• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.235-254
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• 2016

A numerical model for fluid-structure interactions (abbr. FSI) is presented in the context of sloshing effects in movable, partially filled tanks to improve understanding of interactions between the fluid and the dynamics of a tank flexibly attached to a vehicle. The purpose of this model is to counteract the penalizing impact of the added mass effect on classical partitioned FSI coupling scheme: the proposed investigation is based on an added mass corrected version of the classical strongly coupled partitioned scheme presented in (Song et al. 2013). Results show that this corrected version systematically allows convergence to the coupled solution. In the rare cases where convergence is already obtained, the corrected version significantly reduces the number of iterations required. Finally, it is shown that the convergence limit imposed by added mass effect for the non-corrected coupling scheme, is directly dependent on the aspect ratio of the fluid domain and highly related to the precision order of the temporal discretization scheme.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.423-448
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• 2015

In this paper the unsteady fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems with large structural displacement are solved by partitioned solution approaches in the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian finite element framework. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved by the characteristic-based split (CBS) scheme. Both a rigid body and a geometrically nonlinear solid are considered as the structural models. The latter is solved by Newton-Raphson procedure. The equation governing the structural motion is advanced by Newmark-${\beta}$ method in time. The dynamic mesh is updated by using moving submesh approach that cooperates with the ortho-semi-torsional spring analogy method. A mass source term (MST) is introduced into the CBS scheme to satisfy geometric conservation law. Three partitioned coupling strategies are developed to take FSI into account, involving the explicit, implicit and semi-implicit schemes. The semi-implicit scheme is a mixture of the explicit and implicit coupling schemes due to the fluid projection splitting. In this scheme MST is renewed for interfacial elements. Fixed-point algorithm with Aitken's ${\Delta}^2$ method is carried out to couple different solvers within the implicit and semi-implicit schemes. Flow-induced vibrations of a bridge deck and a flexible cantilever behind an obstacle are analyzed to test the performance of the proposed methods. The overall numerical results agree well with the existing data, demonstrating the validity and applicability of the present approaches.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.287-318
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• 2012

We apply a partitioned-solution (iterative-staggered) coupling method based on a fixed Eulerian mesh with the level set function to a large-deformation fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problem where a large-deformable thin structure moves in a high-speed flow field, as an airbag does during deployment. This method combines advanced fluid and structure solvers-specifically, the constrained interpolation profile finite element method (CIP-FEM) for fluid Eulerian mesh and large-deformable structural elements for Lagrangian structural mesh. We express the large-deformable interface as a zero isosurface by the level set function, and introduce virtual nodes with level sets and structural normal velocities to generate the level set function according to the large-deformable interfacial geometry and enforce the kinematic condition at the interface. The virtual nodes are located in the direction normal to the structural mesh. It is confirmed that application of the method to unfolded airbag deployment simulation shows the adequacy of the method.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-25
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• 2014

In this work, we present the theoretical formulation, operator split solution procedure and partitioned software development for the coupled thermomechanical systems. We consider the general case with nonlinear evolution for each sub-system (either mechanical or thermal) with dedicated time integration scheme for each sub-system. We provide the condition that guarantees the stability of such an operator split solution procedure for fully nonlinear evolution of coupled thermomechanical system. We show that the proposed solution procedure can accommodate different evolution time-scale for different sub-systems, and allow for different time steps for the corresponding integration scheme. We also show that such an approach is perfectly suitable for parallel computations. Several numerical simulations are presented in order to illustrate very satisfying performance of the proposed solution procedure and confirm the theoretical speed-up of parallel computations, which follow from the adequate choice of the time step for each sub-problem. This work confirms that one can make the most appropriate selection of the time step with respect to the characteristic time-scale, carry out the separate computations for each sub-system, and then enforce the coupling to preserve the stability of the operator split computations. The software development strategy of direct linking the (existing) codes for each sub-system via Component Template Library (CTL) is shown to be perfectly suitable for the proposed approach.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.320-329
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• 2016

An implicit method of solving the six degree-of-freedom rigid body motion equations based on the second order Adams-Bashforth-Moulten method was utilised as an improvement over the leapfrog scheme by making modifications to the rigid body motion solver libraries directly. The implementation will depend on predictor-corrector steps still residing within the hybrid Pressure Implicit with Splitting of Operators - Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure Linked Equations (PIMPLE) outer corrector loops to ensure strong coupling between fluid and motion. Aitken's under-relaxation is also introduced in this study to optimise the convergence rate and stability of the coupled solver. The resulting coupled solver ran on a free floating object tutorial test case when converged matches the original solver. It further allows a varying 70%-80% reduction in simulation times compared using a fixed under-relaxation to achieve the required stability.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.361-379
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• 2012

This paper presents a fully coupled three-dimensional solver for the analysis of interaction between pulsatile flow and large deformation structure. A partitioned time marching algorithm is employed for the solution of the time dependent coupled discretised problem, enabling the use of highly developed, robust and well-tested solvers for each field. Conservative transfer of information at the fluid-structure interface is combined with an effective multi-predict-correct iterative scheme to enable implicit coupling of the interacting fields at each time increment. The three-dimensional unsteady incompressible fluid is solved using a powerful implicit time stepping technique and an ALE formulation for moving boundaries with second-order time accurate is used. A full spectrum of total variational diminishing (TVD) schemes in unstructured grids is allowed implementation for the advection terms and finite element shape functions are used to evaluate the solution and its variation within mesh elements. A finite element dynamic analysis of the highly deformable structure is carried out with a numerical strategy combining the implicit Newmark time integration algorithm with a Newton-Raphson second-order optimisation method. The proposed model is used to predict the wave flow fields of a particular flow-induced vibrational phenomenon, and comparison of the numerical results with available experimental data validates the methodology and assesses its accuracy. Another test case about three-dimensional biomedical model with pulsatile inflow is presented to benchmark the algorithm and to demonstrate the potential applications of this method.