A finite-element/boundary-element method for large-displacement fluid-structure interaction

We present a combined finite-element/boundary-element method to simulate inflation processes, characterized by a light, folded structure enveloping a viscous fluid. The application of the boundary-element method to approximate the flow allows for automatic evolution of the problem domain according to the kinematic condition. Moreover, it provides an intrinsic mechanism to treat the ubiquitous self-contact, common to inflation problems. We numerically verify that self-contact is indeed prevented and demonstrate the versatility and robustness of this method. Keywords: fluid-structure interaction, inflatable structures, boundary element method, strong coupling, Stokes flow