American Society of Mechanics Engineers

Council on Codes and Standards

Board on Performance Test Codes

Committee #60

Verification and Validation in Computational Solid Mechanics

Revised Jan 01

 

Background

Simulations consist of using conceptual models to portray physical phenomena. Sources of simulation errors and uncertainties are associated with the numerical implementation of the conceptual model and the appropriateness of the conceptual model to portray the physical phenomena. The two corresponding principles that are necessary for assessing credible simulations are verification and validation, respectively.

In August 1999, the United States Association for Computational Mechanics (USACM) recognized there is a need for assessing the credibility of computational solid mechanics simulations and set as a goal the establishment of standards by which the credibility of computational solid mechanics simulations can be assessed. That effort lead to the formation of the ASME Standards Committee on Verification and Validation in Computational Solid Mechanics.

Goal

The setting of standards, and standards programs, is approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The Committee will work within the existing approved standards program of  ASME to first establish Guidelines, then Recommended Practices, and finally Standards for the Verification and Validation of Simulation in Computational Solid Mechanics.

Objective

The Committee on Verification and Validation in Computational Solid Mechanics will pursue the establishment of Guidelines as the necessary first step toward the goal of developing standards for numerical simulations in solid mechanics.

The Committee will establish a membership representative of the broad interests in the solid mechanics community to include representatives of the USACM Executive Committee, USACM members, US Government agencies especially the Department of Defense and Department of Energy, commercial developers of software used in computational solid mechanics, users of such commercial software, solid mechanics experimentalist, and academia. Under the Committee's Operating Procedures, the Committee will elect a chair, and a vice-chair who will represent the Committee to ASME.

Recognizing the seminal contribution of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Standards Program sponsored document, Guide for Verification and Validation of Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations [AIAA G-077-1998], and the need to conform with existing computational guides and guidelines, where appropriate, the Committee will acknowledge and adopt the AIAA Guide as a starting point. The Committee will produce a similar document specific to the verification and validation of solid mechanics simulations.

 

Last updated    24 Oct 2001
L.E. Schwer (Len@Schwer.net)