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Generative Learning of Densities on Manifolds

Dimitris G. Giovanis, Ellis Crabtree, Roger G. Ghanem, and Ioannis G. Kevrekidis
Type: PublicationDate: July 23, 20253 min readStatus: Published

Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering

Generative LearningScore-Based Diffusion ModelsManifold LearningUncertainty QuantificationComputational Mechanics
Generative Learning of Densities on Manifolds

Generative Learning of Densities on Manifolds

Research Summary

This study introduces and validates a framework for generating data distributions on high-dimensional manifolds using modified score-based generative models (m-SGMs). The model leverages nonlinear dimensionality reduction methods to address challenges in high-dimensional uncertainty quantification. Applications in computational mechanics demonstrate the robustness and efficiency of the proposed approach over conventional methods.

Motivation

High-dimensional data encountered in multiscale computational mechanics, like stress-strain relationships in complex materials, presents challenges for accurate and efficient modeling. The framework developed in this paper aims to address:

  1. The curse of dimensionality in simulations and sampling strategies.
  2. Generative modeling of data constrained to manifolds defined by experimental and synthetic results.
  3. Incorporation of physics-based features in generative approaches to ensure consistency with observed phenomena.

By employing manifold learning and score-based techniques, the paper seeks to improve the fidelity of synthetic data generation and its applicability to real-world computational mechanics problems.

Methodology

Framework Details

  1. Modified Score-Based Generative Models (m-SGMs):

    • Adapt score-based algorithms to directly model multiscale material systems.
    • Integrate physics-based parameters to maintain correspondence with real data.
  2. Double Diffusion Maps:

    • Utilize these as a dimensionality reduction tool to parameterize manifolds, facilitating sampling in high-dimensional spaces.
  3. KL Divergence Performance Metrics:

    • Statistical comparison of the generated distributions against ground truth to quantify model precision.

Dataset Used

  • 800-point simulation comparing tensile and bending test outcomes, structured into 449 feature dimensions.
  • Dimensions include microscale, mesoscale, and macroscale properties.

Techniques Applied

To generate additional realizations for high-dimensional synthetic datasets, the framework employs m-SGMs combined with double diffusion maps, surpassing typical generation techniques in efficiency and quality.

Results

Applications

  1. Synthetic Stress-Strain Data:

    • Generated distributions accurately mimic observed stress-strain curves from laboratory tests.
    • Validated results include accurate reproductions under bending and tensile configurations.
  2. Dimensionality Reduction:

    • Experimental data constrained within manifolds showed strong agreement with real-world outcomes.
    • Double diffusion maps provided significant enhancements to sampling precision.
  3. Performance Analysis:

    • Among methods evaluated, m-SGM1 produced the lowest KL divergence, indicating the highest fidelity to true data distributions.

Computational Metrics

  • Improved runtime performance relative to standard Monte Carlo Simulations (MCS).
  • Increased sampling precision across multiscale dimensional embeddings.

Key Insights

  • Generative Modeling vs. MCS:
    • Modified approaches reduce computational complexity while improving fidelity.
  • Physics-Based Integration:
    • Ensures synthetic data aligns with physical constraints of observed phenomena.
  • Scalability:
    • Applicability expands to larger, complex datasets by leveraging manifold-parametrization techniques.

Future Work

  1. Expanding to stochastic dynamics and chaotic systems.
  2. Improving framework scalability for higher-dimensional contexts.
  3. Creating publicly accessible benchmarks for generative models designed for physical systems modeling.