Incompressible SPH for free surface flows

Violent free surface flows exist in a number of physical processes related to marine engineering. Traditionally, these are simulated using mesh-based methods formulated in an Eulerian frame of reference. Lagrangian meshless and particle-based methods, like Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), represent an interesting alternative as they circumvent several common problems related to the free surface. This work is devoted to the properties and implementation of an SPH method based on pressure projection for incompressible inviscid flows with free surfaces. Novel features include a time integration scheme designed to improve stability, and a new treatment of the free surface pressure boundary condition. The mechanisms and performance of the algorithm are addressed with a study of the evolution of an elliptical drop, and the more practical problems of rigid body water entry and internal tank sloshing. The results are compared to those of competing methods.

► Improved time integration. ► Discussion on mechanisms of algorithm. ► Discussion on temporal convergence. ► Good results obtained for violent free surface flows. ► Favorable comparisons to WCSPH.