Numerical Methods for Engineering

ELEC 600 – Spring 2020

Week 1, Lecture 1
 Chapter 1

Mathematical Modeling
and Engineering Problem Solving
 Outline
• Mathematical Models
• Conservation law
• Engineering problems

Objectives
• Learning about the different types of numerical
methods
• Learning how mathematical models can be
formulated on the basis of scientific principles
• Understanding how numerical methods afford a
means to generalize solutions
Mathematical Modeling, Engineering Problem
Solving

 Understanding of
engineering systems:
 By observation and
experiment
 Theoretical analysis and
generalization
 Computers are great tools,
however, without
fundamental understanding
of engineering problems,
they will be useless.
 Summary of Numerical Methods
 The course is divided into seven categories of
numerical methods:

 Interconnected
elements
 Uses: structures;
circuits; etc.

 fluid networks

 Optimum value
 Uses:
engineering
design
 Summary of Numerical Methods - 2
 Regression: determine
trend of data
 Interpolation:
determine
intermediate values

 To determine rate of
change of a quantity
rather than a
magnitude

 Rate of change of a
quantity with respect
to two or more
independent variables
 A Simple Mathematical Model
 A mathematical model can be broadly defined as a
formulation that expresses essential features of a physical
system/process.
 Models can be represented by a functional relationship
between dependent variables, independent variables,
parameters, and forcing functions.

𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑉𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒=𝑓(𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑠,𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠,𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠)
 Dependent variable - a characteristic that usually reflects the
behavior or state of the system.
 Independent variables - dimensions, such as time and space,
along which the system’s behavior is being determined.
 Parameters - constants reflective of the system’s properties or
composition.
 Forcing functions - external influences acting upon the system.
 Newton’s 2nd law of Motion
 states that “the time rate change of momentum of a body
is equal to the resulting force acting on it.”
 The model is formulated as
𝑭 = 𝒎.𝒂
 𝑭 =net force acting on the body (N); 𝒎 =mass of the
object (kg) ; 𝒂 =its acceleration (m/s2)

 Formulation of Newton’s 2nd law has several characteristics

that are typical of mathematical models of the physical
world:
 It describes a natural process or system in mathematical
terms.
 It represents an idealization and simplification of reality.
 Finally, it yields reproducible results, thus can be used for
predictive purposes.
 Model Function Example
 For a falling parachute, an analytical model for the velocity,
accounting for drag, is

dv F mg  cv c
  g v
dt m m m
 If the parachutist is initially at rest (𝑣 = 0 at 𝑡
= 0), then using calculus
gm  ct / m 
v(t )   1  e 
c  
 Dependent variable - velocity v
 Independent variables - time t
 Parameters - mass m, drag coefficient c
 Forcing function g - gravitational acceleration
 Model Results
 Using a computer (or a calculator), the model can be used
to generate a graphical representation of the system. For
example, the graph below represents the velocity of a 68.1
kg, assuming a drag coefficient of 12.5 kg/s
Numerical Methods
 To solve the problem using a numerical method, note that
the time rate of change of velocity can be approximated
as:

dv v vti1  vti 
 
dt t ti1  ti
 Euler's Method
 Substituting the finite difference into the differential
equation gives

v(ti+1)  v(ti) c
 Solve for =g v
ti+1  i m
t c
g v(ti) (t  t )
v(ti+1) = v(ti) + m i+1 i

new = old + slope  step

 Numerical Example 1.1
 A parachutist of mass 68.1 kg jumps out of a stationary
hot air balloon. Compute velocity prior to opening the
parachute. The drag coefficient is equal to 12.5 kg/s.
 Analytical Solution: v(t)  gm 1 e
(c / m)t

c

 Numerical Example 1.1-Matlab

60
% Numerical Solution to the falling Parachutist problem
clear;clc;
m=68.1; % mass in kg c=12.5; 50

% drag coeff in kg/s.

g=9.8; % gravitational constant 40
in m/s^2
dt=2; % step size of sample time in seconds (s)

velocity
v_num(1)=0; % inital velocity in m/s 30

m/s
t_final=30; % final time (sec)
i=1; 20
for t=dt:dt:t_final;
v_num(i+1)=v_num(i)+(g-c/m*v_num(i))*dt; %Numerical soltion to velocity
10
i=i+1;
end
t=0:dt:t_final; 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
v_ana=g*m/c*(1- time in
(sec)
exp(-c/m*t)); %
Exact analytical
solution to
velocity
plot(t,v_ana,t,v_num)
xlabel('time in (sec)')
ylabel('velocity m/s')
grid
 Numerical Example 1.1
 Applying Euler's method in 2 sec intervals yields:

 How do we improve the solution?

 Smaller steps
Tutorial Problem 1.1

16
 Tutorial Problem 1

 b) t y(t)
0 10.00
% Numerical Solution to the radioactive problem
0.1000
clear;clc;
9.8000
k=0.2 % m^3/day
0.2000
c_num(1)=10; % inital value Bq/L
9.6040
dt=0.1; %step or sample time
0.3000
t_final=1; % final time (day)
9.4119
i=1;
0.4000
for t=dt:dt:t_final; 10
9.2237
c_num(i+1)=c_num(i)-k*c_num(i)*dt;
9 0.5000
i=i+1;
9.0392
end t=0:dt:t_final; 8
0.6000
[t;c_num]' figure(1)
8.8584
plot(t,c_num) 7
0.7000
Concentration in Bq/L

xlabel('time in (days)')
6 8.6813
ylabel('Concentration in Bq/L') grid
0.8000
figure(2) [t;log(c_num)]' 5
8.5076
plot(t,log(c_num))
0.9000
xlabel('time in (days)') 4
8.3375
ylabel('Concentration in Bq/L') grid
3 1.0000
8.1707
2

1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
time in (days)
 Tutorial Problem 1
 b) plot ln(c(t)) vs. time t
ln(y(t))
2.35
0
2.3
2.3026
0.1000 2.2824
2.25 0.2000 2.2622
0.3000 2.2420
Concentration in

2.2
0.4000 2.2218
0.5000 2.2016
2.15
0.6000 2.1814
Bq/L

2.1 0.7000 2.1612

0.8000 2.1410
2.05 0.9000 2.1208
1.0000 2.1006
2
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
time in (days)

 The slope of this line can be estimated as 2.2823−2.3026 =−0.2020

0.1

 Thus, the slope is approximately equal to the negative

of the decay rate.