Multi-Physics Simulation of Flapping-Wing Flight (Paper)

This work presents a high-fidelity multi-physics framework for simulating flapping-wing flight, combining unsteady aerodynamics with rigid-body dynamics to capture the coupled fluid–motion interaction of bio-inspired flying systems. The approach integrates Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Multi-Body Dynamics (MBD) through a dedicated coupling strategy that enables synchronized time-resolved simulations.

Aerodynamic forces and flow structures are computed using ANSYS Fluent, while wing and body motion are modeled in ADAMS. A custom MATLAB-based interface coordinates data exchange and solver synchronization at each time step, allowing consistent coupling between the fluid and mechanical solvers. The framework supports complex wing kinematics, dynamic meshes, and full force–moment feedback.

This study demonstrates how tightly coupled CFD–MBD simulations can be used to investigate flight stability, wake dynamics, and force generation in flapping-wing systems. Beyond bio-inspired flight, the methodology is broadly applicable to fluid–structure interaction problems involving moving bodies, multi-solver coupling, and high-fidelity multi-physics modeling.