The article «A fully Lagrangian formulation for fluid-structure interaction problems with free-surface flows and fracturing solids» coauthored by CIMNE scientists Alejandro Cornejo, Alessandro Franci, Francisco Zárate and Eugenio Oñate has been awarded the Bathe Award 2023 by the Computers & Structures journal as the best article for the period 2021-2022.
The paper aimed at solving highly complex physical phenomena such as wave impacts against civil structures in a fully coupled way. In this regard, it was necessary to model free-surface flows, interaction with solid interfaces, fracturing solids that can experience large displacements and rotations and contact between debris and/or detached blocks.
In order to be able to solve efficiently this challenging multi-physics problem, several Lagrangian approaches were fully coupled for the first time: PFEM for fluids, FEM and damage with element removal for fracturing solids and DEM for modelling debris and frictional contact.
