Finite element method for viscoelastic flows based on the discrete adaptive viscoelastic stress splitting and the discontinuous Galerkin method: DAVSS-G/DG

Accurate and robust finite element methods for computing flows with differential constitutive equations require approximation methods that numerically preserve the ellipticity of the saddle point problem formed by the momentum and continuity equations and give numerically stable and accurate solutions to the hyperbolic constitutive equation. We present a new finite element formulation based on the synthesis of three ideas: the discrete adaptive splitting method for preserving the ellipticity of the momentum/continuity pair (the DAVSS formulation), independent interpolation of the components of the velocity gradient tensor (DAVSS-G), and application of the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method for solving the constitutive equation. We call the method DAVSS-G/DG. The DAVSS-G/DG method is compared with several other methods for flow past a cylinder in a channel with the Oldroyd-B and Giesekus constitutive models. Results using the Streamline Upwind Petrov–Galerkin method (SUPG) show that introducing the adaptive splitting increases considerably the range of Deborah number (De) for convergence of the calculations over the well established EVSS-G formulation. When both formulations converge, the DAVSS-G and DEVSS-G methods give comparable results. Introducing the DG method for solution of the constitutive equation extends further the region of convergence without sacrificing accuracy. Calculations with the Oldroyd-B model are only limited by approximation of the almost singular gradients of the axial normal stress that develop near the rear stagnation point on the cylinder. These gradients are reduced in calculations with the Giesekus model. Calculations using the Giesekus model with the DAVSS-G/DG method can be continued to extremely large De and converge with mesh refinement.