Computational studies of the locomotion of dolphins and sharks using smoothed particle hydrodynamics

Abstract

Many marine animals cruise efficiently within a small range of propulsive Strouhal numbers. More recently it has been proposed that optimal vortex formation is the underlying principle to this universal Strouhal number constraint. The computational fluid dynamics technique known as Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) is used to study the propulsion of high speed marine animals - the Bottlenose Dolphin and the White Pointer Shark. The thrust generation and corresponding vortical flow structures are considered in detail over a range of Strouhal numbers. © 2010 International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering.