Grid movement techniques and their influence on laminar fluid–structure interaction computations

The efficiency and accuracy of grid movement methods for a typical fluid–structure interaction configuration is investigated. The set-up consists of a thin elastic structure including one rotational degree of freedom fixed in a laminar channel flow. Two different cases are considered, i.e., small and large structural deformations. The comparison is carried out by using two algebraic methods, linear and transfinite interpolation, and two elliptic solution strategies also providing boundary orthogonality. A reference solution is obtained from a mixed approach. The evaluation of efficiency and accuracy is based on computation times, number of coupling steps, structural displacements and swiveling frequencies. All mesh movement techniques are employed in the frame of a partitioned solution procedure involving the block-structured finite-volume flow solver FASTEST, the finite-element structural solver FEAP, and the coupling interface MpCCI.