A fast algorithm for free-surface particles detection in 2D and 3D SPH methods

The present paper aims at proposing a fast algorithm permitting to detect the free-surface in particle simulations, and next to define a level-set function on a cartesian grid. The latter allows for analyzing in detail the free surface shape of three-dimensional simulations as well as internal features of the flow, by using standard visualization tools. The algorithms proposed for detecting the free-surface particles are described in both two and three dimensions, and are validated on simple and complex flow simulations. Then, the derivation of the level-set function is detailed and the usefulness of the proposed method to post-process and analyze complex flows are illustrated on realistic 2D and 3D examples.