Fully nonlinear simulation for fluid/structure impact: A review

This paper presents a review of the work on fluid/structure impact based on inviscid and imcompressible liquid and irrotational flow. The focus is on the velocity potential theory together with boundary element method (BEM). Fully nonlinear boundary conditions are imposed on the unknown free surface and the wetted surface of the moving body. The review includes (1) vertical and oblique water entry of a body at constant or a prescribed varying speed, as well as free fall motion, (2) liquid droplets or column impact as well as wave impact on a body, (3) similarity solution of an expanding body. It covers two dimensional (2D), axisymmetric and three dimensional (3D) cases. Key techniques used in the numerical simulation are outlined, including mesh generation on the multivalued free surface, the stretched coordinate system for expanding domain, the auxiliary function method for decoupling the mutual dependence of the pressure and the body motion, and treatment for the jet or the thin liquid film developed during impact.