Assessment and improvement of mapping algorithms for non-matching meshes and geometries in computational FSI

This paper investigates data mapping between non-matching meshes and geometries in fluid-structure interaction. Mapping algorithms for surface meshes including nearest element interpolation, the standard mortar method and the dual mortar method are studied and comparatively assessed. The inconsistency problem of mortar methods at curved edges of fluid-structure-interfaces is solved by a newly developed enforcing consistency approach, which is robust enough to handle even the case that fluid boundary facets are totally not in contact with structure boundary elements due to high fluid refinement. Besides, tests with representative geometries show that the mortar methods are suitable for conservative mapping but it is better to use the nearest element interpolation in a direct way, and moreover, the dual mortar method can give slight oscillations. This work also develops a co-rotating mapping algorithm for 1D beam elements. Its novelty lies in the ability of handling large displacements and rotations.