Coupled Problems in Mechanics

5. lab

Fluid-stucture interaction (FSI) - Deformation of a gasket in a flow field

A channel containing a rubber gasket is subjected to water flowing with inlet velocity of vin = 0.35 m/s. The
gasket deforms due to the fluid pressure. The deflection is significant enough to affect the flow field. The
example defines a small fluid region around the gasket used by a fluid physics environment (so called
morphing fluid, which is a user defined region around the gasket). The fluid mesh here will deform and be
updated as the gasket deforms.

Objective:
The objective of the problem is to determine the pressure drop, the resulting flow field, gasket deflection and
equivalent (von Mises) stress distribution in the gasket under steady-state conditions.

Steps:
Build a model of the entire domain of the fluid-structural entity to be
analyzed, this includes three regions:
(a) gasket
(b) small fluid region around the gasket that requires
mesh morphing
(c) remaining fluid region.

By solving a structural analysis in the structural region, one obtains

the gasket displacement that is needed to morph the small region
around the gasket.
Use the morphed mesh in a subsequent fluid analysis.

Note!
The fluid analysis uses null type elements for the gasket and the structural analysis uses null type
elements for the fluid.
The are commands, which are available from the GUI, and there are some commands (for example
do-loop for the FLOTRAN run) which are advised to be typed into the command line!
First step: swich off element shape checking! (type into command line: shpp,off)

1.Basic inputs

Element types
Physical entity Prompt command GUI command
Fluid et,1,141 Main Menu>Preprocessor>Element Type>Add/Edit/Delete>
Flotran CFD: 2D Flotran 141 (FLUID141)
Gasket et,2,182 Main Menu>Preprocessor>Element Type>Add/Edit/Delete>
Structural>Solid>4node182 (PLANE182)
Geometry Value [m] Description
parameter
yent 0 Y coordinate of the
entrance to the channel
dyen 1 Undeformed geometry
flow entrance length
ysf1 = yent + dyen 1 Y coordinate of
entrance to the
morphing fluid region
dsf1 0.5 Thickness of upstream
ygas = ysf1 + dsf1 1.5 Y coordinate of the
bottom of the gasket
dg 0.02 Thickness of the gasket
dg2=dg/2 0.01 Half of thickness of the
gasket
ytg = ygas + dg 1.52 Y coordinate of the
initial top of the gasket
dsf2 0.5 Thickness of
downstream region
ysf2 = ytg + dsf2 2.02 Y of Top of the
downstream morphing
fluids region
dyex 6 Exit fluid length
x 0 Location of the
centerline
dgasr 0.2 Initial span of gasket
piper 0.3 Width of the analysis
domain
xrgap = piper - dgasr 0.1 Width of completely
unobtructed flow
passage
rarc = dg2*1.1 0.011 Radius of arc

Create areas
Prompt command GUI command
Gasket rectng,xrgap,piper,ygas,ytg
Morphing fluid region rectng,x,piper,ysf1,ysf2 Main Menu>Preprocessor>Modeling>
Upstream fluid region rectng,x,piper,yent,ysf1 Create>Areas>Rectangle>By Dimensions
Downstream fluid region rectng,x,piper,ysf2,ysf2+dyex
Create nose of gasket
Overlap areas aovlap,all Main Menu>Preprocessor>Modeling>
Operate>Booleans>Overlap>Areas
Keypoint at center of k,22,xrgap+dg2,ygas+dg2 Main Menu>Preprocessor>Modeling>
curvature of the arc Create>Keypoints>In Active CS
Create arc larc,1,4,22,rarc Main Menu>Preprocessor>Modeling>
Create>Line>Arcs>ByEndKPs&Rad
Create nose area of gasket al,6,4 Main Menu>Preprocessor>Modeling>
Create>Areas>Arbitrary>By Lines
Delete old area around adele,7 Main Menu>Preprocessor>Modeling>
gasket Delete>Areas Only
Create new area around al,6,3,22,7,8,5,21,1 Main Menu>Preprocessor>Modeling>
gasket Create>Areas>Arbitrary>By Lines

Mesh parameters (Recommended to write into command line!)

Parameter Value [-] Description

ngap 10 Number elements across the gap
ngas 10 Number of elements along the gasket
rgas -2 Spacing ratio along gasket
nflu = ngap+ngas 20 Number of elements across the fluid region
raflu -3 Space fluid elements near the walls and center
nenty 8 Elements along flow - entrance
raent 5 Size ratio in the inlet region
nfl1 20 Elements along flow - first morphing fluid
nfl11= nfl1*2+9 49
nthgas 4 Elements in the gasket
nfl2 3 Elements along flow - second morphing fluid
next 30 Elements along flow - exit region
rext 6 Size ratio in flow direction of outlet
rafls 12 Initial element spacing ratio morphing fluid

GUI command: Main Menu>Preprocessor>Meshing>

Size Cntrls>ManualSize>Lines>Picked Lines:
NDIV=ngas, SPACE=ngas on line

(Recommended to write into command line!)

Set mesh options for lines
lesize,1,,,ngas,rgas
lesize,3,,,ngas,rgas
lsel,s,,,2,4,2
lesize,all,,,nthgas
alls
Bottom of gasket
Top of gasket
Left side of morphing fluid
Note: modify lesize of line 8 if
changing gasket mesh!

lesize,5,,,nflu,raflu
lesize,7,,,nflu,raflu
Horizontal region boundaries
lesize,9,,,nflu,raflu
lesize,15,,,nflu,raflu
lesize,18,,,nenty,1./raent
Side of upstream region
lesize,17,,,nenty,1./raent
lesize,21,,,nfl1,rafls Right side of morphing fluid
lesize,8,,,nfl11,-1./(rafls+3) Left side of morphing fluid
lesize,22,,,nfl1,rafls Right side of morphing fluid
lesize,19,,,next,rext
Sides of downstream region
lesize,20,,,next,rext

Area attributes, mesh

Region Type Mat Real
Set attributes for areas, assign attribute numbers to distinguish
Gasket 2 2 2
element types, material properties and real constants.
Fluid 1 1 1
asel,s,,,1,2
Main Menu>Preprocessor>Meshing>Mesh Attributes>Picked Areas: Gasket (mat. 2)
aatt,2,2,2
asel,s,,,3 Main Menu>Preprocessor>Meshing>Mesh Attributes>Picked Areas: Fluid area (mat. 1)
cm,area2,area
alist (List area selected for further morphing)
asel,a,,,5,6
aatt,1,1,1 Main Menu>Preprocessor>Meshing>Mesh Attributes>Picked Areas: Fluid area (mat. 1)
alls
eshape,2
asel,u,,,2,3
amesh,all
Main Menu>Preprocessor>Meshing>Mesh>Areas>Free
eshape,0
asel,s,,,2,3
amesh,all
Write element plot into file (necessary for the FLOTRAN-run)
Recommended to write into command line!
asel,s,,,1,3
esla,s
/Title, Initial mesh for gasket and neighborhood
eplot
/ZOOM,1,RECT,0.3,-0.6,0.4,-0.5
alls

2. Create Physics Environment for the Fluid

Element types and material properties are to be defined for the fluid region according to:
Region Type Mat Real Prompt command GUI command
Gasket Null type (0) none none et,2,0 Write into command line!
Fluid FLUID141 Viscosity, none et,1,141 Main Menu>Preprocessor>
density Element Type>Add/Edit/Delete

CFD Solution Control

flda,solu,flow,1 Main Menu>Preprocessor>FLOTRAN Set UP>Solution Options/
FLOW = Yes (Solve flow equation)
Activate turbulence option:
flda,solu,turb,1 Main Menu>Preprocessor>FLOTRAN Set UP>Solution Options/TURB = Turbulent
Number of iterations in the initial FLOTRAN analysis:
flda,iter,exec,400 Main Menu>Preprocessor>FLOTRAN Set UP>Exectution Ctrl/EXEC = 400 (Global
iterations)
flda,outp,sumf,10 Main Menu>Preprocessor>FLOTRAN Set UP>Exectution Ctrl/SUMF = 10 (Output
summary frequency)

CFD Property Information

flda,prot,dens,constant Main Menu>Preprocessor>FLOTRAN Set UP>Fluid Properties/Density =
Constant
flda,prot,visc,constant Main Menu>Preprocessor>FLOTRAN Set UP>Fluid Properties/Viscousity =
Constant>OK
flda,nomi,dens,1000. Density property constant value = 1000 [kg/m3] for water
flda,nomi,visc,4.6E-4 Viscousity property constant value = 4.6e-4 [kg s/m] of water
Tighten pressure equation convergence
flda,conv,pres,1.E-8 Main Menu>Preprocessor>FLOTRAN Set UP>Additional Out>Print
Controls/CONV = 1e-8
CFD Boundary Conditions (Applied to Solid Model)
Assign appropriate nominal fluid boundary conditions and loads according to the figure. Inlet velocity of
water is vin=3.5e-1 [m/s]
GUI command: Main Menu>Preprocessor>Loads>Define Loads>Apply>Fluid/CFD>Velocity>On Lines
lsel,s,,,8,17,9
lsel,a,,,20 Centerline symmetry
dl,all,,vx,0.,1
lsel,s,,,9
dl,all,,vx,0.,1 Inlet velocity condition
dl,all,,vy,vin,1
lsel,s,,,2
lsel,a,,,18,19
lsel,a,,,21,22 Outer wall
dl,all,,vx,0.,1
dl,all,,vy,0.,1
lsel,s,,,1,3,2
lsel,a,,,6
Gasket
dl,all,,vx,0.,1
dl,all,,vy,0.,1

GUI com.: Main Menu>Preprocessor>Loads>Define Loads>Apply>Fluid/CFD>Pressure DoF>On Lines

lsel,s,,,15 Outlet pressure
dl,15,,pres,0.,1 condition

Create named component of nodes at the bottom of gasket (necessary for the FLOTRAN-run)
Select the nodes associated with this line and then name them "gasket."
Recommended to write into command line!
lsel,s,,,1
nsll,,1
cm,gasket,node
nlist

Write the fluid physics environment to a file

/title,Fluid Analysis
Main Menu> Preprocessor> Physics> Environment> Write
physics,write,fluid,fluid
3. Create Physics Environment for the Structure

Clear away all the information specified for the fluid environment in preparation for defining the structures
environment.
physics,clear Main Menu> Preprocessor> Physics> Environment> Clear

Change the element types

Change the element types for the regions from fluid to structural by reassigning the element type numbers
and KEYOPT options as follows (specify the null element type (0) for the fluid region, because it is not
required for the structural physics environment):
Region Type Mat Real Prompt GUI command
command
Gasket PLANE182 Mooney- none et,2,182 Main Menu>Preprocessor>Element Type>
Rivlin Add/Edit/Delete:Structural/Solid/4 node 182
Fluid Null type (0) none none et,1,0 Write into command line

Structural properties
Define structural properties for each physics region required for the structural analysis
keyopt,2,3,2 Main Menu> Preprocessor> Element Types/Options/Element behaviour: Plane stress
keyopt,2,6,1 Main Menu> Preprocessor> Element Types/Options/Element formulation: Mixed u-P
keyopt,2,1,2 Main Menu> Preprocessor> Element Types/Options/Element technology: Enhanced strain

Write into command line for material properties of Mooney-Rivlin

tb,hyper,2,,2,mooney
tbdata,1,0.293E+6,0.177E+6, (1.0-2.0*0.49967)/(0.293E+6+0.177E+6)

Boundary conditions
Apply boundary conditions to the structure according to figure, fix the end of the gasket.
lsel,s,,,2
nsll,,1
d,all,ux,
Main Menu>Preprocessor>Loads>Define Loads>
0
Apply>Structural>Displacement>On Lines
d,all,uy,
0
alls
Define load step and solution options
antype,static Main Menu>Preprocessor>Solution>Analysis Type>New Analysis/Static
nlgeom,on Main Menu>Preprocessor>Solution>Analysis Type>
Sol'n Controls/Basic/Large Displacement Static
cnvtol,f,,,,-1 Main Menu>Preprocessor>Solution>Analysis Type>
Sol'n Controls/Nonlinear/Set conv. criteria/Replace/Force convergence/MINREF = -1

Write the structural physics environment to a file and clear it afterwards

physics,write,struc,struc Main Menu> Preprocessor> Physics> Environment> Write
physics,clear Main Menu> Preprocessor> Physics> Environment> Clear
Save db Save db

4. Fluid/Structure Solution Loop

Available .txt-file containing the FLOTRAN fluid-structure solution loop: gasket_flotran_to_run.txt
The maximum gasket displacement (MGD) is the overall convergence monitor. When the MGD change
between two consecutive structural executions is less than the tolerance value, the case is terminated.
The initial FLOTRAN analysis should be executed until well converged. Subsequent analyses will restart
from this solution and should not need nearly as many global iterations to converge. Also, the second and
subsequent structural analyses will restart.
After each structural analysis, mesh morphing is executed to move the nodes in the small fluid region around
the gasket to conform to the structural displacements. These new node locations are inputs for the subsequent
flow analysis. For a proper structural solution and further morphing, all nodes must be returned to their
original positions before applying the updated pressures from a flow analysis.

Steps of the FLOTRAN do-loop

1. Read in the fluid physics environment.
2. Change any FLOTRAN parameters necessary (e.g., the number of global iterations requested.)
3. Run FLOTRAN
4. Read in the structural environment
5. Perform /ASSIGN as necessary for restarting the structural run
6. Put the nodes back to their original positions for the subsequent nonlinear structural analysis and
future morphing
7. Restart the analysis
8. Select nodes/elements to which pressure loads from the FLOTRAN analysis will be applied
9. Apply pressure surface load from Flotran
10. Set option to not use multiframe restart files
11. Solve the structural analysis and save the database on the first step for further resume
12. Perform mesh morphing in the small fluid region around the gasket
13. Evaluate the mesh motion compared to the last time. List the nodal coordinates.
14. Check convergence by comparing consecutive maximum gasket displacement (MGD) values
5. Results
The fluid-structure solution loop was executed until the convergence criteria were met. A convergence
tolerance of 0.5% was used. For the first analysis, 400 global iterations were sufficient to converge the
FLOTRAN solution. In the Fluid Structure interaction loop, the number of iterations was set to 100 for the
remaining FLOTRAN runs.

Results for structural analysis

physics,read,struc Main Menu>Solution>Physics>Environment>Read
/post1 Main Menu>General Postproc>Read results>Last set
set,last
Return original node positions changed by morphing :
upcoord,-1 Main Menu> Solution> Load Step Opts> Other> Updt Node Coord

To display: Stress distribution, Deformed shape

The peak stress in the final analysis is approximately 25%

less than the peak stress in the first analysis. This indicates
that considering the effect of the displaced geometry on the
flow field made a significant difference.

Results for flow field

physics,read,fluid Main Menu>Preprocessor>Physics>Environment>Read (Browse through
defined files)
/post1 Main Menu>General Postproc>Read results>Last set
set,last

To display: Streamlines Pressure distribution (Contour plot)