Fluid-structure coupling within a monolithic model involving free surface flows

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a numerical method for the analysis of fluid-structure interaction problems with free surface flows. To achieve optimal convergence of the solution, a consistent space-time discretization for both continua and a strong coupling algorithm is applied to the highly nonlinear problem. The volume of fluid method is used for free surface flows if the moving space-time mesh becomes too distorted. A consistent finite-element model of the multifield problem composed of geometrically nonlinear elastic structure, incompressible viscous flow field, and coupling conditions is developed. The formulation of the coupling conditions on the interface uses boundary tractions as additional variables to enforce momentum conservation between fluid and structure. The strong coupling algorithm, together with in time-adaptable space-time elements, enforces the conservation of momentum and mechanical energy at the fluid structure interface.