A tensorial approach to computational continuum mechanics using object-oriented techniques

In this article the principles of the field operation and manipulation (FOAM) C++ class library for continuum mechanics are outlined. Our intention is to make it as easy as possible to develop reliable and efficient computational continuum-mechanics codes: this is achieved by making the top-level syntax of the code as close as possible to conventional mathematical notation for tensors and partial differential equations. Object-orientation techniques enable the creation of data types that closely mimic those of continuum mechanics, and the operator overloading possible in C++ allows normal mathematical symbols to be used for the basic operations. As an example, the implementation of various types of turbulence modeling in a FOAM computational-fluid-dynamics code is discussed, and calculations performed on a standard test case, that of flow around a square prism, are presented. To demonstrate the flexibility of the FOAM library, codes for solving structures and magnetohydrodynamics are also presented with appropriate test case results given. © 1998 American Institute of Physics.