RKPM2D: an open-source implementation of nodally integrated reproducing kernel particle method for solving partial differential equations

We present an open-source software RKPM2D for solving PDEs under the reproducing kernel particle method (RKPM)-based meshfree computational framework. Compared to conventional mesh-based methods, RKPM provides many attractive features, such as arbitrary order of continuity and discontinuity, relaxed tie between the quality of the discretization and the quality of approximation, simple h-adaptive refinement, and ability to embed physics-based enrichment functions, among others, which make RKPM promising for solving challenging engineering problems. The aim of the present software package is to support reproducible research and serve as an efficient test platform for further development of meshfree methods. The RKPM2D software consists of a set of data structures and subroutines for discretizing two-dimensional domains, nodal representative domain creation by Voronoi diagram partitioning, boundary condition specification, reproducing kernel shape function generation, domain integrations with stabilization, a complete meshfree solver, and visualization tools for post-processing. In this paper, a brief overview that covers the key theoretical aspects of RKPM is given, such as the reproducing kernel approximation, weak form using Nitsche’s method for boundary condition enforcement, various domain integration schemes (Gauss quadrature and stabilized nodal integration methods), as well as the fully discrete equations. In addition, the computer implementation aspects employed in RKPM2D are discussed in detail. Benchmark problems solved by RKPM2D are presented to demonstrate the convergence, efficiency, and robustness of the RKPM implementation.