Adaptive embedded and immersed unstructured grid techniques

Embedded mesh, immersed body or fictitious domain techniques have been used for many years as a way to discretize geometrically complex domains with structured grids. The use of such techniques within adaptive, unstructured grid solvers is relatively recent. The combination of body-fitted functionality for some portion of the domain, together with embedded mesh or immersed body functionality for another portion of the domain offers great advantages, which are increasingly being exploited. The present paper reviews the methodologies pursued so far, addresses implementational issues and shows the possibilities such techniques offer. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.