Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian finite element analysis of free surface flow

An Arbitary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) description of Newtonian fluid flow is presented. It allows the simulation of free surfaces with the finite element method (FEM). We develop a robust node-repositioning algorithm, which consists of two parts. An energy minimization principle controls the positions of the internal nodes, A good approximation of the boundaries is ensured by explicitly enforcing the free surface conditions. Numerical examples are done employing the MINI element. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.