Multiphysics Missing Data Synthesis: A Machine Learning Approach for Mitigating Data Gaps and Artifacts

The presence of gaps and spurious nonphysical artifacts in datasets is a nearly ubiquitous problem in many scientific and engineering domains. In the context of multiphysics numerical models, data gaps may arise from lack of coordination between modeling elements and limitations of the discretization and solver schemes employed. In the case of data derived from physical experiments, the limitations of sensing and data acquisition technologies, as well as myriad sources of experimental noise, may result in the generation of data gaps and artifacts. In the present work, we develop and demonstrate a machine learning (ML) meta-framework for repairing such gaps in multiphysics datasets. A unique “cross-training” methodology is used to ensure that the ML models capture the underlying multiphysics of the input datasets, without requiring training on datasets free of gaps/artifacts. The general utility of this approach is demonstrated by the repair of gaps in a multiphysics dataset taken from hypervelocity impact simulations. Subsequently, we examine the problem of removing scan artifacts from X-ray computed microtomographic (XCMT) datasets. A unique experimental methodology for acquiring XCMT data, wherein articles are scanned multiple times under different conditions, enables the ready identification of artifacts, their removal from the datasets, and the filling of the resulting gaps using the ML framework. This work concludes with observations regarding the unique features of the developed methodology, and a discussion of potential future developments and applications for this technology.