An improved three-dimensional model for interface pressure calculations in free-surface flows

A three-dimensional method for the calculation of interface pressure in the computational modeling of free surfaces and interfaces is developed. The methodology is based on the calculation of the pressure force at the interfacial cell faces and is mainly designed for volume of fluid (VOF) interface capturing approach. The pressure forces at the interfacial cell faces are calculated according to the pressure imposed by each fluid on the portion of the cell face that is occupied by that fluid. Special formulations for the pressure in the interfacial cells are derived for different orientations of an interface. The present method, referred to as pressure calculation based on the interface location (PCIL), is applied to both static and dynamic cases. First, a three-dimensional motionless drop of liquid in an initially stagnant fluid with no gravity force is simulated as the static case and then two different small air bubbles in water are simulated as dynamic cases. A two-fluid, piecewise linear interface calculation VOF method is used for numerical simulation of the interfacial flow. For the static case, both the continuum surface force (CSF) and the continuum surface stress (CSS) methods are used for surface tension calculations. A wide range of Ohnesorge numbers and density and viscosity ratios of the two fluids are tested. It is shown that the presence of spurious currents (artificial velocities present in case of considerable capillary forces) is mainly due to the inaccurate calculation of pressure forces in the interfacial computational cells. The PCIL model reduces the spurious currents up to more than two orders of magnitude for the cases tested.

Also for the dynamic bubble rise case, it is shown that using the numerical solver employed here, without PCIL, the magnitude of spurious currents is so high that it is not possible to simulate this type of surface tension dominated flows, while using PCIL, we are able to simulate bubble rise and obtain results in close agreement with the experimental data.     

Novel numerical implementation of asymptotic homogenization method for periodic plate structures

The present paper develops and implements finite element formulation for the asymptotic homogenization theory for periodic composite plate and shell structures, earlier developed in  and , and thus adopts this analytical method for the analysis of periodic inhomogeneous plates and shells with more complicated periodic microstructures. It provides a benchmark test platform for evaluating various methods such as representative volume approaches to calculate effective properties. Furthermore, the new numerical implementation (Cheng et al., 2013) of asymptotic homogenization method of 2D and 3D materials with periodic microstructure is shown to be directly applicable to predict effective properties of periodic plates without any complicated mathematical derivation. The new numerical implementation is based on the rigorous mathematical foundation of the asymptotic homogenization method, and also simplicity similar to the representative volume method. It can be applied easily using commercial software as a black box. Different kinds of elements and modeling techniques available in commercial software can be used to discretize the unit cell. Several numerical examples are given to demonstrate the validity of the proposed methods.     

A Petrov-Galerkin method for the numerical solution of the Bradshaw-Ferriss-Atwell turbulence model

The Bradshaw-Ferriss-Atwell model for 2D constant property turbulent boundary layers is shown to be ill-posed with respect to numerical solution. It is shown that a simple modification to the model equations results in a well-posed system which is hyperbolic in nature. For this modified system a numerical algorithm is constructed by discretizing in space using the Petrov-Galerkin technique (of which the standard Galerkin method is a special case) and stepping in the timelike direction with the trapezoidal (Crank-Nicolson) rule. The algorithm is applied to a selection of test problems. It is found that the solutions produced by the standard Galerkin method exhibit oscillations. It is further shown that these oscillations may be eliminated by employing the Petrov-Galerkin method with the free parameters set to simple functions of the eigenvalues of the modified system.     

Extension of the lubrication theory for arbitrary wall shape: An asymptotic analysis

We extend the lubrication approximation for a viscous flow in two-dimensional channels with arbitrary shape functions and moderate aspect ratio. The higher-order model is obtained following an asymptotic analysis. Velocity and pressure profiles for the approximated model are given analytically and involve the derivatives of the shape functions of the walls up to the second order. Comparisons with full-scale simulations are given and show good agreement as well as improvements from the classical standard lubrication approximation.     

An effective approach for modeling fluid flow in heterogeneous media using numerical manifold method

A major challenge of modeling fluid flow in heterogeneous media is to model the material interfaces, which may be arbitrarily oriented or intersected with Dirichlet, Neumann, or other boundaries, making it difficult to mesh and accurately satisfy the boundary constraints. In order to solve these problems, we derived a new continuous approach in the numerical manifold method (NMM). NMM is an ideal method to handle boundaries, considering its flexibility and efficiency with fixed mathematical mesh and its integration precision. With the two‐cover‐meshing system, we construct physical covers containing gradient jump terms defined as extended degrees of freedom to realize the refraction law across material interfaces. In the global equilibrium equations, the jump terms are naturally considered with the energy‐work seepage model. In this approach, high accuracy is expected from the newly constructed jump function together with simplex integration. Moreover, high mesh efficiency is realized by fixed triangular mathematical mesh with algorithms fully considering interfaces intersecting with Dirichlet, Neumann, or other boundaries and simplex integration on elements in arbitrary shapes. The new approach was coded into our NMM fluid flow model. We calculated examples involving fluid flow through a domain including (1) a single interface, (2) an idealized fault represented by multiple material interfaces, (3) intersected interfaces, and (4) an octagonal inclusion. We compared the simulated results to analytical solutions or results with denser mesh to test precision and efficiency and thereby proved that the new approach is accurate, efficient, and flexible, especially when considering intense geometric change or intersections. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An incompressible SPH method for simulation of unsteady viscoelastic free-surface flows

In this paper, an incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is presented to solve unsteady free-surface flows. Both Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids are considered. In the case of viscoelastic fluids, both the Maxwell and Oldroyd-B models are investigated. The proposed SPH method uses a Poisson pressure equation to satisfy the incompressibility constraints. The solution algorithm is an explicit predictor-corrector scheme and employs an adaptive smoothing length based on density variations. To alleviate the numerical difficulties encountered when fluid is highly stretched, an artificial stress term is incorporated into the momentum equation which reduces the risk of unrealistic fractures in the material. Two challenging test cases, the impacting drop and the jet buckling problems, are solved to demonstrate the capability of the proposed scheme in handling viscoelastic flows with complex free surfaces. The jet buckling test case was solved for a wide range of Weissenberg numbers. It was shown that in all cases the method is stable and fairly accurate and agrees well with the available data.     

An iteration method for integral equations arising from gravity flows with free surface

Gravity potential flows with free surface still present considerable difficulties in non-linear mathematical problems. Previous researchers using analytic function theory could consider only simple geometrical boundaries. Analyzing curvilinear solid boundaries by means of analytic theory is a difficult problem that has not been solved. In this paper, using Muskhelishvili's singular integral equation theory, we turn the gravity flow problem into the Riemann-Hilbert problem. Taking the length of the streamline of the boundary as the independent variable and the velocity potential of the boundary as the function to be determined, we avoid the difficulty that the angle of the curved fixed part is unknown. Following the difference method and the finite element method, we develop a new numerical method that is suitable for complex solid boundaries and overcome the difficulties encountered in applying analytic function theory. Under known discharge, the convergence and stability of the method have been proved and an estimation of error has been obtained. The method has been successfully applied to the calculation of the flow past spillway buckets. The calculated values agree well with the measured results.     

自由面势流问题边界元法的数值色散误差

以连续及离散Fourier分析研究自由面势流问题边界元法的数值色散误差,并从理论上探讨有关计算中数值色散误差的改善问题.研究表明:对于该问题的数值色散误差而言,重要的在于以问题相应的离散算子考察计及各种数值手段后的总体色散误差,而非仅考虑该数值手段自身的数值色散误差大小.高阶面元、自由面域外奇点或适当的耦合方法是降低有关问题算子总体色散误差的较好选择.     

Application of the modified iteration method to nonlinear postbuckling analysis of thin circular plates

In this paper,the modified iteration method is further generalized to the study ofaxisymmetrical postbuckling of thin circular plates and hereby a new approximate analyticsolution of the problem is obtained.Further utilizations of this method to postbucklinganalyses of plates of more complicated structure are expected.     

A combined programming and iteration algorithm for finite element analysis of three-dimensional contact problems

Comparing with two-dimensional contact problems, three-dimensional frictional contact problems are more difficult to deal with, because of the unknown slip direction of the tangential force and enormous computing time. In order to overcome these difficulties, a combined PQP (Parametric Quadratic Programming) and iteration method is derived in this paper. The iteration algorithm, which alleviates the difficulty of unknown slip direction, is used along with the PQP method to cut down computing costs. Numerical example is given to demonstrate the validity of the present algorithm. The project supported by the Machinary and Electronics Ministry of China     

The numerical solution of the laminar flow in a constricted channel at moderately high Reynolds number using Newton iteration

The numerical solution of the flow in a stepped channel constricted to half its width has been obtained for Reynolds numbers up to 2000 using Newton's iteration to solve the ensuing algebraic system. In order to avoid high-frequency errors, a locally fine grid is effected near the corner by transformation of the independent variables. The results predict a downstream recirculation region, observed in experiments but not found in earlier numerical calculations. The inclusion of the Dennis–Hudson upwinding, added for stability in SOR methods, whilst giving the same characteristics of the flow, is less accurate by at least an order of magnitude.     

当地DFD方法在扑翼流动数值模拟中的应用

应用当地DFD（Domain-Free Discretization）方法对包含复杂运动边界的扑翼流场进行了数值模拟。该方法通过壁面法线方向的外插确定外部相关点上的流动变量值,同时强加相应的边界条件。应用这种方法,动边界流动的模拟可以在固定网格上实现,无需为了跟随物体的运动而在每个时间步上对网格进行实时更新。对三种拍动模式的双翅流场进行了数值模拟,升、阻力系数时间历程的计算结果与参考文献的实验数据吻合很好,验证了当地DFD方法处理复杂动边界问题的可靠性。最后,数值模拟了完整昆虫模型的扑翼流场,并详细分析了涡系结构和飞行机理。     

An immersed boundary method for simulation of inviscid compressible flows

In this paper, an immersed boundary method for simulating inviscid compressible flows governed by Euler equations is presented. All the mesh points are classified as interior computed points, immersed boundary points (interior points closest to the solid boundary), and exterior points that are blanked out of computation. The flow variables at an immersed boundary point are determined via the approximate form of solution in the direction normal to the wall boundary. The normal velocity is evaluated by applying the no‐penetration boundary condition, and therefore, the influence of solid wall in the inviscid flow is taken into account. The pressure is computed with the local simplified momentum equation, and the density and the tangential velocity are evaluated by using the constant‐entropy relation and the constant‐total‐enthalpy relation, respectively. With a local coordinate system, the present method has been extended easily to the three‐dimensional case. The present work is the first endeavor to extend the idea of hybrid Cartesian/immersed boundary approach to compressible inviscid flows. The tedious task of handling multi‐valued points can be eliminated, and the overshoot resulting from the extrapolation for the evaluation of flow variables at exterior points can also be avoided. In order to validate the present method, inviscid compressible flows over fixed and moving bodies have been simulated. All the obtained numerical results show good agreement with available data in the literature. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Derivation of a spectral pressureless formulation for direct numerical simulation of incompressible channel flows based on a functional formalism

In this article, a new computational spectral algorithm is developed for simulation of general three-dimensional, time-dependent, incompressible channel flow. The development is based on a general functional formalism of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, and, although it is illustrated here for a Newtonian fluid, it is easily adapted to non-Newtonian fluids. The advantage of this algorithm is that the scalar pressure is eliminated from the discrete spectral analog to the equations of motion, which are expressed solely in terms of the spectral coefficients of the velocity vector field. This alleviates the need for the application of boundary conditions on the pressure, the specification of which can be a major source of difficulty in direct numerical simulations. At the same time, the velocity spectrum is quite general, and not subject to any a priori constraints. Thus, it is anticipated that the ideas exposed in the present algorithm can lead to the development of better numerical simulation techniques for complicated three-dimensional and turbulent flows.     

Neural networks for BEM analysis of steady viscous flows

This paper presents a new neural network‐boundary integral approach for analysis of steady viscous fluid flows. Indirect radial basis function networks (IRBFNs) which perform better than element‐based methods for function interpolation, are introduced into the BEM scheme to represent the variations of velocity and traction along the boundary from the nodal values. In order to assess the effect of IRBFNs, the other features used in the present work remain the same as those used in the standard BEM. For example, Picard‐type scheme is utilized in the iterative procedure to deal with the non‐linear convective terms while the calculation of volume integrals and velocity gradients are based on the linear finite element‐based method. The proposed IRBFN‐BEM is verified on the driven cavity viscous flow problem and can achieve a moderate Reynolds number of 1400 using a relatively coarse uniform mesh. The results obtained such as the velocity profiles along the horizontal and vertical centrelines as well as the properties of the primary vortex are in very good agreement with the benchmark solution. Furthermore, the secondary vortices are also captured by the present method. Thus, it appears that an ability to represent the boundary solution accurately can significantly improve the overall solution accuracy of the BEM. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

张力索杆结构最小势能分析方法与结构特性研究

张力索杆结构为柔性多态体系,计算方法复杂。本文基于势能最小化迭代建立平衡态的最小势能方法,推导了体系势能、下降向量及步长列式,建立势能最小化共轭梯度法迭代格式,并用VC++编程实现了算法。通过正交四边形网格索网数值分析算例验证了程序正确性,并分析了新型六边形网格马鞍形双曲索网和索杆张拉整体结构的非线性荷载特性。研究表明最小势能迭代分析是一种有效的柔性张力结构非线性分析方法。     

An efficient numerical method for solving Falkner–Skan boundary layer flows

In this paper a novel computational technique for the solution of nonlinear third‐order boundary value problems is presented. We demonstrate the application of the method by solving the famous Falkner–Skan equation on a semi‐infinite domain. Comparison with the results from other methods such as the homotopy analysis method and numerical methods demonstrates the accuracy, computational efficiency and robustness of this technique. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An orthogonal mapping technique for the computation of a viscous free-surface flow

In this paper we describe finite element computations of the free-surface flow of a viscous fluid down an undulating inclined plane. The technique developed here employs an orthogonal mapping that is computed along with the velocity and pressure. This is allied to a technique to compute symbolically the Jacobian and other derivatives required for numerical continuation methods. The solutions obtained are compared with laboratory experiments and finite element computations reported by Pritchard and co-workers. The finite element computational method used by these authors employs spines to represent the free surface. An excellent agreement is shown to exist between the new computations and the laboratory experiments, and with the numerical solutions of Pritchard and co-workers.     

Onset of shear-layer instability at the interface of parallel Couette flows

A non-planar or a bilateral mixing-layer is studied by means of a series of direct numerical simulations (DNSs). This mixing-layer forms at the interface of two co-current plane Couette flows of different Reynolds numbers. The current DNS study determined the conditions for the onset of shear-layer instability at the interface. The influence of different Reynolds number (of the co-current plane Couette flows) and their Reynolds number ratio on the mixing-layer is studied. A critical Reynolds number of about 500 (or more particularly one of the co-current plane Couette flows must be turbulent) and a Reynolds number ratio greater than 2 is required for the genesis of this bilateral shear-layer instability. Independent of the Reynolds number and the Reynolds number ratio, the temporal evolution of the shear-layer instability followed the same pattern. In addition, the oscillation frequency of the instability was found to increase with increasing Reynolds number and increasing Reynolds number ratio. Further, influence of instability on the local skin friction and the two-point correlation is elaborated on.