NUMERICAL FLUID MECHANICS

Graphs showing numerical modeling of the following fluid phenomena: lock exchange, warm rising bubble, lid-driven
cavity flow, and double-gyre. (Image courtesy of Prof. Pierre Lermusiaux.)---
Gráficos que muestran el modelado numérico de los siguientes fenómenos de fluidos: intercambio de
bloqueo, burbuja ascendente cálida, flujo de cavidad impulsado por la tapa y doble giro. (Imagen cortesía
del Prof. Pierre Lermusiaux.)

Course Description
This course is an introduction to numerical methods and MATLAB®: Errors, condition numbers and roots of
equations. Topics covered include Navier-Stokes; direct and iterative methods for linear systems; finite
differences for elliptic, parabolic and hyperbolic equations; Fourier decomposition, error analysis and
stability; high-order and compact finite-differences; finite volume methods; time marching methods; Navier-
Stokes solvers; grid generation; finite volumes on complex geometries; finite element methods; spectral
methods; boundary element and panel methods; turbulent flows; boundary layers; and Lagrangian
coherent structures (LCSs).
Prof. Pierre Lermusiaux is very grateful to the teaching assistants Dr. Matt Ueckermann, Dr. Tapovan
Lolla, Mr. Jing Lin, and Mr. Arpit Agarwal for their contributions to the course over the years.

Este curso es una introducción a los métodos numéricos y MATLAB®: Errores, números de
condición y raíces de ecuaciones. Los temas cubiertos incluyen Navier-Stokes; métodos directos e
iterativos para sistemas lineales; diferencias finitas para ecuaciones elípticas, parabólicas e
hiperbólicas; Descomposición de Fourier, análisis de errores y estabilidad; de alto orden y
compactas diferencias finitas; métodos de volumen finito; métodos de marcha del tiempo;
Solucionadores de Navier-Stokes; generación de red; volúmenes finitos en geometrías complejas;
métodos de elementos finitos; métodos espectrales; método de límite y métodos de panel; flujos
turbulentos; capas límite; y estructuras coherentes lagrangianas (LCS).

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: Two sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session
Recitations: One session / week, 1 hour / session
Students are strongly encouraged to attend lectures and recitations.
Description
This course is an introduction to numerical methods and MATLAB®: Errors, condition numbers and roots of
equations. Topics covered include Navier-stokes; direct and iterative methods for linear systems; finite
differences for elliptic, parabolic and hyperbolic equations; Fourier decomposition, error analysis and
stability; high-order and compact finite-differences; finite volume methods; time marching methods; Navier-
stokes solvers; grid generation; finite volumes on complex geometries; finite element methods; spectral
methods; boundary element and panel methods; turbulent flows; boundary layers; and Lagrangian
coherent structures (LCSs).

Prerequisites
18.075 Advanced Calculus for Engineers
and any of these courses in fluid dynamics:
2.006 Thermal-Fluids Engineering II
2.06 Fluid Dynamics
2.016 Hydrodynamics
2.20 Marine Hydrodynamics
2.25 Advanced Fluid Mechanics

Objectives
1. To introduce and develop the main approaches and techniques which constitute the basis of
numerical fluid mechanics for engineers and applied scientists.
2. To familiarize students with the numerical implementation of these techniques and numerical
schemes, so as to provide them with the means to write their own codes and software, and so acquire
the knowledge necessary for the skillful utilization of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) packages or
other more complex software.
3. To cover a range of modern approaches for numerical and computational fluid dynamics, without
entering all these topics in detail, but aiming to provide students with a general knowledge and
understanding of the subject, including recommendations for further studies.

Grading
ACTIVITIES PERCENTAGES

Homework Assignments (5% x

30%
6 Assignments)

Quizzes (2 Quizzes) 40%

Final Project 30%

Homework Assignments
Six problem sets will be given. Homework assignments will be posted on the course. They will be due one
to two weeks later, depending on the class schedule and holidays. To receive credit, you must hand in
your solutions on the due date, before 5 PM. No late submissions will be accepted without prior
permission.

Solutions to the assignments will normally be available after 5 PM on the due date, and will be posted on
the course web page. Graded problem sets will be available in class or upon request; at the next class or
within one week after the problem set's due date.

While some assignments need a considerable amount of coding we will not always request that you attach
or provide your codes. However, students must be ready to present the teaching stuff with a clear and
operational code.

Collaboration Policy
We encourage students to work with each other on the homework assignments, but we do not condone
copying. Make your own honest collaborative efforts to contribute to the solution and, based on your own
understanding, write up the answers in your own words and style. If you worked closely with other students
on a given homework assignment and feel that your understanding was substantially influenced by the
mutual learning process, you should cite the names of those students with whom you worked.

Coding and Software

MATLAB and Python are selected as the course basic coding software. You can use other software with
prior approval but you may have a tougher time. While MATLAB and Python might not be the fastest
option for "Run Time," it often helps to concentrate on the algorithms themselves rather than on the
"coding" of basic and elementary steps.
MATLAB software is required to run the .m files found on this course site. Other files can be viewed with
text readers or common software.

Quizzes
There will be two quizzes during the term. These will be closed-book. The necessary material and
equation sheets will be provided prior to each quiz. Review sessions will be conducted in the evening, a
few days before each quiz.

Final Project
There will be a final project for this class. Students can select the topic of their project in consultation with
the instructor. Possible projects include:

1. Comprehensive reviews of material not covered in detail in class, with some numerical examples;
2. Specific fluid-related problems or questions that are numerically studied or solved by the applications
of approaches, methods or schemes covered in class;
3. A combination of 1) and 2).
Projects will be due at the end of term. We plan to have a final session where all students will make a
presentation of their projects to the whole class and staff. We have found that such presentations provide
an excellent means for additional learning and sharing.

Textbooks
Primary Textbooks
Chapra, Steven, and Raymond Canale. Numerical Methods for Engineers. 7th ed.
McGraw–hill Higher Education, 2014. ISBN: 9780073397924.
Ferziger, Joel H., and Milovan Peric. Computational Methods for Fluid Dynamics. 3rd ed.
Springer, 2013. ISBN: 9783540420743.
Cebeci, Tuncer, Jian P. Shao, et al. Computational Fluid Dynamics for Engineers: From
Panel to Navier-stokes Methods with Computer Programs. Springer, 2005. ISBN: 9783540244516.
Fluid Dynamics References
Kundu, Pijush K., Ira M. Cohen, and David R. Dowling. Fluid Mechanics. 6th ed. Academic
Press, 2015. ISBN: 9780124059351. [Preview with Google Books]
White, Frank. Fluid Mechanics. 7th ed. McGraw-hill Education, 2010. ISBN:
9780077422417.
Other Useful Computational Fluid Dynamics References
Lomax, Harvard, Thomas H. Pulliam, and David W. Zingg. Fundamentals of Computational
Fluid Dynamics. Springer, 2004. ISBN: 9783540416074.
Wesseling, Pieter. Principles of Computational Fluid Dynamics. Springer, 2000. ISBN:
9783540678533.
Versteeg, H., and W. Malalasekera. An Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics: The
Finite Volume Method. 2nd ed. Prentice Hall, 2007. ISBN: 9780131274983.
Durran, Dale R. Numerical Methods for Fluid Dynamics: With Applications to Geophysics.
2nd ed. Springer, 2010. ISBN: 9781441964113.
Griebel, Michael, Thomas Dornsheifer, and Tilman Neunhoeffer. Numerical Simulation in
Fluid Dynamics: A Practical Introduction. SIAM: Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, 1997.
ISBN: 9780898713985. [Preview with Google Books]
Chung, T. J. Computational Fluid Dynamics. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2010.
ISBN: 9780521769693. [Preview with Google Books]
Karniadakis, George Em, and Spencer J. Sherwin. Spectral / hp Element Methods for
Computational Fluid Dynamics. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2005. ISBN: 9780198528692.
Pozrikidis, Constantine. Introduction to Finite and Spectral Element Methods Using
MATLAB. 2nd ed. Chapman and Hall / CRC, 2014. ISBN: 9781482209150. [Preview with Google Books]
 Roache, Patrick J. Fundamentals of Computational Fluid Dynamics. Hermosa Publishers,
1998. ISBN: 9780913478097.
Lapidus, Leon, and George F. Pinder. Numerical Solution of Partial Differential Equations
in Science and Engineering. Wiley-interscience, 1999. ISBN: 9780471359449.
Fletcher, C. A. J. Computational Techniques for Fluid Dynamics, Vol. 1: Fundamental and
General Techniques. Springer, 2013. ISBN: 9780387530581.
[Preview with Google Books]
Wendt, John. Computational Fluid Dynamics: An Introduction. Springer, 2008. ISBN:
9783540850557. [Preview with Google Books]
Löhner, Rainald. Applied Computational Fluid Dynamics Techniques: An Introduction
Based on Finite Element Methods. Wiley, 2008. ISBN: 9780470519073.
Numerical Linear Algebra Reference
Trefethen, Lloyd N., and David Bau III. Numerical Linear Algebra. SIAM: Society for
Industrial and Applied Mathematics, 1997. ISBN: 9780898713619. [Preview with Google Books]