Quasi-Eulerian formulation for fluid-structure interaction

In this paper, recent developments of a quasi-Eulerian finite element formulation for the treatment of the fluid in fluid-structure interaction problems are described. The present formulation is applicable both to plane two-dimensional and axisymmetric three-dimensional problems. In order to reduce the noise associated with the convection terms, an amplification factor is used to implement an up-winding type scheme. The application of the method is illustrated in two problems which are of importance in nuclear reactor safety: 1. A two-dimensional model of a cross section of a subassembly configuration, where the quasi-Eulerian formulation is used to model the fluid adjacent to the structures and in the channel between the subassemblies. 2. Pressure transients in a straight pipe, where the axisymmetric formulation is used to model the fluid in the pipe. These results are compared to experimental results for these problems and compare quite well. The major problem in the application of these methods appears to be the automation of the scheme for moving the fluid nodes. Several alternative schemes are used in the problems described here, and a more general scheme which appears to offer a reasonable (orig.)