Deep Learning for Complex Fluids
Project, University of Notre Dame, 2025
Advisor: Dr. Zhiliang Xu, Professor, ACMS Department, University of Notre Dame
This is my primary doctoral research, conducted as part of my Graduate Research Assistantship.
I am developing the displacement-based JKO scheme — a structure-preserving deep learning approach for solving complex fluids. The method is grounded in the Energetic Variational Approach (EnVarA), which derives dynamics from the interplay between energy and dissipation. By constructing the numerical scheme directly from the energy-dissipation law, the scheme guarantees monotonic decay of the system’s free energy, preventing unphysical states and ensuring long-term stability.
The current focus is the Cahn-Hilliard equation for phase-separation dynamics. Key contributions include:
- A displacement-based neural network discretization that uses neural networks as mesh-free spatial discretizers, enabling scalability to high dimensions.
- A gradient-based adaptive refinement strategy for better capturing diffuse interfaces.
- An implicit midpoint symplectic time-stepping scheme with provable energy stability.
The framework is implemented in PyTorch and is being extended to coupled Cahn-Hilliard–Navier-Stokes systems for modeling complex fluid dynamics.
