A variational approach for modelling surface tension effects in inviscid fluids (Q1331401)

By employing a variational principle similar to Hamilton's principle, a finite element solution method for a fairly general class of inviscid, compressible fluid flows with flexible structural interfaces and/or free surfaces was developed in a previous paper [\textit{E. Kock} and \textit{L. Olson}, Int. J. Numer. Methods Eng. 31, No. 3, 463-491 (1991)]. In this tudy, surface tension effects are added to the existing formulation by including the surface energy. We demonstrate the finite element implementation on test cases with analytical solutions: nonlinear static analyses involving a capillary tube and a droplet on a plane and linear frequency analyses of capillary/gravity waves, jet vibrations, and bubble oscillations.