Partitioned analysis of coupled mechanical systems

This is a tutorial article that reviews the use of partitioned analysis pro cedures for the analysis of coupled dynamical systems. Attention is focused on the computational simulation of systems in which a structure is a major component. Important applications in that class are provided by thermomech anics, fluid-structure interaction and control-structure interaction. In th e partitioned solution approach, systems are spatially decomposed into part itions. This decomposition is driven bq physical or computational considera tions. The solution is separately advanced in time over each partition. Int eraction effects are accounted for by transmission and synchronization of c oupled state variables. Recent developments in the use of this approach for multilevel decomposition aimed at massively parallel computation are discu ssed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.