Space Time VMS Research Articles

Space–time isogeometric analysis of tire aerodynamics with complex tread pattern, road contact, and tire deformation

AbstractThe space–time (ST) computational method “ST-SI-TC-IGA” and recently-introduced complex-geometry isogeometric analysis (IGA) mesh generation methods have enabled high-fidelity computational analysis of tire aerodynamics with near-actual tire geometry, road contact, tire deformation, and aerodynamic influence of the car body. The tire geometries used in the computations so far included the longitudinal and transverse grooves. Here, we bring the tire geometry much closer to an actual tire geometry by using a complex, asymmetric tread pattern. The complexity of the tread pattern required an updated version of the NURBS Surface-to-Volume Guided Mesh Generation (NSVGMG) method, which was introduced recently and is robust even in mesh generation for complex shapes with distorted boundaries. The core component of the ST-SI-TC-IGA is the ST Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method, and the other key components are the ST Slip Interface (ST-SI) and ST Topology Change (ST-TC) methods and the ST Isogeometric Analysis (ST-IGA). They all play a key role. The ST-TC, uniquely offered by the ST framework, enables moving-mesh computation even with the topology change created by the contact between the tire and the road. It deals with the contact while maintaining high-resolution flow representation near the tire.The computational analysis we present is the first of its kind and shows the effectiveness of the ST-SI-TC-IGA and NSVGMG in tire aerodynamic analysis with complex tread pattern, road contact, and tire deformation.

High-resolution 3D computation of time-periodic long-wake flows with the Carrier-Domain Method and Space–Time Variational Multiscale method with isogeometric discretization

High-resolution 3D computation of time-periodic long-wake flows with the Carrier-Domain Method and Space–Time Variational Multiscale method with isogeometric discretization

Isogeometric analysis in computation of complex-geometry flow problems with moving boundaries and interfaces

Flows with moving boundaries and interfaces (MBI) are a large class of problems that include fluid–particle and fluid–structure interactions, and in broader terms, moving solid surfaces. They also include multi-fluid flows, and as a special case of that, free-surface flows, sometimes in combination with moving solid surfaces. In some classes of MBI problems the solid surfaces could be in fast, linear or rotational relative motion or could come into contact. In almost all real-world applications, the solid surfaces would have complex geometries. All these problems are frequently encountered in engineering analysis and design, pose some of the most formidable computational challenges, and have a common core computational technology need. Bringing solution and analysis to them motivated the development of a good number of core computational methods and special methods targeting specific classes of MBI problems. This paper is an overview of some of those core and special methods. The focus is on isogeometric analysis, complex geometries, incompressible-flow Space–Time Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) and Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian VMS (ALE-VMS) methods, compressible-flow ST Streamline-Upwind/Petrov–Galerkin (ST-SUPG) and ALE-SUPG methods, and some of the special methods developed in connection with these core ST and ALE methods. The incompressible-flow ST-VMS and ALE-VMS and compressible-flow ST-SUPG and ALE-SUPG are moving-mesh methods, where the mesh moves to have mesh-resolution control near the fluid–solid interfaces, enabling high-resolution boundary-layer representation, an essential feature when the accuracy in representing the boundary layer is a priority. The computational examples presented are car and tire aerodynamics with road contact and tire deformation, ventricle–valve–aorta flow, and gas turbine flow.

Boundary layer mesh resolution in flow computation with the Space–Time Variational Multiscale method and isogeometric discretization

We present an extensive study on boundary layer mesh resolution in flow computation with the Space–Time Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method and isogeometric discretization. The study is in the context of 2D flow past a circular cylinder, at Reynolds number ranging from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text]. It was motivated by the need to have in tire aerodynamics a better understanding of the mesh resolution requirements near the tire surface. The focus in the study is on the normal-direction element length for the first layer of elements near the cylinder, with that length varying by a refinement factor ranging from 2 to 40. The evaluation is based mostly on the velocity profile near the cylinder. As the element length for the first layer is varied, the element lengths for the other layers of the disk-shaped inner mesh are adjusted, with no increase in the number of elements for the refinement factors 2, 3, and 4, and with modest increases only in the radial direction for refinement factors beyond that. The computations are performed with quadratic NURBS basis functions in space and linear basis functions in time. The expressions for the stabilization parameters used in the ST-VMS and for the related local lengths scales are those targeting isogeometric discretization, introduced in recent years. The mesh resolution study is based mostly on the strong enforcement of the Dirichlet boundary conditions on the cylinder, but also includes some computations with the weakly-enforced conditions. We expect that the data generated and observations made will be helpful in setting proper near-surface mesh resolution in VMS-based computations with isogeometric discretization, not only for cylindrical shapes but also for comparable geometries. We furthermore expect that although the data generated and observations made are based on computations with nonmoving meshes, they will also be applicable to computations with moving meshes where the mesh around the solid surface rotates with the surface in the framework of the ST Slip Interface method.

Carrier-Domain Method for high-resolution computation of time-periodic long-wake flows

We are introducing the Carrier-Domain Method (CDM) for high-resolution computation of time-periodic long-wake flows, with cost-effectives that makes the computations practical. The CDM is closely related to the Multidomain Method, which was introduced 24 years ago, originally intended also for cost-effective computation of long-wake flows and later extended in scope to cover additional classes of flow problems. In the CDM, the computational domain moves in the free-stream direction, with a velocity that preserves the outflow nature of the downstream computational boundary. As the computational domain is moving, the velocity at the inflow plane is extracted from the velocity computed earlier when the plane’s current position was covered by the moving domain. The inflow data needed at an instant is extracted from one or more instants going back in time as many periods. Computing the long-wake flow with a high-resolution moving mesh that has a reasonable length would certainly be far more cost-effective than computing it with a fixed mesh that covers the entire length of the wake. We are also introducing a CDM version where the computational domain moves in a discrete fashion rather than a continuous fashion. To demonstrate how the CDM works, we compute, with the version where the computational domain moves in a continuous fashion, the 2D flow past a circular cylinder at Reynolds number 100. At this Reynolds number, the flow has an easily discernible vortex shedding frequency and widely published lift and drag coefficients and Strouhal number. The wake flow is computed up to 350 diameters downstream of the cylinder, far enough to see the secondary vortex street. The computations are performed with the Space–Time Variational Multiscale method and isogeometric discretization; the basis functions are quadratic NURBS in space and linear in time. The results show the power of the CDM in high-resolution computation of time-periodic long-wake flows.

High-resolution multi-domain space–time isogeometric analysis of car and tire aerodynamics with road contact and tire deformation and rotation

We are presenting high-resolution space–time (ST) isogeometric analysis of car and tire aerodynamics with near-actual tire geometry, road contact, and tire deformation and rotation. The focus in the high-resolution computation is on the tire aerodynamics. The high resolution is not only in space but also in time. The influence of the aerodynamics of the car body comes, in the framework of the Multidomain Method (MDM), from the global computation with near-actual car body and tire geometries, carried out earlier with a reasonable mesh resolution. The high-resolution local computation, carried out for the left set of tires, takes place in a nested MDM sequence over three subdomains. The first subdomain contains the front tire. The second subdomain, with the inflow velocity from the first subdomain, is for the front-tire wake flow. The third subdomain, with the inflow velocity from the second subdomain, contains the rear tire. All other boundary conditions for the three subdomains are extracted from the global computation. The full computational framework is made of the ST Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method, ST Slip Interface (ST-SI) and ST Topology Change (ST-TC) methods, ST Isogeometric Analysis (ST-IGA), integrated combinations of these ST methods, element-based mesh relaxation (EBMR), methods for calculating the stabilization parameters and related element lengths targeting IGA discretization, Complex-Geometry IGA Mesh Generation (CGIMG) method, MDM, and the “ST-C” data compression. Except for the last three, these methods were used also in the global computation, and they are playing the same role in the local computation. The ST-TC, for example, as in the global computation, is making the ST moving-mesh computation possible even with contact between the tire and the road, thus enabling high-resolution flow representation near the tire. The CGIMG is making the IGA mesh generation for the complex geometries less arduous. The MDM is reducing the computational cost by focusing the high-resolution locally to where it is needed and also by breaking the local computation into its consecutive portions. The ST-C data compression is making the storage of the data from the global computation less burdensome. The car and tire aerodynamics computation we present shows the effectiveness of the high-resolution computational analysis framework we have built for this class of problems.

Wind turbine wake computation with the ST-VMS method, isogeometric discretization and multidomain method: I. Computational framework

In this first part of a two-part article, we present a framework for wind turbine wake computation. The framework is made of the Space–Time Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method, ST isogeometric discretization, and the Multidomain Method (MDM). The ST context provides higher-order accuracy in general, and the VMS feature of the ST-VMS addresses the computational challenges associated with the multiscale nature of the flow. The ST isogeometric discretization enables increased accuracy in the flow solution. With the MDM, a long wake can be computed over a sequence of subdomains, instead of a single, long domain, thus somewhat reducing the computational cost. Furthermore, with the MDM, the computation over a downstream subdomain can start several turbine rotations after the computation over the upstream subdomain starts, thus reducing the computational cost even more. All these good features of the framework, in combination, enable accurate representation of the turbine long-wake vortex patterns in a computationally efficient way. In the computations we present, the velocity data on the inflow plane comes from a previous wind turbine computation, extracted by projection from a plane located 10 m downstream of the turbine, which has a diameter of 126 m. The results show the effectiveness of the framework in wind turbine long-wake computation.

Computational Flow Analysis in Aerospace, Energy and Transportation Technologies with the Variational Multiscale Methods

With the recent advances in the variational multiscale (VMS) methods, computational ow analysis in aerospace, energy, and transportation technologies has reached a high level of sophistication. It is bringing solutions in challenging problems such as the aerodynamics of parachutes, thermo-fluid analysis of ground vehicles and tires, and fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analysis of wind turbines. The computational challenges include complex geometries, moving boundaries and interfaces, FSI, turbulent flows, rotational flows, and large problem sizes. The Residual-Based VMS (RBVMS), Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian VMS (ALE-VMS) and Space-Time VMS (ST-VMS) methods have been successfully serving as core methods in addressing the computational challenges. The core methods are supplemented with special methods targeting specific classes of problems, such as the Slip Interface (SI) method, MultiDomain Method, and the ST-C data compression method. We provide and overview of the core and special methods. We present, as examples of challenging computations performed with these methods, aerodynamic analysis of a ramair parachute, thermo-fluid analysis of a freight truck and its rear set of tires, and aerodynamic and FSI analysis of two back-to-back wind turbines in atmospheric boundary layer flow. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited.

Anatomically realistic lumen motion representation in patient-specific space–time isogeometric flow analysis of coronary arteries with time-dependent medical-image data

Patient-specific computational flow analysis of coronary arteries with time-dependent medical-image data can provide valuable information to doctors making treatment decisions. Reliable computational analysis requires a good core method, high-fidelity space and time discretizations, and an anatomically realistic representation of the lumen motion. The space–time variational multiscale (ST-VMS) method has a good track record as a core method. The ST framework, in a general context, provides higher-order accuracy. The VMS feature of the ST-VMS addresses the computational challenges associated with the multiscale nature of the unsteady flow in the artery. The moving-mesh feature of the ST framework enables high-resolution flow computation near the moving fluid–solid interfaces. The ST isogeometric analysis is a superior discretization method. With IGA basis functions in space, it enables more accurate representation of the lumen geometry and increased accuracy in the flow solution. With IGA basis functions in time, it enables a smoother representation of the lumen motion and a mesh motion consistent with that. With cubic NURBS in time, we obtain a continuous acceleration from the lumen-motion representation. Here we focus on making the lumen-motion representation anatomically realistic. We present a method to obtain from medical-image data in discrete form an anatomically realistic NURBS representation of the lumen motion, without sudden, unrealistic changes introduced by the higher-order representation. In the discrete projection from the medical-image data to the NURBS representation, we supplement the least-squares terms with two penalty terms, corresponding to the first and second time derivatives of the control-point trajectories. The penalty terms help us avoid the sudden unrealistic changes. The computation we present demonstrates the effectiveness of the method.

Computational Cardiovascular Flow Analysis with the Variational Multiscale Methods

Computational cardiovascular flow analysis can provide valuable information to medical doctors in a wide range of patientspecific cases, including cerebral aneurysms, aortas and heart valves. The computational challenges faced in this class of flow analyses also have a wide range. They include unsteady flows, complex cardiovascular geometries, moving boundaries and interfaces, such as the motion of the heart valve leaflets, contact between moving solid surfaces, such as the contact between the leaflets, and the fluid–structure interaction between the blood and the cardiovascular structure. Many of these challenges have been or are being addressed by the Space–Time Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method, Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian VMS (ALE-VMS) method, and the VMS-based Immersogeometric Analysis (IMGA-VMS), which serve as the core computational methods, and the special methods used in combination with them. We provide an overview of the core and special methods and present examples of challenging computations carried out with these methods, including aorta and heart valve flow analyses. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited.

Methods for computation of flow-driven string dynamics in a pump and residence time

We present methods for computation of flow-driven string dynamics in a pump and related residence time. The string dynamics computations help us understand how the strings carried by a fluid interact with the pump surfaces, including the blades, and get stuck on or around those surfaces. The residence time computations help us to have a simplified but quick understanding of the string behavior. The core computational method is the Space–Time Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method, and the other key methods are the ST Isogeometric Analysis (ST-IGA), ST Slip Interface (ST-SI) method, ST/NURBS Mesh Update Method (STNMUM), a general-purpose NURBS mesh generation method for complex geometries, and a one-way-dependence model for the string dynamics. The ST-IGA with NURBS basis functions in space is used in both fluid mechanics and string structural dynamics. The ST framework provides higher-order accuracy. The VMS feature of the ST-VMS addresses the computational challenges associated with the turbulent nature of the unsteady flow, and the moving-mesh feature of the ST framework enables high-resolution computation near the rotor surface. The ST-SI enables moving-mesh computation of the spinning rotor. The mesh covering the rotor spins with it, and the SI between the spinning mesh and the rest of the mesh accurately connects the two sides of the solution. The ST-IGA enables more accurate representation of the pump geometry and increased accuracy in the flow solution. The IGA discretization also enables increased accuracy in the structural dynamics solution, as well as smoothness in the string shape and fluid dynamics forces computed on the string. The STNMUM enables exact representation of the mesh rotation. The general-purpose NURBS mesh generation method makes it easier to deal with the complex geometry we have here. With the one-way-dependence model, we compute the influence of the flow on the string dynamics, while avoiding the formidable task of computing the influence of the string on the flow, which we expect to be small.

Space–time Isogeometric flow analysis with built-in Reynolds-equation limit

We present a space–time (ST) computational flow analysis method with built-in Reynolds-equation limit. The method enables solution of lubrication fluid dynamics problems with a computational cost comparable to that of the Reynolds-equation model for the comparable solution quality, but with the computational flexibility to go beyond the limitations of the Reynolds-equation model. The key components of the method are the ST Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method, ST Isogeometric Analysis (ST-IGA), and the ST Slip Interface (ST-SI) method. The VMS feature of the ST-VMS serves as a numerical stabilization method with a good track record, the moving-mesh feature of the ST framework enables high-resolution flow computation near the moving fluid–solid interfaces, and the higher-order accuracy of the ST framework strengthens both features. The ST-IGA enables more accurate representation of the solid-surface geometries and increased accuracy in the flow solution in general. With the ST-IGA, even with just one quadratic NURBS element across the gap of the lubrication fluid dynamics problem, we reach a solution quality comparable to that of the Reynolds-equation model. The ST-SI enables moving-mesh computation when the spinning solid surface is noncircular. The mesh covering the solid surface spins with it, retaining the high-resolution representation of the flow near the surface, and the SI between the spinning mesh and the rest of the mesh accurately connects the two sides of the solution. We present detailed 2D test computations to show how the method performs compared to the Reynolds-equation model, compared to finite element discretization, at different circumferential and normal mesh refinement levels, when there is an SI in the mesh, and when the no-slip boundary conditions are weakly-enforced.

Computational analysis of flow-driven string dynamics in a pump and residence time calculation

We present computational analysis of flow-driven string dynamics in a pump and the related residence time calculation. The objective in the study is to understand how the strings carried by a fluid interact with the pump surfaces, including the blades, and get stuck on or around those surfaces. The residence time calculations help us to have a simplified but quick understanding of the string behavior. The core computational method is the Space–Time Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method, and the other key methods are the ST Isogeometric Analysis (ST-IGA), ST Slip Interface (ST-SI) method, ST/NURBS Mesh Update Method (STNMUM), a general-purpose NURBS mesh generation method for complex geometries, and a one-way-dependence model for the string dynamics. The ST-IGA with NURBS basis functions in space is used in both fluid mechanics and string structural dynamics. The ST framework provides higher-order accuracy. The VMS feature of the ST-VMS addresses the computational challenges associated with the turbulent nature of the unsteady flow, and the moving-mesh feature of the ST framework enables high-resolution computation near the rotor surface. The ST-SI enables moving-mesh computation of the spinning rotor. The mesh covering the rotor spins with it, and the SI between the spinning mesh and the rest of the mesh accurately connects the two sides of the solution. The ST-IGA enables more accurate representation of the pump geometry and increased accuracy in the flow solution. The IGA discretization also enables increased accuracy in the structural dynamics solution, as well as smoothness in the string shape and fluid dynamics forces computed on the string. The STNMUM enables exact representation of the mesh rotation. The general-purpose NURBS mesh generation method makes it easier to deal with the complex geometry. With the one-way-dependence model, we compute the influence of the flow on the string dynamics, while avoiding the formidable task of computing the influence of the string on the flow, which we expect to be small.

Mesh refinement influence and cardiac-cycle flow periodicity in aorta flow analysis with isogeometric discretization

We present detailed studies on mesh refinement influence and cardiac-cycle flow periodicity in aorta flow analysis with isogeometric discretization. Both factors play a key role in the reliability and practical value of aorta flow analysis. The core computational method is the space–time Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method. The other key method is the ST Isogeometric Analysis (ST-IGA). The ST framework, in a general context, provides higher-order accuracy. The VMS feature of the ST-VMS addresses the computational challenges associated with the multiscale nature of the unsteady flow in the aorta. The ST-IGA provides smoother representation of the aorta and increased accuracy in the flow solution. We conduct the studies for a patient-specific aorta geometry. We determine the level of mesh refinement needed and assess the nature of the flow periodicity reached.

Turbocharger turbine and exhaust manifold flow computation with the Space–Time Variational Multiscale Method and Isogeometric Analysis

We address the computational challenges encountered in turbocharger turbine and exhaust manifold flow analysis. The core computational method is the Space–Time Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method, and the other key methods are the ST Isogeometric Analysis (ST-IGA), ST Slip Interface (ST-SI) method, ST/NURBS Mesh Update Method (STNMUM), and a general-purpose NURBS mesh generation method for complex geometries. The ST framework, in a general context, provides higher-order accuracy. The VMS feature of the ST-VMS addresses the computational challenges associated with the multiscale nature of the unsteady flow in the manifold and turbine, and the moving-mesh feature of the ST framework enables high-resolution computation near the rotor surface. The ST-SI enables moving-mesh computation of the spinning rotor. The mesh covering the rotor spins with it, and the SI between the spinning mesh and the rest of the mesh accurately connects the two sides of the solution. The ST-IGA enables more accurate representation of the turbine and manifold geometries and increased accuracy in the flow solution. The STNMUM enables exact representation of the mesh rotation. The general-purpose NURBS mesh generation method makes it easier to deal with the complex geometries we have here. An SI also provides mesh generation flexibility in a general context by accurately connecting the two sides of the solution computed over nonmatching meshes. That is enabling us to use nonmatching NURBS meshes here. Stabilization parameters and element length definitions play a significant role in the ST-VMS and ST-SI. For the ST-VMS, we use the stabilization parameters introduced recently, and for the ST-SI, the element length definition we are introducing here. The model we actually compute with includes the exhaust gas purifier, which makes the turbine outflow conditions more realistic. We compute the flow for a full intake/exhaust cycle, which is much longer than the turbine rotation cycle because of high rotation speeds, and the long duration required is an additional computational challenge. The computation demonstrates that the methods we use here are very effective in this class of challenging flow analyses.

Space–time VMS computational flow analysis with isogeometric discretization and a general-purpose NURBS mesh generation method

The Space–Time Computational Analysis (STCA) with key components that include the ST Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method and ST Isogeometric Analysis (ST-IGA) is being increasingly used in fluid mechanics computations with complex geometries. In such computations, the ST-VMS serves as the core method, complemented by the ST-IGA, and sometimes by additional key components, such as the ST Slip Interface (ST-SI) method. To make the ST-IGA use, and in a wider context the IGA use, even more practical in fluid mechanics computations, NURBS volume mesh generation needs to be easier and as automated as possible. To that end, we present a general-purpose NURBS mesh generation method. The method is based on multi-block structured mesh generation with existing techniques, projection of that mesh to a NURBS mesh made of patches that correspond to the blocks, and recovery of the original model surfaces to the extent they are suitable for accurate and robust fluid mechanics computations. It is expected to retain the refinement distribution and element quality of the multi-block structured mesh that we start with. The flexibility of discretization with the general-purpose mesh generation is supplemented with the ST-SI method, which allows, without loss of accuracy, C−1 continuity between NURBS patches and thus removes the matching requirement between the patches. We present a test computation for a turbocharger turbine and exhaust manifold, which demonstrates that the general-purpose mesh generation method proposed makes the IGA use in fluid mechanics computations even more practical.

Patient-Specific Aorta Flow Analysis with the Space-Time VMS Method and Isogeometric Discretization

Patient-Specific Aorta Flow Analysis with the Space-Time VMS Method and Isogeometric Discretization

Heart valve flow computation with the integrated Space–Time VMS, Slip Interface, Topology Change and Isogeometric Discretization methods

Heart valve flow computation requires accurate representation of boundary layers near moving solid surfaces, including the valve leaflet surfaces, even when the leaflets come into contact. It also requires dealing with a high level of geometric complexity. We address these computational challenges with a Space–Time (ST) method developed by integrating three special ST methods in the framework of the ST Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method. The special methods are the ST Slip Interface (ST-SI) and ST Topology Change (ST-TC) methods and ST Isogeometric Analysis (ST-IGA). The computations are for a realistic aortic-valve model with prescribed valve leaflet motion and actual contact between the leaflets. The ST-VMS method functions as a moving-mesh method, which maintains high-resolution boundary layer representation near the solid surfaces, including leaflet surfaces. The ST-TC method was introduced for moving-mesh computation of flow problems with TC, such as contact between the leaflets of a heart valve. It deals with the contact while maintaining high-resolution representation near the leaflet surfaces. The ST-SI method was originally introduced to have high-resolution representation of the boundary layers near spinning solid surfaces. The mesh covering a spinning solid surface spins with it, and the SI between the spinning mesh and the rest of the mesh accurately connects the two sides. In the context of heart valves, the SI connects the sectors of meshes containing the leaflets, enabling a more effective mesh moving. In that context, integration of the ST-SI and ST-TC methods enables high-resolution representation even when the contact is between leaflets that are covered by meshes with SI. It also enables dealing with contact location change or contact and sliding on the SI. By integrating the ST-IGA with the ST-SI and ST-TC methods, in addition to having a more accurate representation of the surfaces and increased accuracy in the flow solution, the element density in the narrow spaces near the contact areas is kept at a reasonable level. Furthermore, because the flow representation in the contact area has a wider support in IGA, the flow computation method becomes more robust. The computations we present for an aortic-valve model with two different modes of prescribed leaflet motion show the effectiveness of the ST-SI-TC-IGA method.

Ram-air parachute structural and fluid mechanics computations with the Space–Time Isogeometric Analysis (ST-IGA)

Abstract We present a method for structural and fluid mechanics computations of ram-air parachutes. A ram-air parachute is a parafoil inflated by the airflow through the inlets at the leading edge. It has better control and gliding capability than round parachutes. Reliable analysis of ram-air parachutes requires accurate representation of the parafoil geometry, fabric porosity and the complex, multiscale flow behavior involved in this class of problems. The key components of the method are (i) the Space–Time Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method, (ii) the version of the ST Slip Interface (ST-SI) method where the SI is between a thin porous structure and the fluid on its two sides, (iii) the ST Isogeometric Analysis (ST-IGA), and (iv) special-purpose NURBS mesh generation techniques for the parachute structure and the flow field inside and outside the parafoil. The ST-VMS method is a stabilized formulation that also serves as a turbulence model and can deal effectively with the complex, multiscale flow behavior. With the ST-SI version for porosity modeling, we deal with the fabric porosity in a fashion consistent with how we deal with the standard SIs and how we enforce the Dirichlet boundary conditions weakly. The ST-IGA, with NURBS basis functions in space, gives us, with relatively few number of unknowns, accurate representation of the parafoil geometry and increased accuracy in the flow solution. The special-purpose mesh generation techniques enable NURBS representation of the structure and fluid domains with significant geometric complexity. The test computations we present are for building a starting parachute shape and a starting flow field associated with that parachute shape, which are the first two key steps in fluid–structure interaction analysis. The computations demonstrate the effectiveness of the method in this class of problems.

Space–Time method for flow computations with slip interfaces and topology changes (ST-SI-TC)

Abstract The Space–Time Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method was introduced to function as a moving-mesh method. It is the VMS version of the Deforming-Spatial-Domain/Stabilized ST (DSD/SST) method. It has reasonably good turbulence modeling features and serves as a core computational method. The ST Slip Interface (ST-SI) method was introduced to addresses the challenge involved in high-resolution representation of the boundary layers near spinning solid surfaces. The mesh covering a spinning solid surface spins with it and thus maintains the high-resolution representation near it. The ST-TC method was introduced for moving-mesh computation of flow problems with topology changes, such as contact between solid surfaces. It deals with the TC while maintaining high-resolution boundary layer representation near solid surfaces. The “ST-SI-TC” method we introduce here integrates the ST-SI and ST-TC methods in the ST-VMS framework. It enables accurate flow analysis when we have a spinning solid surface that is in contact with a solid surface. We present two test computations with the ST-SI-TC method, and they are both with models of flow around a rotating tire with road contact and prescribed deformation, one with a 2D model, and one with a 3D model.