Pyroclastic Density Currents (PDCs) and Debris flows
Insert introduction/problem statementThe Breaking Dam Problem
The breaking dam problem is a two-dimensional free surface solution in which a viscous, incompressible fluid within a box is released upon the removal of the confining boundary, allowing the fluid to spread. The process can be modeled for various types of viscous flow, and is is supported by numerical solutions used in fluid dynamics (Harlow and Welch, 1965). The breaking dam problem has served as useful tool in many benchmarking assessments of free surface flow. Particle based simulations provide us with an excellent way to represent granular based fluid dynamics. The breaking dam problem illlustrates a simple analogue to particle-particle interactions that are relevant for granular flows.
Liquidfun
Liquid fun is two-dimensional physics and fluid simulator library based on Box2D. The library is compiled using C++, and the output provdes an animation of physical bodies that makes object and particles move using real physical properties. Liquid fun is an extension of Box2D, whereas Box2D was originally created as a 2D rigid body physics engine, written and compiled by Erin Catto. The project is currently managed through Google, and can be built for many systems, including Android, iOS, Windows, OS X, Linux, and Javascript. The latest releases, source code, and additional info about Liquid fun can be found by clicking this link
PDC flow modeleling
The research supporting Pyroclastic Density Current (PDC) related hazard assessment is becoming more reliable. The difficulty associated with studying these flows is their large spectrum of flow regimes, and behavior. Each flow is independent, based on their chemical physical composition, surrounding geometries, particle concentrations, and interactions. The ambiguity of these variables, which are also inconsistent between individual events, makes it incredibly difficult to establish a common solution, regardless of their succession or location. In order to approach this problem, we are able to use what we do know about PDCs, and information that we believe controls some of these interactions, to develop a model that can be built to satisfy these conditions. More
Breaking Dam in Liquid Fun
Liquidfun utilizes the physical constraints required to model complex particle interactions. The program operates so that particles are capable of interacting with their environment, and adjacent particles. This process is fundamental to effective partical simulations, especially since these interactions can be used to explain granular flow regimes. While liquidfun's original purpose wasn't to solve complex fluid dynamics problems, the well-developed physics engine is more than capable of satisfying some of the validating criteria for a successful model.
The breaking dam problem, as described above, serves as an excellent benchmarking tool for granular-based fluid flow.
dvanced modeling techniques aim to succcessfully integrate the complex theoretical methods of granular based particle interactions into mathmatically significant initial and boundary conditions. While Liquidfun wasn't originally designed to solve complex fluid dynamics problems,