3D Common-Refinement Method for Non-Matching Meshes in Partitioned Variational Fluid-Structure Analysis

TL;DR

This paper introduces a 3D common-refinement method for accurately transferring data across non-matching meshes in fluid-structure interaction problems, demonstrating second-order accuracy and stability in complex simulations.

Contribution

The paper develops and validates a 3D common-refinement approach for non-matching meshes, extending error analysis and demonstrating stability and accuracy in complex fluid-structure interactions.

Findings

CRM achieves second-order accuracy along interfaces.

The method accurately transfers physical quantities across non-matching meshes.

CRM with NIFC is stable for low density ratios and complex flows.

Abstract

We present a three-dimensional (3D) common-refinement method for non-matching meshes between discrete non-overlapping subdomains of incompressible fluid and nonlinear hyperelastic structure. To begin, we first investigate the accuracy of common-refinement method (CRM) to satisfy traction equilibrium condition along the fluid-elastic interface with non-matching meshes. We systematically assess the accuracy of CRM against the matching grid solution by varying grid mismatch between the fluid and solid meshes over a cylindrical tubular elastic body. We demonstrate second-order accuracy of CRM through uniform refinements of fluid and solid meshes along the interface. We then extend the error analysis to transient data transfer across non-matching meshes between fluid and solid solvers. We show that the common-refinement discretization across non-matching fluid-structure grids yields accurate transfer of the physical quantities across the fluid-solid interface. We next solve a 3D benchmark problem of a cantilevered hyperelastic plate behind a circular bluff body and verify the accuracy of coupled solutions with respect to the available solution in the literature. By varying the solid interface resolution, we generate various non-matching grid ratios and quantify the accuracy of CRM for the nonlinear structure interacting with a laminar flow. We illustrate that the CRM with the partitioned NIFC treatment is stable for low solid-to-fluid density ratio and non-matching meshes. Finally, we demonstrate the 3D parallel implementation of common-refinement with NIFC scheme for a realistic engineering problem of drilling riser undergoing complex vortex-induced vibration with strong added mass effects.