Family Member Search Algorithms for Peridynamic Analysis

Peridynamic equation of motion is usually solved numerically by using meshless approaches. Family search process is one of the most time-consuming parts of a peridynamic analysis. Especially for problems which require continuous update of family members inside the horizon of a material point, the time spent to search for family members becomes crucial. Hence, efficient algorithms are required to reduce the computational time. In this study, various family member search algorithms suitable for peridynamic simulations are presented including brute-force search, region partitioning, and tree data structures. By considering problem cases for different number of material points, computational time between different algorithms is compared and the most efficient algorithm is determined.