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Improved boundary tracking in meshless simulations of free-surface flows

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Abstract

In this paper we review the use of shape constructors, particularly α-shapes, for the simulation of free-surface flow problems. This technique, in conjunction with meshless methods, allows for the simulation of such problems in an updated Lagrangian approach without the need for an explicit description of the boundary of the domain. At each time step, the shape of the domain is extracted automatically. However, it is well know that α-shape techniques present some drawbacks. The first is the choice of the α parameter, related to the level of detail to which the domain is represented. Also contact detection of free surfaces (auto-contact) or between the free surface and a rigid boundary, for instance, is often detected with an error of the order \({\mathcal{O}(h)}\) , the nodal spacing parameter, in the gap distance. We propose an heuristic technique for the choice of the α parameter and develop a novel methodology for an improved detection of contact or merging flows. The proposed technique is illustrated with the help of some examples in solid and fluid mechanics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Group of Structural Mechanics and Materials Modelling, Aragón Institute of Engineering Research, University of Zaragoza, Betancourt Building, María de Luna, 5, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain

    A. Galavís, D. González, I. Alfaro & E. Cueto

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  1. A. Galavís
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  2. D. González
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  3. I. Alfaro
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  4. E. Cueto
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Correspondence to E. Cueto.

Additional information

Work supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science through grant number CICYT-DPI2005-08727-C02-01.

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Galavís, A., González, D., Alfaro, I. et al. Improved boundary tracking in meshless simulations of free-surface flows. Comput Mech 42, 467–479 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00466-008-0263-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00466-008-0263-5

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