An evaluation of the FCT method for high-speed flows on structured overlapping grids

This study considers the development and assessment of a flux-corrected transport (FCT) algorithm for simulating high-speed flows on structured overlapping grids. This class of algorithm shows promise for solving some difficult highly-nonlinear problems where robustness and control of certain features, such as maintaining positive densities, is important. Complex, possibly moving, geometry is treated through the use of structured overlapping grids. Adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) is employed to ensure sharp resolution of discontinuities in an efficient manner. Improvements to the FCT algorithm are proposed for the treatment of strong rarefaction waves as well as rarefaction waves containing a sonic point. Simulation results are obtained for a set of test problems and the convergence characteristics are demonstrated and compared to a high-resolution Godunov method. The problems considered are an isolated shock, an isolated contact, a modified Sod shock tube problem, a two-shock Riemann problem, the Shu–Osher test problem, shock impingement on single cylinder, and irregular Mach reflection of a strong shock striking an inclined plane.