A numerical simulation research on fish adaption behavior based on deep reinforcement learning and fluid–structure coupling: The refuge–predation behaviors of intelligent fish under varying environmental pressure

Abstract

The study of fish swimming behavior and locomotion mechanisms holds substantial scientific and engineering significance. With the rapid progression of artificial intelligence, the integration of artificial intelligence with high-precision numerical simulation methods presents a novel and highly efficient tool for investigating fish behavior. In this paper, we proposed a fish perception model that more closely reflects natural logic. By introducing the individual vision and partially visibility model, a physics-based visual system that mirrored the sensory capabilities of live fish was developed. Furthermore, through the construction of a flow vision using conventional neural networks, we enhanced the intelligent fish's ability to detect unsteady hydrodynamic parameters via numerical lateral line. The validity of the new model was demonstrated through experiments, which the intelligent fish hunts complex moving targets in unsteady flow. Finally, we applied the model to study the refuge/predation behaviors of coral reef fish under varying unsteady flow pressures. The results indicated that swimming capabilities significantly impact fish survival strategies in high flow velocity, highly unsteady hydrodynamic environments, shaping distinct evolutionary decision-making traits. These insights may help to understand the niche competition mechanisms of fish in different flow conditions.