Vortex sheet simulation program for flapping-wing schooling (MATLAB)

The program uses a vortex sheet algorithm to simulate the hydrodynamic interactions between self-propelled flapping wings. For details of the algorithm, please contact Fang Fang (ff559@nyu.edu) for a paper manuscript.

Program first touch

  • Download the code. Open MATLAB and go to the program directory. Run startup.m (add necessary directories to the program path).
  • Run Aschool(1). You will see a log of things in MATLAB. Stop the program anytime by CTRL+c, and resume by running Aschool(0).
  • Find your simulation data files at ../data_twowing_schooling/amp0.2skin0.04sch1/.
  • Plot some simulation results: plotcxwh('../data_twowing_schooling/amp0.2skin0.04sch1').
  • View the movies: MOVIEframeD('../data_twowing_schooling/amp0.2skin0.04sch1/',1).

Basic structure of the program

  • Aschool.m: the main function. Run

    • Aschool(1): Start a new simulation (from timestep tk=1);
    • Aschool(0): Resume the simulation from where it stopped;
    • Aschool(tk): Resume the simulation from timestep tk;

    Note: To resume a simulation, you need to specify the directory of that simulation in the file parameter.m. The program would then use the parameters used in that simulation.

  • INITIALIZE.m: initialize the simulation with specified initial condition (initialize from static by default).

  • parameter.m: specify physical and numerical paramters.

  • EXPLICIT.m: update the free vortex sheets using an explicit method.

  • IMPLICIT.m: update the bound vortex sheets (flapping wings) through an implicit solver.

  • SAVEDATA.m: save simulation data.