An SPH model for free surface flows with moving rigid objects

This paper presents a computational model for free surface flows interacting with moving rigid bodies. The model is based on the SPH method, which is a popular meshfree, Lagrangian particle method and can naturally treat large flow deformation and moving features without any interface/surface capture or tracking algorithm. Fluid particles are used to model the free surface flows which are governed by Navier–Stokes equations, and solid particles are used to model the dynamic movement (translation and rotation) of moving rigid objects. The interaction of the neighboring fluid and solid particles renders the fluid–solid interaction and the non‐slip solid boundary conditions. The SPH method is improved with corrections on the SPH kernel and kernel gradients, enhancement of solid boundary condition, and implementation of Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes turbulence model. Three numerical examples including the water exit of a cylinder, the sinking of a submerged cylinder and the complicated motion of an elliptical cylinder near free surface are provided. The obtained numerical results show good agreement with results from other sources and clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented meshfree particle model in modeling free surface flows with moving objects. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An improved SPH model for multiphase flows with large density ratios

This paper presents a new smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) model for simulating multiphase fluid flows with large density ratios. The new SPH model consists of an improved discretization scheme, an enhanced multiphase interface treatment algorithm, and a coupled dynamic boundary treatment technique. The presented SPH discretization scheme is developed from Taylor series analysis with kernel normalization and kernel gradient correction and is then used to discretize the Navier‐Stokes equation to obtain improved SPH equations of motion for multiphase fluid flows. The multiphase interface treatment algorithm involves treating neighboring particles from different phases as virtual particles with specially updated density to maintain pressure consistency and a repulsive interface force between neighboring interface particles into the pressure gradient to keep sharp interface. The coupled dynamic boundary treatment technique includes a soft repulsive force between approaching fluid and solid particles while the information of virtual particles are approximated using the improved SPH discretization scheme. The presented SPH model is applied to 3 typical multiphase flow problems including dam breaking, Rayleigh‐Taylor instability, and air bubble rising in water. It is demonstrated that inherent multiphase flow physics can be well captured while the dynamic evolution of the complex multiphase interfaces is sharp with consistent pressure across the interfaces.     

Numerical modelling of complex turbulent free‐surface flows with the SPH method: an overview

The gridless smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is now commonly used in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and appears to be promising in predicting complex free‐surface flows. However, increasing flow complexity requires appropriate approaches for taking account of turbulent effects, whereas some authors are still working without any turbulence closure in SPH. A review of recently developed turbulence models adapted to the SPH method is presented herein, from the simplistic point of view of a one‐equation model involving mixing length to more sophisticated (and thus realistic) models like explicit algebraic Reynolds stress models (EARSM) or large eddy simulation (LES). Each proposed model is tested and validated on the basis of schematic cases for which laboratory data, theoretical or numerical solutions are available in the general field of turbulent free‐surface incompressible flows (e.g. open‐channel flow and schematic dam break). They give satisfactory results, even though some progress should be made in the future in terms of free‐surface influence and wall conditions. Recommendations are given to SPH users to apply this method to the modelling of complex free‐surface turbulent flows. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the approximation of local efflux/influx bed discharge in the shallow water equations based on a wave propagation algorithm

In cities, flood waves may propagate over street surfaces below which lie complicated pipe networks used for storm drainage and sewage. The flood and pipe flows can interact at connections between the underground pipes and the street surface. The present paper examines this interaction, using the shallow water equations to model the flood wave hydrodynamics. Sources and sinks in the mass conservation equation are used to model the pipe inflow and outflow conditions at bed connections. We consider the problem reduced to one dimension. The shallow water equations are solved using a Godunov‐type wave propagation scheme. Wave speeds are modified in the wave propagation algorithm to enable flows to be simulated over nearly dry beds and dry states. First, the model is used to simulate vertical flows through finite gaps in the bed. Next, the interaction of the vertical flows with a dam break flow is considered for both dry and wet beds. An efflux number, En, is defined based on the vertical efflux velocity and the gap length. Comparisons are made with numerical predictions from STAR‐CD, a commercial Navier–Stokes solver that models the free‐surface motions, and a parameter study is undertaken to investigate the effect of the one‐dimensional approximation of the present model, for a range of non‐dimensional efflux numbers. It is found that the shallow flow model gives sensible predictions at all time provided En<0.5, and for long durations for En>0.5. Dam break flow over an underground connecting pipe is also considered. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical simulation of plunging wave breaking by the weakly compressible smoothed particle hydrodynamic method

In this paper, a numerical meshless method called the weakly compressible smoothed particle hydrodynamic (WCSPH) method, which is a two-dimensionalmodel of a weakly compressible fluid, is applied to simulate the plunging wave breaking process. This model solves the viscous fluid equations to obtain the velocity and density fields and also solves the equation of state to obtain the pressure field. The WCSPH method is demonstrated to have a higher computational efficiency than the basic SPH model. To simulate the turbulent behavior of the fluid flow in the wave breaking procedure, a sub particle scale (SPS) model is used, which is obtained from the Large eddy simulation (LES) theory. To consider the accuracy of the standard WCSPH model (WCSPH model without considering the turbulent effect), a dam break test is performed, and model results are compared with available experimental data.     

A comparative study of truly incompressible and weakly compressible SPH methods for free surface incompressible flows

In this paper, the performance of the incompressible SPH (ISPH) method and an improved weakly compressible SPH (IWCSPH) method for free surface incompressible flows are compared and analyzed. In both methods, the Navier–Stokes equations are solved, and no artificial viscosity is used. The ISPH algorithm in this paper is based on the classical SPH projection method with common treatments on solid boundaries and free surfaces. The IWCSPH model includes some advanced corrective algorithms in density approximation and solid boundary treatment (SBT). In density approximation, the moving least squares (MLS) approach is applied to re‐initialize density every several steps to obtain smoother and more stable pressure fields. An improved coupled dynamic SBT algorithm is implemented to obtain stable pressure values near solid wall areas and, thus, to minimize possible numerical oscillations brought in by the solid boundaries. Three representative numerical examples, including a benchmark test for hydrostatic pressure, a dam breaking problem and a liquid sloshing problem, are comparatively analyzed with ISPH and IWCSPH. It is demonstrated that the present IWCSPH is more attractive than ISPH in modeling free surface incompressible flows as it is more accurate and more stable with comparable or even less computational efforts. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulating surface tension with smoothed particle hydrodynamics

A method for simulating two‐phase flows including surface tension is presented. The approach is based upon smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH). The fully Lagrangian nature of SPH maintains sharp fluid–fluid interfaces without employing high‐order advection schemes or explicit interface reconstruction. Several possible implementations of surface tension force are suggested and compared. The numerical stability of the method is investigated and optimal choices for numerical parameters are identified. Comparisons with a grid‐based volume of fluid method for two‐dimensional flows are excellent. The methods presented here apply to problems involving interfaces of arbitrary shape undergoing fragmentation and coalescence within a two‐phase system and readily extend to three‐dimensional problems. Boundary conditions at a solid surface, high viscosity and density ratios, and the simulation of free‐surface flows are not addressed. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A correction for balancing discontinuous bed slopes in two‐dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics shallow water modeling

In this paper, a smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) numerical model for the shallow water equations (SWEs) with bed slope source term balancing is presented. The solution of the SWEs using SPH is attractive being a conservative, mesh‐free, automatically adaptive method without special treatment for wet‐dry interfaces. Recently, the capability of the SPH–SWEs numerical scheme with shock capturing and general boundary conditions has been used for predicting practical flooding problems. The balance between the bed slope source term and fluxes in shallow water models is desirable for reliable simulations of flooding over bathymetries where discontinuities are present and has received some attention in the framework of Finite Volume Eulerian models. The imbalance because of the source term resulting from the calculation of the the water depth is eradicated by means of a corrected mass, which is able to remove the error introduced by a bottom discontinuity. Two different discretizations of the momentum equation are presented herein: the first one is based on the variational formulation of the SWEs in order to obtain a fully conservative formulation, whereas the second one is obtained using a non‐conservative form of the free‐surface elevation gradient. In both formulations, a variable smoothing length is considered. Results are presented demonstrating the corrections preserve still water in the vicinity of either 1D or 2D bed discontinuities and provide close agreement with 1D analytical solutions for rapidly varying flows over step changes in the bed. The method is finally applied to 2D dam break flow over a square obstacle where the balanced formulation improves the agreement with experimental measurements of the free surface. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SPH computation of plunging waves using a 2‐D sub‐particle scale (SPS) turbulence model

The paper presents a 2‐D large eddy simulation (LES) modelling approach to investigate the properties of the plunging waves. The numerical model is based on the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method. SPH is a mesh‐free Lagrangian particle approach which is capable of tracking the free surfaces of large deformation in an easy and accurate way. The Smagorinsky model is used as the turbulence model due to its simplicity and effectiveness. The proposed 2‐D SPH–LES model is applied to a cnoidal wave breaking and plunging over a mild slope. The computations are in good agreement with the documented data. Especially the computed turbulence quantities under the breaking waves agree better with the experiments as compared with the numerical results obtained by using the k–ε model. The sensitivity analyses of the SPH–LES computations indicate that both the turbulence model and the spatial resolution play an important role in the model predictions and the contributions from the sub‐particle scale (SPS) turbulence decrease with the particle size refinement. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An improved KGF‐SPH with a novel discrete scheme of Laplacian operator for viscous incompressible fluid flows

The kernel gradient free (KGF) smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is a modified finite particle method (FPM) which has higher order accuracy than the conventional SPH method. In KGF‐SPH, no kernel gradient is required in the whole computation, and this leads to good flexibility in the selection of smoothing functions and it is also associated with a symmetric corrective matrix. When modeling viscous incompressible flows with SPH, FPM or KGF‐SPH, it is usual to approximate the Laplacian term with nested approximation on velocity, and this may introduce numerical errors from the nested approximation, and also cause difficulties in dealing with boundary conditions. In this paper, an improved KGF‐SPH method is presented for modeling viscous, incompressible fluid flows with a novel discrete scheme of Laplacian operator. The improved KGF‐SPH method avoids nested approximation of first order derivatives, and keeps the good feature of ‘kernel gradient free’. The two‐dimensional incompressible fluid flow of shear cavity, both in Euler frame and Lagrangian frame, are simulated by SPH, FPM, the original KGF‐SPH and improved KGF‐SPH. The numerical results show that the improved KGF‐SPH with the novel discrete scheme of Laplacian operator are more accurate than SPH, and more stable than FPM and the original KGF‐SPH. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An SPH pressure correction algorithm for multiphase flows with large density ratio

In this paper, we propose an interfacial pressure correction algorithm for smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulation of multiphase flows with large density ratios. This correction term is based on the assumption of small deformation of the interface, and derived from perturbation expansion analysis. It is also proven to be applicable in cases with complex interfaces. This correction algorithm helps to overcome the discontinuities of the pressure gradient over the interfaces, which may cause unphysical gap between different phases. This proposed correction algorithm is implemented on a recent multiphase SPH model, which is based on the assumption of pressure continuity over the interfaces. The coupled dynamic solid boundary treatment is used to simulate solid walls; and a cut‐off pressure is applied to avoid negative particle pressure, which may cause computational instabilities in SPH. Three numerical examples of air–water flows, including sloshing, dam breaking, and water entry, are presented and compared with experimental data, indicating the robustness of our pressure correction algorithm in multiphase simulations with large density ratios. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An SPH multi‐fluid model based on quasi buoyancy for interface stabilization up to high density ratios and realistic wave speed ratios

We introduce a smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) concept for the stabilization of the interface between 2 fluids. It is demonstrated that the change in the pressure gradient across the interface leads to a force imbalance. This force imbalance is attributed to the particle approximation implicit to SPH. To stabilize the interface, a pressure gradient correction is proposed. In this approach, the multi‐fluid pressure gradients are related to the (gravitational and fluid) accelerations. This leads to a quasi‐buoyancy correction for hydrostatic (stratified) flows, which is extended to nonhydrostatic flows. The result is a simple density correction that involves no parameters or coefficients. This correction is included as an extra term in the SPH momentum equation. The new concept for the stabilization of the interface is explored in 5 case studies and compared with other multi‐fluid models. The first case is the stagnant flow in a tank: The interface remains stable up to density ratios of 1:1000 (typical for water and air), in combination with artificial wave speed ratios up to 1:4. The second and third cases are the Rayleigh‐Taylor instability and the rising bubble, where a reasonable agreement between SPH and level‐set models is achieved. The fourth case is an air flow across a water surface up to density ratios of 1:100, artificial wave speed ratios of 1:4, and high air velocities. The fifth case is about the propagation of internal gravity waves up to density ratios of 1:100 and artificial wave speed ratios of 1:4. It is demonstrated that the quasi‐buoyancy model may be used to stabilize the interface between 2 fluids up to high density ratios, with real (low) viscosities and more realistic wave speed ratios than achieved by other weakly compressible SPH multi‐fluid models. Real wave speed ratios can be achieved as long as the fluid velocities are not very high. Although the wave speeds may be artificial in many cases, correct and realistic wave speed ratios are essential in the modelling of heat transfer between 2 fluids (eg, in engineering applications such as gas turbines).     

A finite volume solver for 1D shallow‐water equations applied to an actual river

This paper describes the numerical solution of the 1D shallow‐water equations by a finite volume scheme based on the Roe solver. In the first part, the 1D shallow‐water equations are presented. These equations model the free‐surface flows in a river. This set of equations is widely used for applications: dam‐break waves, reservoir emptying, flooding, etc. The main feature of these equations is the presence of a non‐conservative term in the momentum equation in the case of an actual river. In order to apply schemes well adapted to conservative equations, this term is split in two terms: a conservative one which is kept on the left‐hand side of the equation of momentum and the non‐conservative part is introduced as a source term on the right‐hand side. In the second section, we describe the scheme based on a Roe Solver for the homogeneous problem. Next, the numerical treatment of the source term which is the essential point of the numerical modelisation is described. The source term is split in two components: one is upwinded and the other is treated according to a centred discretization. By using this method for the discretization of the source term, one gets the right behaviour for steady flow. Finally, in the last part, the problem of validation is tackled. Most of the numerical tests have been defined for a working group about dam‐break wave simulation. A real dam‐break wave simulation will be shown. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A 3D smoothed particle hydrodynamics model for erosional dam-break floods

A mesh-less smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) model for bed-load transport on erosional dam-break floods is presented. This mixture model describes both the liquid phase and the solid granular material. The model is validated on the results from several experiments on erosional dam breaks. A comparison between the present model and a 2-phase SPH model for geotechnical applications (Gadget Soil; TUHH) is performed. A demonstrative 3D erosional dam break on complex topography is investigated. The present 3D mixture model is characterised by: no tuning parameter for the mixture viscosity; consistency with the Kinetic Theory of Granular Flow; ability to reproduce the evolution of the free surface and the bed-load transport layer; applicability to practical problems in civil engineering. The numerical developments of this study are represented by a new SPH scheme for bed-load transport, which is implemented in the SPH code SPHERA v.8.0 (RSE SpA), distributed as FOSS on GitHub.     

Two‐dimensional dam break flow simulation

Numerical modelling of shallow water flow in two dimensions is presented in this work with the results obtained in dam break tests. Free surface flow in channels can be described mathematically by the shallow‐water system of equations. These equations have been discretized using an approach based on unstructured Delaunay triangles and applied to the simulation of two‐dimensional dam break flows. A cell centred finite volume method based on Roe's approximate Riemann solver across the edges of the cells is presented and the results are compared for first‐ and second‐order accuracy. Special treatment of the friction term has been adopted and will be described. The scheme is capable of handling complex flow domains as shown in the simulation corresponding to the test cases proposed, i.e. that of a dam break wave propagating into a 45° bend channel (UCL) and in a channel with a constriction (LNEC‐IST). Comparisons of experimental and numerical results are shown. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Global volume conservation in unsteady free surface flows with energy absorbing far‐end boundaries

A wave absorption filter for the far‐end boundary of semi‐infinite large reservoirs is developed for numerical simulation of unsteady free surface flows. Mathematical model is based on finite volume solution of the Navier–Stokes equations and depth‐integrated continuity equation to track the free surface. The Sommerfeld boundary condition is applied at the far‐end of the truncated computational domain. A dissipation zone is formed by applying artificial pressure on water surface to dissipate the kinetic energy of the outgoing waves. The computational scheme is tested to verify the conservation of total fluid volume in the domain for long simulation durations. Combination of the Sommerfeld boundary and dissipation zone can effectively minimize reflections and prevent cumulative changes in total fluid volume in the domain. Solitary wave, nonlinear periodic waves and irregular waves are simulated to illustrate the numerical developments. Earthquake excited surface waves and nonlinear hydrodynamic pressures in a dam–reservoir are computed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three‐dimensional wave impact on a rigid structure using smoothed particle hydrodynamics

Navier–Stokes computations of a wave–structure interaction are performed with the aim of assessing the potential of smoothed particle hydrodynamics to accurately estimate impact loading time history. A three‐dimensional dam‐break flow with a rectangular column located downstream is considered. The net force and impulse exerted on the column is monitored throughout the simulation with the results correlating well with existing experimental data. Initial and boundary conditions and numerical parameters are varied and their effect on the column load investigated. The column load is found to be most sensitive to the choice of boundary treatment. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Incompressible SPH simulation of water entry of a free‐falling object

In this paper an incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (Incom‐SPH) model is used to simulate the interactions between the free surface flow and a moving object. Incom‐SPH method is a two‐step semi‐implicit hydrodynamic formulation of the SPH algorithm and is capable of accurately treating the free surface deformations and impact forces during the solid–fluid interactions. For a free‐falling object, its motion is tracked by an additional Lagrangian algorithm based on Newton's law to couple with the Incom‐SPH program. The developed model is employed to investigate the water entry of a free‐falling wedge. The accuracy of the computations is validated by the good agreement in predicting the relevant hydrokinematic and hydrodynamic parameters. Finally, a numerical test is performed to study the influence of spatial resolution on the water entry features. The Incom‐SPH modeling coupled with the solid–fluid interaction algorithm could provide a promising computational tool to predict the slamming problems in coastal and offshore engineering. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

非等温黏弹性复杂流动的改进SPH方法模拟

非等温黏弹性流体广泛存在于自然界和工业生产中,准确预测黏弹性流体的非等温流动机理和复杂流变特性有着重要的应用价值.文章提出一种改进的光滑粒子流体动力学(smoothed particle hydrodynamics,SPH)方法对非等温黏弹性复杂流动进行了数值模拟,其中流体的黏弹特性通过eXtended Pom-Pom本构模型来表征.为了提高模拟结果的精度,采用了一种核函数梯度的修正算法;为了灵活地施加边界条件,发展了边界粒子和虚拟粒子相联合的边界处理方法;为了消除流动过程中的拉伸不稳定性,施加了粒子迁移技术.运用改进SPH方法数值模拟了液滴撞击固壁和F型腔注塑成型问题,通过与Basilisk软件得到的结果进行比较验证了改进SPH方法求解非等温黏弹性流体的有效性.通过利用不同粒子初始间距进行计算,评价了改进SPH方法的数值收敛性.研究了非等温流动相较于等温流动的不同流动特征,深入分析了不同热流变参数对流动过程的影响.数值结果表明,文章提出的改进SPH方法可稳定、准确地描述非等温黏弹性复杂流动的传热机理、复杂流变特性和自由面变化特性.     

A meshless method for numerical simulation of depth‐averaged turbulence flows using a k‐ϵ model

A three‐dimensional numerical model is developed to analyze free surface flows and water impact problems. The flow of an incompressible viscous fluid is solved using the unsteady Navier–Stokes equations. Pseudo‐time derivatives are introduced into the equations to improve computational efficiency. The interface between the two phases is tracked using a volume‐of‐fluid interface tracking algorithm developed in a generalized curvilinear coordinate system. The accuracy of the volume‐of‐fluid method is first evaluated by the multiple numerical benchmark tests, including two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional deformation cases on curvilinear grids. The performance and capability of the numerical model for water impact problems are demonstrated by simulations of water entries of the free‐falling hemisphere and cone, based on comparisons of water impact loadings, velocities, and penetrations of the body with experimental data. For further validation, computations of the dam‐break flows are presented, based on an analysis of the wave front propagation, water level, and the dynamic pressure impact of the waves on the downstream walls, on a specific container, and on a tall structure. Extensive comparisons between the obtained solutions, the experimental data, and the results of other numerical simulations in the literature are presented and show a good agreement. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.