A B-Spline Based BEM for Unsteady Free-Surface Flows

Fully nonlinear free-surface flows are numerically studied in the framework of the potential theory. The problem is formulated in terms of boundary integral equations which are solved by means of an arbitrary high-order boundary element method based on B-Spline representation of both the geometry and the fluid dynamic variables along the domain boundary. The solution is stepped forward in time either by following Lagrangian points attached to the free surface or by a less conventional scheme in which evolution equations for the B-Spline coefficients are integrated in time. Numerical examples for inner and outer free-surface flows are shown. The accuracy of the numerical solution is assessed either by checking mass and energy conservation or by comparing with reference solutions. Good results are generally obtained. Extended use of the developed algorithm to more applied problems in the context of naval hydrodynamics is now under development.