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The effect of horizontal wave baffles on slosh reduction of rectangular tanks under combined surge and pitch excitation is investigated in this work. Two-dimensional numerical modeling of a rectangular tank is performed using the Volume of Fluid (VoF) technique. The validation studies are performed, and the results agree with the data available in the literature. This study also considers the influence of baffle characteristics on sloshing reduction, such as wave baffle amplitude and the number of wave baffle cycles. The cosine baffles with negative amplitude and increased baffle amplitude performed better than others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite metal foams (CMF) are renowned for their high strength‐to‐density ratio, high stiffness, and energy absorption capabilities. Homogenized finite element models of CMF have been numerically solved to understand the mechanical behavior of the material under a variety of external loading conditions. This work aims to pioneer a comprehensive finite element model for steel–steel composite metal foam by incorporating the interactions between embedded stainless‐steel hollow spheres with entrapped air inside stainless‐steel matrix. The material behavior of hollow spheres, surrounding matrix, and air are modeled using Johnson–Cook (JC) plasticity, Deshpande–Fleck (D–F) foam, and linear polynomial equation of state in LS DYNA. Further, the finite element model utilizes a combination of Lagrangian solid elements and meshfree smooth particles hydrodynamics with appropriate contacts to effectively model the interaction of entrapped air within stainless‐steel hollow spheres with surrounding metallic spheres and matrix. The strain rate and the crosshead velocity of 65 s−1 and 2.4765 m s−1 are used for quasistatic compression analysis. Finally, the results obtained from the computational model are compared and validated using previously reported experimental quasistatic compression data. The numerical model corroborates stress–strain response of CMF with 5.6% error for plateau stresses average within 25% and 30% strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study certain significant properties of the equilibrium configurations of a rigid body subject to an undamped elastic restoring force, in the stream of a viscous liquid in an unbounded 3D domain. The motion of the coupled system is driven by a uniform flow at spatial infinity, with constant dimensionless velocity λ. We show that if λ is below a critical value, λ c (say), there is a unique and stable time-independent configuration, where the body is in equilibrium and the flow is steady. We also prove that, if λ < λ c , no oscillatory flow may occur. Successively, we investigate possible loss of uniqueness by providing necessary and sufficient conditions for the occurrence of a steady bifurcation at some λ s ≥ λ c. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Dalian University of Technology / Dalian Ligong Daxue Xuebao is the property of Journal of Dalian University of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Monte Carlo simulations of simple Lennard Jones fluids confined in slit-like pores were studied for the gas–liquid transition using weak and very attractive walls. Several fluid–wall potential strengths were simulated and pressure transitions were obtained at different temperatures. In the case of weak fluid–wall interaction typical results were found, the gas–liquid transition pressure increases with the temperature. When the fluid–wall becomes more attractive, the transition pressure increases significantly but decreases with the temperature. For a very attractive wall, i.e. the fluid–wall interaction is very strong, the transition pressure decreases with the temperature given a negative slope of the coexistence line in the P-T phase diagram. Analysis of the systems in terms of the energy shows that for weak walls the difference in the potential and kinetic energies drops at the transition pressure and the enthalpy of adsorption is negative whereas for strong walls the difference in energies increases at the transition and the adsorption enthalpy has positive values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marginal ice zone (MIZ) is the area between sea ice and open water, the structure of which is mainly determined by wave and ice interactions. Thus mastering the characteristics of MIZ is of great significance to the Arctic routes opening and the natural resources development. In this paper, the hydroelastic response of ice floes in waves is studied, a three-dimensional numerical wave tank is established based on the computational fluid dynamics technology. The finite volume method and finite element method are respectively utilized for the discrete fluid domain and ice domain. A mapping interface at the junction of the fluid and ice floes domains is created to perform data mapping by the shape function interpolation method and the least square method. This work presents a series of numerical simulations to study the fluid-solid interaction of waves and ice floes. Under the given incident wave parameters, the vertical bending deformation of ice floes with different shapes under the excitation of waves, the effect of ice floes' deformation on the wave field are studied, and the effect of wave overwash on the transmitted wave field is emphasized. Results show that the shape of the ice floes significantly affects its elastic deformation and scattered wave field, and the wave overwash phenomenon attenuates the scattering wave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flash flooding has become more prominent under climate change, threatening people's life and property. Post‐event investigations of recent events emphasize the role of floating debris, such as vehicles, in exacerbating damage. Few modeling methods and tools have been developed to simulate the full‐process dynamics of floating debris driven by large‐scale flood waves in real world. In this work, a fully coupled model is developed for simulating the full‐process interactive movements of vehicles driven by flash flood hydrodynamics, from entrainment, transport to deposition. The proposed coupled modeling system consists of a finite volume shock‐capturing hydrodynamic model solving the 2D shallow water equations and a 3D discrete element method (DEM) model. The proposed two‐way coupling approach estimates the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces acting on solid objects using the water depth and velocity predicted by the hydrodynamic model; the resulting counter forces on the fluid flow are then considered by adding extra source terms in the hydrodynamic model. A multi‐sphere method is further embedded in the DEM model to better represent vehicle shapes. New calculation modules are further implemented to represent the vehicle entrainment, contact and stopping motions. The coupled model is applied to reproduce a flash flood event hit Boscastle in the UK in 2004. Over 100 vehicles were moved and carried downstream by the highly transient flood flow. The model well predicts the hydrodynamics, interactive transport process and the final locations of vehicles. The proposed coupled model provides a new tool for simulating large‐scale flash flooding processes, including debris dynamics. Key Points: A new coupled model for simulation of entrainment, transport and deposition of vehicles driven by and interacting with flood hydrodynamicsThe model is used to reproduce a flash flood event that moved over 100 vehicles, with results consistent with post‐event report and surveyIncreasing number of floating vehicles alters flood hydrodynamics and intensifies debris‐debris and debris‐fluid interactions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved meshfree method that considers cracking, contact behaviour and fluid–solid interaction (FSI) was developed and employed to shed light on the progressive failure of the water-resistant stratum and inrush process in a karst tunnel construction. Hydraulic fracturing tests considering different scenarios and inrush events of the field-scale Jigongling karst tunnel in three scenarios verify the feasibility of the improved meshfree method. The results indicate that the brittle fracture characteristics of the rock mass are captured accurately without grid re-meshing by improving the kernel function of the meshfree method. The complex contact behaviour of rock along the fracture surface during inrush is correctly captured through the introduction of Newton's law-based block contact algorithms. FSI processing during inrush is accurately modelled by an improved two-phase adaptive adjacent method considering the discontinuous particles without coupling other solvers and additional artificial boundaries, which improves computational efficiency. Furthermore, the improved meshfree method simultaneously captures the fast inrush and rock failure in the Jigongling karst tunnel under varying thicknesses and strengths of water-resistant rocks and sizes of karst caves. As the thickness and strength of water-resistant rock increase, the possibility of an inrush disaster in the tunnel decreases, and a drop in the water level and an increase in the maximum flow velocity have significant delayed effects during the local inrush stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University is the property of Editorial Office of Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Bio-inspired robots with elongated anatomy, like eels, are studied to discover anguilliform swimming principles and improve the robots' locomotion accordingly. Soft continuum robots replicate animal–environment physics better than noncompliant, rigid, multi-body eel robots. In this study, a slender soft robot was designed and tested in an actual swimming experiment in a still-water tank. The robot employs soft pneumatic muscles laterally connected to a flexible backbone and activated with a rhythmic input. The position of seven markers mounted on the robot's backbone was recorded using QualiSys® Tracking Manager (QTM) 1.6.0.1. The system was modeled as a fully coupled fluid–solid interaction (FSI) system using COMSOL Multiphysics® 6.1. Further data postprocessing and analysis were conducted, proposing a new mode decomposition algorithm using simulation data. Experiments show the success of swimming with a velocity of 28 mm/s and at a frequency of 0.9 Hz. The mode analysis allowed the modeling and explanation of the fluctuation. Results disclose the presence of traveling waves related to anguilliform waves obtained by the superposition of two main modes. The similarities of the results with natural anguilliform locomotion are discussed. It is concluded that soft robot undulation is ruled by dynamic modes induced by robot–environment interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aerodynamic performance of a moving flapping wing is investigated numerically using a fluid–solid interaction model. The flow field is assumed to be two-dimensional, viscous, unsteady, and incompressible. Galerkin-least/squares finite element method is used to account for the convective nature of the flow field. The flow solver is coupled with the rigid body equations of motion describing the movement of the flapping wing. An interface-capturing technique is developed and tailored to the present model to capture the flapping wing during its movement. The developed algorithm is validated against published data with a great degree of success. Then, simulations for a flapping wing with a stationary center of gravity and free center of gravity motion, are performed. This is followed by a parametric study through which the effects of the wing’s initial position, maximum flapping angle, Reynolds number, the mass of the wing, the gravitational acceleration, and the critical frequency for each Reynolds number are studied. Finally, the voluntary vertical takeoff of a fruit fly, Drosophila Melanogaster is simulated using the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exceptional point (EP), a special degeneracy in non‐Hermitian systems, has exhibited various distinctive wave characteristics. However, the conventional synthesis of scattering EPs in acoustics is confined to rather limited methods for breaking Hermiticity, typically requiring intrinsic losses or open interfaces. Here, the concept of synthesizing scattering EPs is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated by leveraging a metasurface with fluid‐solid interaction (FSI) in water. The incorporation of FSI offers a novel mechanism to customize natural radiation losses. Simulations and experiments consistently confirm that synthesized EPs result in extremely asymmetric scattering patterns, even in the case of spatially impenetrable metasurfaces. This enhanced spatial symmetry breaking benefits from the FSI on the interface and the nonlocal interaction between unit cells. The proposed non‐Hermitian framework, involving the interplay of sound in fluids and solids, is expected to open up new possibilities for exploring unique non‐Hermitian physics and underwater acoustic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A finite element method is employed to examine the impact of a magnetic field on the development of plaque in an artery with stenotic bifurcation. Consistent with existing literature, blood flow is characterized as a Newtonian fluid that is stable, incompressible, biomagnetic, and laminar. Additionally, it is assumed that the arterial wall is linearly elastic throughout. The hemodynamic flow within a bifurcated artery, influenced by an asymmetric magnetic field, is described using the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) method. This technique incorporates the fluid–structure interaction coupling. The nonlinear system of partial differential equations is discretized using a stable P2P1 finite element pair. To solve the resulting nonlinear algebraic equation system, the Newton-Raphson method is employed. Magnetic fields are numerically modeled, and the resulting displacement, velocity magnitude, pressure, and wall shear stresses are analyzed across a range of Reynolds numbers (Re = 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000). The numerical analysis reveals that the presence of a magnetic field significantly impacts both the displacement magnitude and the flow velocity. In fact, introducing a magnetic field leads to reduced flow separation, an expanded recirculation area near the stenosis, as well as an increase in wall shear stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying numerical simulation technology to investigate fluid-solid interaction involving complex curved boundaries is vital in aircraft design, ocean, and construction engineering. However, current methods such as Lattice Boltzmann (LBM) and the immersion boundary method based on solid ratio (IMB) have limitations in identifying custom curved boundaries. Meanwhile, IBM based on velocity correction (IBM-VC) suffers from inaccuracies and numerical instability. Therefore, this study introduces a high-accuracy curve boundary recognition method (IMB-CB), which identifies boundary nodes by moving the search box, and corrects the weighting function in LBM by calculating the solid ratio of the boundary nodes, achieving accurate recognition of custom curve boundaries. In addition, curve boundary image and dot methods are utilized to verify IMB-CB. The findings revealed that IMB-CB can accurately identify the boundary, showing an error of less than 1.8% with 500 lattices. Also, the flow in the custom curve boundary and aerodynamic characteristics of the NACA0012 airfoil are calculated and compared to IBM-VC. Results showed that IMB-CB yields lower lift and drag coefficient errors than IBM-VC, with a 1.45% drag coefficient error. In addition, the characteristic curve of IMB-CB is very stable, whereas that of IBM-VC is not. For the moving boundary problem, LBM-IMB-CB with discrete element method (DEM) is capable of accurately simulating the physical phenomena of multi-moving particle flow in complex curved pipelines. This research proposes a new curve boundary recognition method, which can significantly promote the stability and accuracy of fluid-solid interaction simulations and thus has huge applications in engineering. Graphic Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the hydrodynamics of a bent elastic tube with an instantaneously deformed wall using an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) finite element method. The study reveals that the tube deforms continuously with the fluid's progression, exhibiting diverse deformation patterns. The flow patterns do not adhere to Poiseuille's profile, with higher velocities detected on the inner side of the bent region during deformation. The results deepen insights into hydrodynamics within bent elastic tubes and bring significance for the design of curved pipelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A finite element method is employed to examine the impact of a magnetic field on the development of plaque in an artery with stenotic bifurcation. Consistent with existing literature, blood flow is characterized as a Newtonian fluid that is stable, incompressible, biomagnetic, and laminar. Additionally, it is assumed that the arterial wall is linearly elastic throughout. The hemodynamic flow within a bifurcated artery, influenced by an asymmetric magnetic field, is described using the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) method. This technique incorporates the fluid–structure interaction coupling. The nonlinear system of partial differential equations is discretized using a stable P2P1 finite element pair. To solve the resulting nonlinear algebraic equation system, the Newton-Raphson method is employed. Magnetic fields are numerically modeled, and the resulting displacement, velocity magnitude, pressure, and wall shear stresses are analyzed across a range of Reynolds numbers (Re = 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000). The numerical analysis reveals that the presence of a magnetic field significantly impacts both the displacement magnitude and the flow velocity. In fact, introducing a magnetic field leads to reduced flow separation, an expanded recirculation area near the stenosis, as well as an increase in wall shear stress.

For the issue of flow induced vibration of spillway emersed radial gates under partially opening conditions, a fluid structure coupling transfer mathematical model for gates and spillway flow was constructed by using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software Fluent and Computational Structural Dynamics (CSD) software Mechanical APDL. Calculated and analyzed the vibration characteristics of the gate during discharge, developed a gate flow induced vibration back analysis program based on the principle of modal superposition, and achieved back analysis of the dynamic response results of the gate flow induced vibration. Taking the exposed arch gate of a certain project in Wujiang as an example for forward and backward analysis, the results indicate that the fluctuating pressure on the gate panel obtained from the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) turbulent model exhibits characteristics of low frequency, narrowband, and approximately gaussian distribution. The structural dynamic field of the gate is calculated by combining modal coordinates, vibration mode vectors, and stress vectors. The results of the back analysis of the dynamic displacement field and dynamic stress field are basically consistent with the results of the full method forward analysis, demonstrating the rationality of the back analysis method and the applicability of the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslide-generated impulse waves (LGIWs) often cause enormous damage. This study proposes a two-way coupled discrete element method (DEM) and smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method to study the whole hazard chain of LGIWs in mountain reservoirs. In this method, a two-way coupling code is developed to connect the DEM program Particle Flow Code 3D (PFC3D) and the SPH code DualSPHysics for simulating landslide sliding and fluid motion. A series of discretization operations are conducted to transform the DEM balls into discrete balls composed of SPH particles, and the dynamic boundary condition method is used to calculate the interaction forces between fluid and solid phases. This work is validated through a comparative analysis with published physical model experiments. Using the proposed method, the LGIWs induced by the RS deposit in the RM reservoir is simulated. The processes of landslide motion, impulse waves generation, propagation, and running up on the dam are studied. The results show that the proposed method possesses the capability to simulate and predict the hazards of LGIWs. This article represents the first implementation of PFC3D within a coupled DEM-SPH framework to study LGIWs, and provides a valuable way for assessing the associated risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the great importance of dynamical behavior prediction of nanostructures in the fluid media and their various applications in biomedical engineering, aerospace, etc. in this research, the free vibration behavior of a nano-scale rotating plate coupled with an incompressible viscous fluid is studied. To this end, nonlocal elasticity theory is adopted to apply small-scale effects. Using the Navier–Stokes relation, the interaction forces between the fluid and nanorotating plate are obtained. In order to solve the governing differential equations, the Galerkin method is utilized, and the system’s vibration frequency response has been obtained for the clamped-free-free-free boundary condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past three decades, optical visualization measurements based on the Refractive Index Match (RIM) method have played a significant role in the experimental studies of fluid-solid interaction. The RIM method, which coordinates the refractive indices of the liquid and solid materials in the experiment, dramatically reduces the observation error due to optical refraction. However, the existing literature on RIM has not systematically reviewed the various applications of this technique. This review aims to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive overview of the RIM technique, examining its role in material selection for fluid-solid interaction studies, and scrutinizing its applications across various engineering disciplines. The paper begins with a brief introduction to the RIM technique and then turns to material selection and its various applications in fluid-solid interaction. It also enumerates and analyzes specific RIM-based optical measurement techniques such as Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDA), Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV), and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) from various research perspectives in previous studies. In addition, it summarizes RIM formulations categorized by different applications in liquid-solid interaction fields. RIM-based measurement techniques generally offer intuitive, non-intrusive, cost-effective, and convenient advantages over traditional methods. The paper also critically evaluates the strengths and limitations of different materials used in RIM experiments and suggests directions for future research, emphasizing the need to develop environmentally friendly and cost-effective RIM materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supergravity is a noncontact volumetric force; when there is a density difference between the two phases, supergravity can strengthen their separation. The removal of nonmetallic inclusions in steel by supergravity technology not only does not cause molten steel to stir back to the mixing but also promotes the rapid floating of inclusions and shortens their floating time in the molten steel. Small inclusions that are difficult to remove can be removed using a supergravity field. The shape of the inclusions affects their floating behavior in molten steel. To study this effect, this study uses the fluid–structure interaction method to track the computational fluid–solid interface state, constructs three inclusions with different aspect ratios in a two-dimensional longitudinal section, and performs simulation studies of the floating behavior of the inclusions in a supergravity field. The effects of the different initial angles of the inclusions on their floating behavior were also compared. The simulation results show that the floating velocity of the inclusions is related to their shape and floating angle, and the faster the floating velocity, the closer the aspect ratio is to 1, or the floating angle is too vertical. For a given length, inclusions with a larger equivalent diameter float faster. In the supergravity field of G = 1000, the inclusions with a length of 1 μm did not undergo rotation; the inclusions with lengths of 10 and 20 μm rotated from the initial angle (45°, 90°) to the horizontal and then floated steadily. The floating velocity of inclusions is related to the real-time angle of inclusions. The rotational state of the inclusions gradually decreases as the gravity coefficient decreases. When G = 50, the inclusions with a length of 20 μm (initial angle of 90°) fail to rotate completely, which also proves that the inclusions are more likely to rotate when initially inclined instead of vertically. In addition, it was concluded that supergravity does not cause anisotropy in steel properties and that the method of removing inclusions from steel by supergravity does not have a substantial negative effect on steel properties. Finally, this study noted that the prediction of the supergravity treatment time using this model should be based on the floating velocity of the inclusions in the horizontal state, and an approximate time for the floating removal of the inclusions is provided based on this conclusion.

The liquid Lead-bismuth eutectic is used as the coolant for Gen-IV reactor concepts. However, due to its strong corrosive and high operating temperature, it is difficult to accurately measure the flow rate in long-term operating conditions. Venturi flowmeter is a simple structured flowmeter, which plays a very important role in the flow measurement of high-temperature liquid metals, especially since the existing flowmeters are difficult to be competent. It has the advantages of easy maintenance and stable operation. Therefore, it is necessary to study the operating conditions of the venturi flowmeter under high-temperature conditions. This work performs a series of simulations of the fluid-solid interaction between the flow liquid metal and venturi flowmeter with COMSOL software, including the dimensional sensitivity analysis of the venturi flowmeter to explore the most suitable structure and parameters for liquid heavy metal, the sensitivity analysis of the geometric parameters of the venturi tube on the varying conditions. It shows that when the contraction angle of the venturi flowmeter is 33°, the diffusion angle is 13°, the diameter of the throat is 8 mm, and the temperature of the lead-bismuth eutectic is 733.15 K, it is most suitable for the measurement in the lead-bismuth circuit.

The work concerns dynamic similarity criteria of various phenomena occurring in hydraulics and fluid dynamics originally derived from ratios of forces and forces moments affecting these phenomena. The base of dynamic similarity criteria formulations and considerations is A. Flaga’s method and procedure for determining dynamic similarity criteria in different issues of fluid–solid interactions i.e. at different fluid–solid relative motions. The paper concerns the determination and analysis of dynamic similarity criteria for various practical problems encountered mainly in hydraulics and fluid dynamics at steady, smooth fluid onflow in front of a solid. Moreover, the cases of mechanically induced vibrations of a body in a stationary fluid moving with constant velocity in front of the body have been presented. Assuming authorial method and procedure for determining dynamic similarity criteria, its have been presented and analysed in the paper both well known similarity numbers obtained in another way (e.g. from dimensional analysis or differential equations for particular problems – as Reynolds, Froude, Euler, Cauchy, Strouhal, Mach numbers) – as well as several new similarity numbers encountered in different fluid solid interaction problems (e.g. new forces and moments coefficients encountered in problems of vibrating solid bodies in fluids).

With the increasing demand for energy and the depletion of traditional resources, the development of alternative energy sources has become a critical issue. Shale gas, as an abundant and widely distributed resource, has great potential as a substitute for conventional natural gas. However, due to the low permeability of shale-gas reservoirs, efficient extraction poses significant challenges. The application of hydraulic fracturing technology has been proven to effectively enhance rock permeability, but the influence of environmental factors on its efficiency remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the impact of gas fracturing on shale-gas extraction efficiency under varying environmental conditions using numerical simulations. Our simulations provide a comprehensive analysis of the physical changes that occur during the fracturing process, allowing us to evaluate the effects of gas fracturing on rock mechanics and permeability. We find that gas fracturing can effectively induce internal fractures within the rock, and the magnitude of tensile stress decreases gradually during the process. The boundary pressure of the rock mass is an important factor affecting the effectiveness of gas fracturing, as it exhibits an inverse relationship with the gas content present within the rock specimen. Furthermore, the VL constant demonstrates a direct correlation with gas content, while the permeability and PL constant exhibit an inverse relationship with it. Our simulation results provide insights into the optimization of gas fracturing technology under different geological parameter conditions, offering significant guidance for its practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-Newtonian fluids can be used for the protection of flexible laminates. Under-standing the coupling between the flow of the protecting fluid and the deformation of the protected solids is necessary in order to optimize this functionality. We present a scaling analysis of the problem based on a single coupling variable, the effective width of a squeeze flow between flat rigid plates, and predict that impact protection for laminates is optimized by using shear-thinning, and not shear-thickening, fluids. The prediction is verified experimentally by measuring the velocity and pressure in impact experiments. Our scaling analysis should be generically applicable for non-Newtonian fluid--solid interactions in diverse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-inspired robots with elongated anatomy, like eels, are studied to discover anguilliform swimming principles and improve the robots’ locomotion accordingly. Soft continuum robots replicate animal–environment physics better than noncompliant, rigid, multi-body eel robots. In this study, a slender soft robot was designed and tested in an actual swimming experiment in a still-water tank. The robot employs soft pneumatic muscles laterally connected to a flexible backbone and activated with a rhythmic input. The position of seven markers mounted on the robot’s backbone was recorded using QualiSys® Tracking Manager (QTM) 1.6.0.1. The system was modeled as a fully coupled fluid–solid interaction (FSI) system using COMSOL Multiphysics® 6.1. Further data postprocessing and analysis were conducted, proposing a new mode decomposition algorithm using simulation data. Experiments show the success of swimming with a velocity of 28 mm/s and at a frequency of 0.9 Hz. The mode analysis allowed the modeling and explanation of the fluctuation. Results disclose the presence of traveling waves related to anguilliform waves obtained by the superposition of two main modes. The similarities of the results with natural anguilliform locomotion are discussed. It is concluded that soft robot undulation is ruled by dynamic modes induced by robot–environment interaction.

An improved meshfree method that considers cracking, contact behaviour and fluid–solid interaction (FSI) was developed and employed to shed light on the progressive failure of the water-resistant stratum and inrush process in a karst tunnel construction. Hydraulic fracturing tests considering different scenarios and inrush events of the field-scale Jigongling karst tunnel in three scenarios verify the feasibility of the improved meshfree method. The results indicate that the brittle fracture characteristics of the rock mass are captured accurately without grid re-meshing by improving the kernel function of the meshfree method. The complex contact behaviour of rock along the fracture surface during inrush is correctly captured through the introduction of Newton’s law-based block contact algorithms. FSI processing during inrush is accurately modelled by an improved two-phase adaptive adjacent method considering the discontinuous particles without coupling other solvers and additional artificial boundaries, which improves computational efficiency. Furthermore, the improved meshfree method simultaneously captures the fast inrush and rock failure in the Jigongling karst tunnel under varying thicknesses and strengths of water-resistant rocks and sizes of karst caves. As the thickness and strength of water-resistant rock increase, the possibility of an inrush disaster in the tunnel decreases, and a drop in the water level and an increase in the maximum flow velocity have significant delayed effects during the local inrush stage.

“Ionic wind” generators are used as the main propulsion system in ion propulsion unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Owing to the large size and poor stiffness of the electrode array in the propulsion system, the electrode array is prone to deformation under the flight load. In this work, the thrust characteristics and static aeroelastic properties of “ionic wind” propulsion systems were analyzed in detail. The simulation model for an “ionic wind” propulsion system was established by coupling a two-dimensional gas discharge model with a gas dynamics model. The influences of electrode voltage, spacing, size, and shape on the performance of the propulsion system were investigated. The fluid-solid interaction method was used to solve static aeroelastic characteristics under deformation. The aerodynamic and thrust performances of the elastic state and the rigid state were compared. It was found that the operating voltage, the distance between two electrodes, and the emitter radius had greater impacts on the thrust of the propulsion system. The propulsion system had a small contribution to the lift but a large contribution to the drag. In the elastic state, the lift coefficient accounted for 12.2%, and the drag coefficient accounted for 25.8%. Under the action of the downwash airflow from the wing, the propulsion system formed an upward moment around the center of mass, which contributed greatly to the pitching moment derivative of the whole aircraft. In the elastic state, the pitching moment derivative accounted for 29.7%. After elastic deformation, the thrust action point moved upward by 28.7 mm. Hence, the no lift pitching moment is reduced by 0.104 N·m, and the pitching moment coefficient is reduced by 0.014, causing a great impact on the longitudinal trimming of the whole aircraft.

Introduction: Glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness globally, affects more than 70 million people across the world. When initial treatments prove ineffective, especially for cases with high intraocular pressure (IOP), the preferred approach involves employing glaucoma drainage devices (GDDs).Methods: This study introduces a novel self-adjustable glaucoma drainage device (SAGDD) designed to maintain IOP within the desired biological range (10 mmHg < IOP

With brain white matter can be considered as a periodic fibrous porous medium mainly consisting of axons and interstitial fluid (ISF), the corresponding hydraulic permeability reflects the resistance of ISF flow in the extracellular space (ECS), thus playing a key role in molecular transport and drug delivery. As the ECS exhibits a typical width of 10–80 nm, the ISF flow poses a microscale flow problem with the wettability effect, which may induce a flow with a slip boundary and hence remains elusive. In this study, we idealized brain white matter as a periodic fibrous porous medium to quantify the effect of wettability on its hydraulic permeability, with fluid viscosity and slip boundary duly accounted for. We found that wettability led to enlarged hydraulic permeability by diminishing the effective viscosity and enlarging the slip length. We also found that, for the square arrangement of axons, wettability had a greater effect on perpendicular permeability relative to the parallel one, while for hexagonally arranged axons, the opposite held. Results presented in this study may provide theoretical guidance for cerebral edema treatment regimens and drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Harbin Institute of Technology. Social Sciences Edition / Haerbin Gongye Daxue Xuebao. Shehui Kexue Ban is the property of Harbin Institute of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The nonlinear pressure–flux relationship in the xylem of a conifer is attributed to the fluid–solid interaction within the bordered pits. However, the fluid–solid interactions between the torus–margo structure and the water flow within the pit lack comprehensive understanding. Herein, a fluid–solid interaction model was developed including the deformation of the torus–margo and the flow of water transportation. Nine pit samples were reconstructed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) pictures. Fluid–solid coupling models for pits in the stems of oriental arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis) were developed. The deflection of the torus was roughly proportional to the pressure difference between adjacent tracheids, while the pit resistance exhibited a considerable nonlinear increase. From 250 to 1750 Pa, the pit resistance increased from 4.1466 × 1016 Pa·s/m3 to 8.8344 × 1016 Pa·s/m3. The pit resistance decreased, and the pit's ability to regulate water flow enhanced when the pit diameter increased. Both the pit resistance and the pit's ability to regulate water decreased when the pit depth increased. The decrease in Young's modulus for the margo promoted the nonlinear pressure–flux relationship in bordered pits. The findings provide theoretical evidence for the nonlinear relationship between pressure and flux in bordered pits, as well as for the prevention of gas bubble transit through a bordered pit during tracheid cavitation. The passive hydraulic regulation of bordered pits could increase flow resistance and reduce the water flow rate in the xylem, inhibiting tree transpiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The free vibration problem of a thin nanoplate with surface energy immersed in a viscous fluid medium is investigated in this article to assess the influence of different fluids on the vibration behavior of small-scale plates. Methods: Fluid–solid interaction is modeled based on Navier-Stokes equations, and surface energy is considered to apply small-scale effects. Finally, the solution of the equation of motion of nanoplate coupled with fluid is realized using the Galerkin weighted residual method. Results and Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, fluid density has a considerable impact on the reduction of the natural frequencies of plates at small scales, whereas viscosity has a negligible effect on the system's vibrational response. Moreover, the thickness of a nanoplate is inversely proportional to the influence of surface parameters on the nanoplate vibration as well as the effect of fluid on natural frequencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advancements in particle dispersion modeling have significantly enhanced our understanding and capabilities in predicting and analyzing the behavior of particulate matter in various environments. However, this field still confronts several research gaps and challenges that span across scientific inquiry and technological applications. This paper reviews the current state of particle dispersion modeling, focusing on various models such as Lagrangian, Eulerian, Gaussian, and Box models, each with unique strengths and limitations. It highlights the importance of accurately simulating multi-phase interactions, addressing computational intensity for practical applications, and considering environmental and public health implications. Furthermore, the integration of emerging technologies like machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) presents promising avenues for future advancements. These technologies could potentially enhance model accuracy, reduce computational demands, and enable handling complex, multi-variable scenarios. The paper also emphasizes the need for real-time monitoring and predictive capabilities in particle dispersion models, which are crucial for environmental monitoring, industrial safety, and public health preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction force between fluid and particles in particulate flows is highly dependent on the rheology of fluid. In some engineering applications, like mineral processing, the rheological behaviour of the carrier fluid is characterized by a yield-pseudoplastic non-Newtonian model. The immersed boundary method (IBM) is a numerical strategy to simulate the interaction between phases in the particulate systems using a Cartesian fixed grid. It imposes the solid boundary condition in the computational domain through a modification (e.g. a forcing term) in the governing equations. However, there is still little study in the literature discussing the applicability of different IBMs to yield-pseudoplastic flows. In this paper, the numerical methodology in several versions of immersed boundary methods, including the Volume Penalization IBM (VP-IBM), Indirect Imposition of Discrete Forcing IBM (ID-IBM), and Direct Imposition of Discrete Forcing (DD-IBM), is described. The numerical implementation of the methods is first validated using Newtonian benchmark cases. Then the solvers are utilized for the simulation of yield-pseudoplastic cases with stationary or moving particles. The investigation shows that in the explicit forcing methods, like VP-IBM and ID-IBM, the forcing procedure is conducted using an intermediate solution over the entire computational domain. The dependence of viscosity to strain rate in non-Newtonian cases leads to an inevitable sharp change in viscosity near the solid surface, giving rise to stiffness of the intermediate solution in the interface region. This makes the explicit forcing approaches based on intermediate solution incompatible with the flows with non-Newtonian yield-pseudoplastic rheology. On the other hand, the implicit forcing used in DD-IBM directly implements the boundary conditions on the boundary cells, making this method free from the perturbations related to the highly viscous solid region. In this regard, the simulation with the Direct Imposition IBMs like ghost-cell shows a good agreement between the predicted results and the experimental measurements for the stationary/moving cases. Therefore, it is shown that the DD-IBM is a reliable approach to modelling non-Newtonian flows. • Investigation on the applicability of different immersed boundary methods to a yield-pseudoplastic flow. • Developing numerical solvers based on the most common immersed boundary methods such as VP-IBM, ID-IBM, and DD-IBM. • Fundamental accuracy issues in VP-IBM and ID-IBM for non-Newtonian flows due to their dependence on an intermediate solution. • Superior performance by the implicit forcing approach implemented in the DD-IBM solver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the immersed boundary method, a resolved CFD-DEM algorithm is proposed to tackle fluid-solid interaction problems which widely exist. In the proposed method, the fluid filed is described by the computational fluid dynamics in the Eulerian framework, while the movement and collision of the solids are simulated by the discrete element method in the Lagrangian framework. In order to deal with the moving interfaces between the fluid and the solids, several immersed boundary points are allocated on the boundaries of the solids. Two classic test cases are calculated to verify the accuracy of the proposed method, including the vortex-induced vibration of a cylinder and the rotational galloping of a rectangular rigid body. Good agreements are achieved between the current results and those in previous references and the reliability of the present method in modelling the fluid-solid interaction problems are proved. Finally, the sedimentation of multiple solids is simulated and the ability of the proposed CFD-DEM method in solving the complex fluid field and the collision among the solids with arbitrary shapes are verified.

As a short-process hydrometallurgical technology, slurry electrolysis (SE) collects the stirring that improves the suspension of ore, the membrane bag that acts as purifying, and the cathodic and anodic plates that promote ion migration in one tank. The stirring helps to maintain the ore suspended. As the SE tank is stirred, the membrane bag will deform and become damaged, severely limiting production efficiency. In this research, the one-way fluid-structure interaction (FSI) was used to examine the impact of the solid–liquid suspension on membrane deformation, which was based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and solid finite element method (FEM). Through the full 3D quantitative analysis, the database of membrane deformation under various conditions was established. The membrane was extruded to the center during the initial stirring conditions, and the greatest deformation measured 891.66 mm. Primarily, membrane deformation was brought on by the pressure differential brought on by liquid velocity, solid concentration distribution, and liquid level. The maximum deformation of the membrane first decreased and then increased with the increased liquid level difference between the cathode and anode. With the upper fixed constraint, the maximum deformation of the membrane appears at y = 1.2 m. The larger the stirring speed is, the smaller the optimal liquid level difference required to minimize the membrane deformation. The stirring speed changes the overall pressure distribution by changing the dynamic pressure in the anode domain. The maximum deformation of the membrane decreases first and then increases with the increase of electrolyte density in the cathode domain. The membrane bag is extruded to the cathode domain when the pressure in the cathode region is insufficient because of the low electrolyte density in the cathode domain. When the cathode pressure increases, the membrane bag bulges to both sides, and the inner bulge is greater than the outer. With an increase in solid volume concentration (SL) in the anode domain, the maximum membrane deformation first reduces and subsequently increases. When SL = 15%, the membrane deformation reaches the minimum value of 226.7 mm. The closer to the bottom of the tank, the greater the influence of solid content on absolute pressure. The maximum membrane deformation is drastically decreased to 0.664 mm when the frame restrictions are considered. It can support the industrial control process via visual analysis.

In this paper, the fluid–solid interaction problem involving structural movement and deformation is considered, and an SPH (smoothed particle hydrodynamics) interaction method is proposed to establish a numerical fluid–solid model and to correct the particle velocities in the momentum conservation equations. It is found that, when the smoothing coefficient is equal to 0.93, the similarity of the free surface curves reaches up to 91.9%, and calculations are more accurate. Under the same working conditions, the classical model of elastic sluice discharge is established based on the SPH method and the finite element method, and the validity and accuracy of the model based on the SPH method are verified by analyzing the flow pattern of the sluice discharge, the opening of the elastic gate, and the change trend in the free liquid surface curve. On this basis, a number of characteristic points on the sluice gate are selected based on the SPH model to investigate the change rule of pressure at the fluid–solid interface, and the results are as follows: (1) based on the numerical model established by the SPH method, the flow pattern of the water, the opening of the elastic gate, and the change in the free liquid level curve are all in better agreement with the experimental results in the literature than those of the finite element method, and the computational results are also better; (2) the pressure of the solid on the fluid at each characteristic point is equal to the pressure of the fluid on the solid, which satisfies the principle of action–reaction and laterally verifies the nature of the dynamic boundary between the fluid and the solid, further verifying the validity of the program; and (3) in the process of sluice discharge, the elastic sluice presents a large force at both ends and a small force in the middle, meaning that the related research in this paper can act as a reference for flow–solid interaction problems related to sluice discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the first results using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), a mesh-free technique, to simulate underwater vehicle motion with the goal of achieving sufficient physical realism and computation time performance capabilities. The objective is not to get very accurate values for the hydrodynamic parameters, but to show that SPH can simulate hydrodynamic parameters with the same order of magnitude as the reference, in order to allow a realistic control of robots in water. First, spherical objects are simulated to check buoyancy realism, speed limit existence, and hydrodynamic parameters in comparison with reference values. Then, horizontal and vertical movements of a capsule-shape object and a real torpedo-shape underwater robot are compared. The results show that buoyancy is respected, and that spherical objects reach a speed limit in accordance with the laws of physics. In addition, added-mass is simulated with 20 % variation on average with respect to the reference and varies homothetically with respect to the object's size. In contrast, drag forces cannot not be simulated with the same level of realism without reducing the particle size, which makes the simulation last longer. SPH for underwater robotics simulation appears to be promising, and ways of further improvements are being considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]