BLENDED MESH METHODS FOR FLUID-STRUCTURE INTERACTION

In many cases, it is advantageous to discretize a domain using several finite element meshes instead of a single mesh. For example, in fluid-structure interaction problems, an Eulerian mesh is advantageous for the fluid domain while a Lagrangian mesh is most suited for the structure. However, the interface conditions between different types of meshes often lead to significant errors. A method of treating different meshes by smoothly varying the description from Lagrangian to Eulerian in an interface or blending domain is presented. A Lagrangian mesh is used for the structure while two different types of mesh are used for the fluid. Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) meshes are used in the regions of the fluid-structure interfaces while Eulerian meshes are used for the remainder of the fluid domain. A blending function is used to couple the ALE and Eulerian meshes to ensure a smooth transition from one mesh to another. The method is tested on two fluid-structure problems — flow past a hinged plate, and fl...