Lattice Boltzmann Reference Map Technique: An Eulerian Lattice Boltzmann Framework for Fluid–Structure Interaction

Abstract: Computational approaches have become essential for complementing experimental and theoretical methods in the study of fluid–structure interaction (FSI). In this talk, I will present the lattice Boltzmann reference map technique (LBRMT), a fully Eulerian method for simulating FSI.

The LBRMT builds on the reference map technique (RMT), which models large deformations of finite-strain solids on a fixed grid and couples it with the lattice Boltzmann (LB) method for the fluid phase so that both solid and fluid are updated on the same computational grid. Beyond the tractability of Eulerian simulation and the parallelizable structure of the LB update, representing both phases with a single global velocity field makes the LBRMT well-suited to multi-body contact problems involving complex geometries.

Through a range of LBRMT simulations, I will showcase its adaptability for various FSI scenarios, such as collective behavior in active and soft matter. I will close by discussing our current work extending the LBRMT to be automatically differentiable, and its potential for inverse design in FSI-driven engineering and design.

Bio: Yue Sun is a Van Vleck Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She received her Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Harvard University in 2024. As a paper marbler, she also studies the fluid dynamics of this ancient art form. Her video on the hydrodynamics of marbling art won the 2023 APS/DFD Gallery of Fluid Motion Milton Van Dyke Award.

Series: See all upcoming talks at LANS Seminars.