A Virtual Boundary Method for Simulation of Flow Over Swimming Strings

Abstract

In the present study, we propose a virtual boundary method for simulation of massive inextensible flexible strings immersed in viscous fluid flow. The fluid motion is governed by the Navier-Stokes equations and a momentum forcing is added in order to bring the fluid to move at the same velocity with the immersed surface. A massive inextensible flexible string model is described by another set of equations with an additional momentum forcing which is a result of the fluid viscosity and the pressure difference across the string. The momentum forcing is calculated by a feedback loop. Simulations of several numerical examples are carried out, inlcuding a hanging string which starts moving under gravity without ambient fluid, a string swimming within a uniform flow and a uniform flow over two side-by side strings. The numerical results agree well with the theoretical analysis and previous experimental observations. Preliminary results of a swimming elongated fishlike body will also be presented.