A modified SPH method for simulating motion of rigid bodies in Newtonian fluid flows

• Published in: International journal of non-linear mechanics Vol. 47; no. 6; pp. 626 - 638
• Main Authors: Hashemi, M.R., Fatehi, R., Manzari, M.T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2012
• Subjects: Boundaries; Boundary condition; Computational fluid dynamics; Consistency; Fluid flow; Hydrodynamics; Mathematical models; Newtonian fluids; Particulate flow; Rigid-body dynamics; Simulation; Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH); Weakly compressible; Particulate flow; Boundary condition; Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH); Consistency; Weakly compressible
• ISSN: 0020-7462; 1878-5638
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnonlinmec.2011.10.007

A weakly compressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (WCSPH) method is used along with a new no-slip boundary condition to simulate movement of rigid bodies in incompressible Newtonian fluid flows. It is shown that the new boundary treatment method helps to efficiently calculate the hydrodynamic interaction forces acting on moving bodies. To compensate the effect of truncated compact support near solid boundaries, the method needs specific consistent renormalized schemes for the first and second-order spatial derivatives. In order to resolve the problem of spurious pressure oscillations in the WCSPH method, a modification to the continuity equation is used which improves the stability of the numerical method. The performance of the proposed method is assessed by solving a number of two-dimensional low-Reynolds fluid flow problems containing circular solid bodies. Wherever possible, the results are compared with the available numerical data. ► A weakly compressible SPH method was proposed for solving particulate flow problems. ► A new solid boundary treatment approach is applied to the moving boundaries. ► Spurious pressure oscillations are reduced by using a modified continuity equation. ► Consistent schemes of the first and second order spatial derivatives are used.