Peter Stansby

Accuracy and stability in incompressible SPH (ISPH) based on the projection method and a new approach

The stability and accuracy of three methods which enforce either a divergence-free velocity field, density invariance, or their combination are tested here through the standard Taylor-Green and spin-down vortex problems. While various approaches to incompressible SPH (ISPH) have been proposed in the past decade, the present paper is restricted to the projection method for the pressure and velocity coupling. It is shown that the divergence-free ISPH method cannot maintain stability in certain situations although it is accurate before instability sets in. The density-invariant ISPH method is stable but inaccurate with random-noise like disturbances. The combined ISPH, combining advantages in divergence-free ISPH and density-invariant ISPH, can maintain accuracy and stability although at a higher computational cost. Redistribution of particles on a fixed uniform mesh is also shown to be effective but the attraction of a mesh-free method is lost. A new divergence-free ISPH approach is proposed here which maintains accuracy and stability while remaining mesh free without increasing computational cost by slightly shifting particles away from streamlines, although the necessary interpolation of hydrodynamic characteristics means the formulation ceases to be strictly conservative. This avoids the highly anisotropic particle spacing which eventually triggers instability. Importantly pressure fields are free from spurious oscillations, up to the highest Reynolds numbers tested.

Incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics for free-surface flows: A generalised diffusion-based algorithm for stability and validations for impulsive flows and propagating waves

The incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (ISPH) method with projection-based pressure correction has been shown to be highly accurate and stable for internal flows and, importantly for many problems, the pressure field is virtually noise-free in contrast to the weakly compressible SPH approach (Xu et al., 2009 [31]). However for almost inviscid fluids instabilities at the free surface occur due to errors associated with the truncated kernels. A new algorithm is presented which remedies this issue, giving stable and accurate solutions to both internal and free-surface flows. Generalising the particle shifting approach of Xu et al. (2009) [31], the algorithm is based upon Ficks law of diffusion and shifts particles in a manner that prevents highly anisotropic distributions and the onset of numerical instability. The algorithm is validated against analytical solutions for an internal flow at higher Reynolds numbers than previously, the flow due to an impulsively started plate and highly accurate solutions for wet bed dam break problems at zero and small times. The method is then validated for progressive regular waves with paddle motion defined by linear theory. The accurate predictions demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm in stabilising solutions and minimising the surface instabilities generated by the inevitable errors associated with truncated kernels. The test cases are thought to provide a more thorough quantitative validation than previously undertaken.

Shallow-water flow solver with non-hydrostatic pressure: 2D vertical plane problems

A numerical solution for shallow-water flow is developed based on the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations without the conventional assumption of hydrostatic pressure. Instead, the non-hydrostatic pressure component may be added in regions where its influence is significant, notably where bed slope is not small and separation in a vertical plane may occur or where the free-surface slope is not small. The equations are solved in the σ-co-ordinate system with semi-implicit time stepping and the eddy viscosity is calculated using the standard k–ϵ turbulence model. Conventionally, boundary conditions at the bed for shallow-water models only include vertical diffusion terms using wall functions, but here they are extended to include horizontal diffusion terms which can be significant when bed slope is not small. This is consistent with the inclusion of non-hydrostatic pressure. The model is applied to the 2D vertical plane flow of a current over a trench for which experimental data and other numerical results are available for comparison. Computations with and without non-hydrostatic pressure are compared for the same trench and for trenches with smaller side slopes, to test the range of validity of the conventional hydrostatic pressure assumption. The model is then applied to flow over a 2D mound and again the slope of the mound is reduced to assess the validity of the hydrostatic pressure assumption.

Simulation of caisson breakwater movement using 2-D SPH

Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) is used to simulate the movement of a caisson breakwater in the surf zone. The open-source code SPHysics is used with a Riemann solver-based formulation. The friction force between the moving caisson and the bed is modelled with a transition from static to dynamic friction force. Results are presented for two-dimensional simulations and compared with experiments for the movement of a caisson breakwater under the forcing of periodic waves. Promising agreement with experimental data is obtained for the displacement and the horizontal forces on the caisson. It is demonstrated that the peak impact forces are better captured using finer resolution and that a Riemann solver-based formulation produces a better agreement with experiment for the predicted caisson displacement than conventional SPH.

SPH Modeling of Shallow Flow with Open Boundaries for Practical Flood Simulation

AbstractA smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) numerical model for shallow water equations (SWEs) is presented for simulating flood inundation owing to rapidly varying flow, such as dam breaks, tsunamis, and levee breaches. Important theoretical and numerical developments have recently been made, and the model in this paper incorporates these developments and implements open boundary conditions, resulting in a general, accurate computational tool suitable for practical application. The method is attractive for flood simulation over large domains in which the extent of inundation is unknown because computation is carried out only in wet areas and is dynamically adaptive. The open boundary algorithm is very general, on the basis of a simplified version of the characteristics method, handling both supercritical and subcritical inflow and outflow. This is tested against reference solutions for flows over a hump involving shocks. The model is then applied to two very different flood inundations resulting from...

Unsteady surface-velocity field measurement using particle tracking velocimetry

A method has been developed for obtaining surface-velocity fields in unsteady flows which is useful for hydraulic model studies. The method is based on the established technique of Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) but unlike other whole-field systems is suitable for use over relatively wide areas. Results are presented from its application to flows around conical model islands with uniform sloping sides from which strong vortex shedding occurs. To allow an assessment of accuracy, simultaneous LDA measurements were taken in the wake of an island and comparisons of velocity prediction are presented.

A mixing length model for shallow turbulent wakes

A three-dimensional boundary-layer model of shallow-water flows assuming hydrostatic pressure with negligible numerical diffusion and wave damping has been extended to turbulent flow. A standard two-layer mixing-length model determines vertical length scales. The horizontal mixing length is made a multiple

Kinematics and depth-integrated terms in surf zone waves from laboratory measurement

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Solitary wave run up and overtopping by a semi-implicit finite-volume shallow-water Boussinesq model

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An arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian σ (ALES) model with non-hydrostatic pressure for shallow water flows

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