A mixed PGD-a priori time basis strategy for the simulation of cyclic transient thermal behavior

The knowledge of the service life of polymers under cyclic loading, widely used in industrial applications, is required and usually based on the use of methods necessitating an accurate prediction of the stabilized cycle. This implies a large computation time using the Finite Element Method (FEM) since it requires a large number of cycles for polymers. To alleviate this difficulty, a model order reduction method can be used. In this paper, a mixed strategy is investigated. Through the Proper Generalized Decomposition Method (PGD) framework, this strategy combines the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to create a priori time basis and the FEM to compute the related spatial modes. The method is applied to 3D thermal problems under cyclic loadings. The robustness of the proposed strategy is discussed for various boundary conditions, multi-times, and different cyclic loadings. A large time saving is obtained proving the interest of this alternative strategy to deal with fatigue simulations.