Latest article "Efficient snap-to-contact computations for van der Waals interacting fibers"

The open access article "Efficient snap-to-contact computations for van der Waals interacting fibers", written by A. Borković, M.H. Gfrerer, R.A. Sauer, B. Marussig, has been published in the Elsevier journal European Journal of Mechanics A/Solids.

Abstract:
We consider van der Waals interactions between in-plane fibers, where the computational model employs the Lennard-Jones potential and the coarse-grained approach. The involved 6D integral over two interacting fibers is split into a 4D analytical pre-integration over cross sections and the remaining 2D numerical integration along the fibers’ axes. Two section-section interaction laws are implemented, refined, and compared. Fibers are modeled using the Bernoulli–Euler beam theory and spatially discretized with isogeometric finite elements. We derive and solve the weak form of both quasi-static and dynamic boundary value problems. Four numerical examples involving highly nonlinear and dynamic snap-to-contact phenomena are scrutinized. We observe that the coarse-graining and pre-integration of interaction potentials enable the efficient modeling of complex phenomena at small length scales.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euromechsol.2025.105919