Free Surface Modeling of Contacting Solid Metal Flows Employing the ALE Formulation

In this paper, a numerical problem with contacting solid metal flows is presented and solved with an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) finite element method. The problem consists of two domains which mechanically interact with each other. For this simulation a new free surface boundary condition is implemented for remeshing of the boundary elements. It uses explicitly that the integral of the convective velocity along a boundary element remains zero. Steady state solutions are obtained only if the integral of the convective velocities along each free surface boundary element remains zero. The new remeshing option for the free surface is tested on a cladding problem employing friction stir welding (FSW). The problem describes two elasto-viscoplastic aluminum material flows which mechanically interact.