A 2D Loosely Coupled Model of a Vertical Wedge

Fluid-structure interactions are a fundamental problem in the context of naval vehicles and are increasingly challenging to examine when structures are highly deformable. A partitioned, loosely-coupled procedure is used to numerically predict the dynamics of a thin, flexible plate subjected to water entry. The fluid subdomain is solved using a nonlinear hydrodynamic model based on Vorus (1996) and later expanded on by Xu (1998) and Judge (2000). The model is often viewed as a computationally practical compromise between the exact solution to the nonlinear, ideal flow boundary-value problem and the Wagner (1932) family of asymptotic theories. The structural subdomain is solved using a finite element plate model formulated for large, dynamic displacements. Material nonlinearities are not considered in this work, but the elastic modulus will be varied as a function of time to study the impact of stiffness control on plate dynamics. Validation of the water entry portion of the code will be performed against existing experimental data for a pair of plates forming a V-shaped wedge. These will be conducted for two types of boundary conditions: (1) closed boxed, fixed on all edges, and (2) cantilevered, fixed on one edge and free on all other edges.