degrees of compression affect the flow properties of the GDL.

BatteryDict calculates the charge flow within the electrode material. Calculations of thermal effects, expansion of the lithium particles and associated damage within the electrode material are also available. In this way, the user determines the basic performance of the electrode material and predicts its lifetime.

In-situ laboratory experiments are complex and, therefore, highly error-prone. With ElastoDict, the user easily creates digital in-situ conditions on the rock sample and continues by applying the DRP (Digital Rock Physics) analysis package of GeoDict.

With ElastoDict, models of fabrics undergo a digital calendering (or waltzing) process before calculating their flow and filtration properties with FlowDict and FilterDict. Adjustments to the 3D model are made in an improvement-feedback loop as needed.

It is difficult to find out what exactly happens inside a foam through laboratory experiments. With ElastoDict, gain astonishing insights into the inner microstructure of a foam during plastic deformation by digitally cutting into it during the simulation.

ElastoDict can be applied to a wide range of materials in the most diverse industries.

Here are some examples:   

  • Deformation of porous materials 
  • Pressing of felts 
  • Compression of fiber materials 
  • Strain, stress, damage, and failure in composite materials 
  • Engineering of tissues 
  • Sintered materials 
  • Load predictions for components from additive manufacturing
  • ...

Improvements in GeoDict 2021

For GeoDict 2021, besides the continuous and systematic improvements, three aspects in ElastoDict have deserved special emphasis on:

ElastoDict has become significantly faster for non-linear, plastic deformation and thermal expansion. The time-saving is specially substantial in mechanical calculations for high-resolution foams and for electrodes. In internally performed benchmarks, we measured a reduction by 50% of the running time. 

By the nature of mechanics, its field of application, ElastoDict is a multifaceted and advanced module. Our goal is to bring together its complexity and its possibilities in a clear configuration that eliminates mistakes. The usability of the material database and its predefined common material models in particular, in addition to the regular adjustments of the user-friendliness are a priority in the ElastoDict user interface of GeoDict 2021.

Based on research publications and findings, the behaviour of materials is defined as material laws, e.g. for plastic damage, or plastic deformations of steel or foams that can be quickly applied. In GeoDict, measured values can be entered directly into the editable material database for any constituent material. With GeoDict 2021 the material laws can be fitted into a coherent material model by means of an optimization algorithm. All in all, the setup of simulations becomes easier and more comprehensible in GeoDict 2021.

The downsampling in ElastoDict is easier to use with GeoDict 2021 and has become more accurate in its calculation. What was previously only possible for linear deformations in GeoDict is now also available for non-linear, plastic deformations in GeoDict 2021. Thus, a trend in the properties of the microstructure can be quickly determined. By downsampling, the microstructure is reduced internally which lessens the memory requirements and speeds up the calculations.

The user obtains a result even faster and this result represents a very good approximation to the calculation of the non-downsampled microstructure. In internal benchmarks, we measured a dramatic reduction of 97% in runtime and memory consumption, with a deviation of only 1% in the result data.

In a very short time, the most promising candidates can be chosen from a large selection of candidate microstructures with high accuracy. This not only saves time and money, but also increases the pool of possible material models to be considered.

With ElastoDict in GeoDict 2021, the user has in his/her hands an easy-to-use mechanical and thermal microstructure solver that computes on large microstructures with high precision in less time and with lower memory requirements.