An interface capturing finite element approach for free surface flows using unstructured grids

BATTAGLIA, L.; STORTI, M. A.; D'ELÍA, J.

San Luis - Argentina

Congreso; XVII Congreso sobre Métodos Numéricos y sus Aplicaciones ENIEF?2008; 2008

AMCA - Asociación Argentina de Mecánica Computacional

An interface-capturing finite element method based on the level set approach is proposed for solving free surface incompressible fluid flows, especially those that are hard to model through an interface-tracking technique, like the one presented in previous works (Battaglia et al., ?Stabilized Free Surface Flows?, in Mecánica Computacional, Vol. XXVI, 2007). The methodology is developed in the PETSc-FEM code (http://www.cimec.org.ar/petscfem) in order to solve the Navier-Stokes equations for the fluid state and the advection of the level set function which gives the free surface position. Some examples solved by this method are presented, including the collapse of a liquid column problem.