Simulation of surface tension effect during filling of a thin section cavity via an interface element

An interface element to model the pressure discontinuity due to surface tension when applied to the filling of a thin section cavity is presented. The equations used to form the element matrix for the interface element are the line integral form of the continuity and momentum equations. During the development of the finite element model, the pressure difference across the free surface due to surface tension is treated as an additional traction and is applied to all element sides which form the free surface. Simple numerical examples are then presented to illustrate the technique on the filling of a rectangular thin section cavity. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.