SPH Method with Space-Based Variable Smoothing Length and Its Applications to Free Surface Flow

Abstract

In order to improve the computational efficiency and spatial resolution of smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, a SPH method with space-based variable smoothing length has been developed. In addition, since linked-list search algorithm cannot handle the variable smoothing length problems, an improved linked-list search algorithm and a balanced alternating digital tree (B-ADT) search algorithm have been proposed. The performance of the two improved search algorithms has been evaluated in detail. These methods have been used to simulate two cases of water entry impact and two cases of gas–liquid two-phase flow. The results show that, by using space-based variable smoothing length algorithm, computational cost can be greatly reduced and the numerical accuracy is maintained.