2-D parachute simulation by the Immersed Boundary Method

Abstract

Parachute aerodynamics involves an interaction between the flexible, elastic, porous parachute canopy and the high speed airflow (relative to the parachute) through which the parachute falls. Computer simulation of parachute dynamics typically simplifies the problem in various ways, e.g., by considering the parachute as a rigid bluff body. Here, we avoid such simplification by using the immersed boundary (IB) method to study the full fluid-structure interaction. The IB method is generalized to handle porous immersed boundaries, and the generalized method is used to study the influence of porosity on parachute stability.