Height functions for applying contact angles to 3D VOF simulations

A rigorous methodology is presented for applying a contact angle as a contact line boundary condition within a 3D volume-of-fluid-based flow algorithm, based on the recently developed height function methodology that yields accurate interface normals and curvatures from volume fractions. We demonstrate that the approach yields accurate estimates Of Curvature and surface tension at a contact line, values that converge with spatial refinement. We then study the efficacy of this approach via examples of both static and dynamic contact line phenomena. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.