Finite element formulations based on stabilized bilinear and linear equal-order-interpolation velocity-pressure elements are presented for computation of steady and unsteady incompressible flows. The stabilization procedure involves a slightly modified Galerkin/least-squares formulation of the steady-state equations. The pressure field is interpolated by continuous functions for both the quadrilateral and triangular elements used. These elements are employed in conjunction with the one-step and multi-step time integration of the Navier-Stokes equations. The three test cases chosen for the performance evaluation of these formulations are the standing vortex problem, the lid-driven cavity flow at Reynolds number 400, and flow past a cylinder at Reynolds number 100.

Incompressible flow computations with stabilized bilinear and linear equal-order-interpolation velocity-pressure elements

A new strategy based on the stabilized space-time finite element formulation is proposed for computations involving moving boundaries and interfaces. In the deforming-spatial-domain/space-time (DSD/ST) procedure the variational formulation of a problem is written over its space-time domain, and therefore the deformation of the spatial domain with respect to time is taken into account automatically. Because the space-time mesh is generated over the space-time domain of the problem, within each time step, the boundary (or interface) nodes move with the boundary (or interface). Whether the motion of the boundary is specified or not, the strategy is nearly the same. If the motion of the boundary is unknown, then the boundary nodes move as defined by the other unknowns at the boundary (such as the velocity or the displacement). At the end of each time step a new spatial mesh covers the new spatial domain. For computational feasibility, the finite element interpolation functions are chosen to be discontinuous in time, and the fully discretized equations are solved one space-time slab at a time.

A new strategy for finite element computations involving moving boundaries and interfaces—the deforming-spatial-domain/space-time procedure. I: The concept and the preliminary numerical tests

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses stabilized finite element formulations for incompressible flow computations. Finite element computation of incompressible flows involve two main sources of potential numerical instabilities associated with the Galerkin formulation of a problem. The stabilization techniques that are reviewed more extensively than others are the Galerkin/ least-squares (GLS), streamline-upwind/ Petrov–Galerkin (SUPG), and pressure-stabilizing/Petrov–Galerkin (PSPG) formulations. The SUPG stabilization for incompressible flows is achieved by adding to the Galerkin formulation a series of terms, each in the form of an integral over a different element. These integrals involve the product of the residual of the momentum equation and the advective operator acting on the test function. The natural boundary conditions are the conditions on the stress components, and these are the conditions assumed to be imposed at the remaining part of the boundary. The interpolation functions used for velocity and pressure are piecewise bilinear in space and piecewise linear in time. These computations involve no global coefficient matrices, and therefore need substantially less computer memory and time compared to noniterative solution of the fully discrete equations. It is suggested that for two-liquid flows, the solution and variational function spaces for pressure should include the functions that are discontinuous across the interface.

Stabilized Finite Element Formulations for Incompressible Flow Computations

This article presents a finite-volume scheme for multidimensional incompressible flows. Unstructured, solution-adaptive meshes composed of arbitrary convex palyhedra are used. A cell-centered equal-order formulation is developed. Gradients required for the evaluation of diffusion fluxes and for second-order-accurate convective operators are found by linear reconstruction. An additive-correction multigrid scheme is used to solve the resulting discrete equations. Pressure and velocity are stored at cell centers; momentum interpolation is used to prevent pressure checkerboarding. The SIMPLE algorithm is used for pressure-velocity coupling. Schemes for hanging-node and conformed adaption are implemented. The scheme is applied to benchmark problems using a variety of quadrilateral/hexahedral, triangular/tetrahedral, and hybrid meshes, and is shown to perform satisfactorily.

A pressure-based method for unstructured meshes

We present a general formulation for the analysis of fluid-structure interaction problems using the particle finite element method (PFEM). The key feature of the PFEM is the use of a Lagrangian description to model the motion of nodes (particles) in both the fluid and the structure domains. Nodes are thus viewed as particles which can freely move and even separate from the main analysis domain representing, for instance, the effect of water drops. A mesh connects the nodes defining the discretized domain where the governing equations, expressed in an integral form, are solved as in the standard FEM. The necessary stabilization for dealing with the incompressibility condition in the fluid is introduced via the finite calculus (FIC) method. A fractional step scheme for the transient coupled fluid-structure solution is described. Examples of application of the PFEM method to solve a number of fluid-structure interaction problems involving large motions of the free surface and splashing of waves are presented.

The particle finite element method. An overview

Time-accurate incompressible flow computations with quadrilateral velocity-pressure elements

A comparative investigation, based on a series of numerical tests, of various velocity-pressure elements used for incompressible flow computations is presented. These elements are implemented in conjunction with one-step and multi-step temporal integration of unsteady Navier-Stokes equations. The test cases chosen are the standing vortex problem, the lid-driven cavity flow, and flow past a circular cylinder.

R. Shih

Papers

Incompressible flow computations with stabilized bilinear and linear equal-order-interpolation velocity-pressure elements

Time-accurate incompressible flow computations with quadrilateral velocity-pressure elements

Unsteady incompressible flow computations with quadrilateral elements