Ce travail présente une technique de simulation de feux de forêt qui utilise la méthode Level-Set. On utilise une équation aux dérivées partielles pour déformer une surface sur laquelle est imbriqué notre front de flamme. Les bases mathématiques de la méthode Level-set sont présentées. On explique ensuite une méthode de réinitialisation permettant de traiter de manière robuste des données réelles et de diminuer le temps de calcul. On étudie ensuite l’effet de la présence d’obstacles dans le domaine de propagation du feu. Finalement, la question de la recherche du point d’ignition d’un incendie est abordée. / This work presents a forest fire simulation model which uses the Level-Set method. We use a partial differential equation to deform a surface on which our flame front is inscribed. The mathematical foundations of the Level-set method are presented. We then explain a reinitialization method that allows us to treat in a robust way real data and to reduce the calculation time. The effect of the presence of barriers in the fire propagation domain is also studied. Finally, we make an attempt to find the ignition point of a forest fire.

La fissuration à chaud est un défaut majeur rencontré en solidification des alliages d'aluminium. Elle est liée à l'incapacité du liquide de s'écouler dans les zones où des porosités sont présentes, ne permettant pas de les refermer avant qu'elles gagnent en volume. Pour comprendre la fissuration à chaud, il est crucial de développer nos connaissances du comportement mécanique de la zone pâteuse. Pour cela, il est très utile d'effectuer des expériences de microtomographie aux rayons X et des simulations mécaniques sur des volumes élémentaires représentatifs. Dans cette thèse, nous proposons de coupler les deux approches en initialisant une simulation par éléments finis grâce à des données de microtomographie issues d'un test de traction isotherme d'un alliage d'aluminium-cuivre à l'état pâteux. Cette approche originale nous donne directement accès à la réalité expérimentale et permet des comparaisons des évolutions numérique et expérimentale de l'éprouvette. Nous expliquons dans un premier temps comment obtenir la représentation numérique à l'aide de l'algorithme des marching cubes et de la méthode d'immersion de volume. Nous présentons ensuite notre modèle numérique qui s'appuie sur une résolution monolithique des équations de Stokes. Une fois le champ de vitesse obtenu dans l'ensemble des phases solide, liquide et gazeuse, nous utilisons une méthode level set dans un formalisme eulérien afin de faire évoluer la morphologie de notre échantillon numérique. Malgré la simplicité du modèle, les résultats expérimentaux et numériques montrent un accord raisonnable en ce qui concerne la propagation de l'air à l'intérieur de l'échantillon. / Hot tearing is a major defect arising during solidification of aluminium alloys. This defect is associated with the inability of liquid to feed areas where voids have started to appear, not allowing to heal small defects before they grow bigger. To understand hot tearing, it is mandatory to develop a good knowledge of the semi-solid mechanical behaviour. It is thus very useful to carry out X-ray microtomographies experiments and mechanical simulations on representative elementary volumes. In this work, we couple the both approaches by initialising a finite element simulation with the help of microtomography data obtained during an isothermal tensile testing of an aluminium-copper alloy in the mushy state. This innovative approach gives a direct access to the experimental reality and allows comparisons of numerical and experimental evolutions of the sample. We explain in a first time how to get the numerical representation thanks to a marching cubes algorithm and the immersed volume method. Then, we present our numerical model for which we solve the Stokes equations in a monolithic way. Once the velocity computed in all the solid, liquid and gaseous phases, we use a level set method in a Eulerian formalism to obtain the morphological evolution of our numerical sample. Despite the model simplicity, numerical and experimental results show a reasonable agreement concerning the air propagation inside the sample.

Ce travail porte sur la résolution de problèmes faisant intervenir des mouvements d'interfaces. Dans les différentes parties de cette thèse, on cherche à déterminer ces mouvements d'interfaces en résolvant des modèles approchés consistant en des équations ou des systèmes d'équations sur des champs. Les problèmes obtenus sont des équations paraboliques et des systèmes hyperboliques. Dans la première partie (chapitre 2), on étudie un modèle simplifié pour la propagation d'une onde de souffle en dynamique des fluides compressibles. Ce modèle peut s'écrire sous la forme d'un système hyperbolique, et on construit un algorithme résolvant numériquement ce système par une méthode de type Fast-Marching. On mène également une étude théorique de ce système pour déterminer des solutions de référence et tester la validité de l'algorithme. Dans la deuxième partie (chapitres 3 à 5), les équations approchées sont de type parabolique, et on cherche à montrer l'existence de solutions de type régime permanent à ces équations. Dans les chapitres 3 et 4, on étudie une équation générique en une dimension associée à des phénomènes de réaction-diffusion. Dans le chapitre 3, on montre l'existence de solutions quasi-planes pour un terme de réaction (terme non-linéaire) assez général, et dans le chapitre 4 on utilise ces résultats pour montrer l'existence d'ondes pulsatoires progressives dans le cas spécifique d'une non-linéarité bistable. Le modèle étudié dans le chapitre 5 est un modèle de champ de phase approchant un modèle de dynamique des dislocations dans un cristal, dans un domaine correspondant physiquement à une source de Frank-Read / This work is about the resolution of problems associated with the motion of interfaces. In each part of this thesis, the goal is to determine the motion of interfaces by the use of approached models consisting of equations or systems of equation on fields. The problems we get are parabolic equations and hyperbolic systems. In the first part (Chapter 2), we study a simplified model for the propagation of a shock wave in compressible fluid dynamics. This model can be written as a hyperbolic system, and we construct an algorithm to solve it numerically by a Fast-Marching like method. We also conduct a theoretical study of this system to determine reference solutions and test the algorithm. In the second part (Chapters 3 to 5), the approached models yield parabolic equations, and our goal is to show the existence of permanent regime solutions for these equations. Chapter 3 and 4 are dedicated to the study of a generic one-dimensional equation modelling reaction-diffusion phenomena. In Chapter 3, we show the existence of plane-like solutions for a general reaction term, and in Chapter 4 we use this result to show the existence of pulsating travelling waves in the specific case of a bistable nonlinearity. In Chapter 5, we study a phase-field model approaching a model for the dynamics of dislocations in a crystal, in a domain corresponding to a Frank-Read source

L'application du procédé SLM est limitée par la difficulté à contrôler le procédé. Son application aux céramiques est particulièrement difficile en raison de leur faible absorption au laser et de leur faible résistance au choc thermique. La maîtrise de ce procédé nécessite une compréhension complète du transfert de chaleur, de la dynamique des fluides et de la mécanique des solides. Dans ce travail, nous proposons un modèle numérique pour la simulation du procédé SLM appliqué aux céramiques. Le modèle est développé à l'échelle du cordon et avec l'hypothèse d'un lit de poudre continu. Il est basé sur la méthode level set et l'homogénéisation multiphasique, avec laquelle nous sommes capables de suivre l'évolution de l'interface gaz/matière et les transformations de phase. La simulation dévelopée permet d'étudier l'influence des propriétés du matériau et des paramètres du procédé sur la température, la forme du bain liquide, la dynamique des fluides et la mécanique des solides. En dehors de la puissance du laser et de la vitesse de balayage, l'absorption du matériau est également importante pour la thermique et la forme du bain liquide. Avec la dynamique des fluides, la forme convexe du cordon est obtenue sous tension de surface. Les gouttelettes liquides se forment lors de la fusion de la poudre et créent une instabilité du bain. Ceci entraîne une irrégularité du cordon après solidification. L'effet Marangoni, provoqué par le gradient surfacique de la tension de surface, est étudié. Son influence sur la répartition de la température, la forme du bain liquide et la régularité du cordon est évoquée. Cet effet peut lisser la surface du cordon avec ∂γ/∂T négatif. En augmentant la vitesse de balayage, la surface du cordon devient plus irrégulière. L'effet de « balling » est reproduit avec une vitesse de balayage élevée. Cela peut être utile pour trouver le régime donnant une forme de cordon régulière étant données la puissance et la vitesse du laser. Le défaut de fissuration est délétère dans la fabrication additive. L'utilisation d'un laser auxiliaire peut aider à éviter ce défaut en diminuant la contrainte de traction maximale. Le mode de fonctionnement de ce laser auxiliaire reste un sujet intéressant à étudier et quelques pistes ont été données par les simulations présentées. Le modèle est validé par la comparaison de la forme du bain liquide avec des expériences dans différentes conditions de procédé. Les simulations peuvent également révéler la tendance de variation de la surface du cordon dans certains cas. Par la simulation de la déposition de cordons multiples, l'influence de taux de recouvrement sur la surface d'une couche, la température et l'évolution de contrainte est soulignée. / The application of SLM process is limited by the difficulty of process control. Its application to ceramics is especially challengeable due to their weak absorption to laser and weak resistance to thermal shock. The mastery of this process requires a full understanding of heat transfer, fluid dynamics in melt pool and solid mechanics. In this work, we propose a numerical model for the simulation of SLM process applied to ceramics. The model is developed at the track scale and with the assumption of continuous powder bed. It is based on level set method and multiphase homogenization, with which we are able to follow the evolution of gas/material interface and phase transformation. Simulations are performed to study the influence of material properties and process parameters on temperature, melt pool shape, fluid dynamics and solid mechanics. Apart from the laser power and scanning speed, material absorption is also found to be important to the thermal behavior and the melt pool shape. With the fluid dynamics, convex shape of track cross section is achieved under surface tension. Besides that, liquid droplets collapsing formed by the melting of powder create melt pool instability when falling, thus leading to track irregularity after solidification. The Marangoni effect, caused by surface tension gradient at gas/material interface, is investigated. Its influence on temperature distribution, melt pool shape and track regularity is recognized. One interesting finding is the smoothing effect of track surface with negative ∂γ/∂T. When combine surface tension with scanning speed, track surface becomes more irregular with the increase of scanning speed. The well-known balling effect is reproduced with high scanning speed. This can be helpful to find the regime for regular track shape with given laser power and scanning speed. Cracking defect is deleterious in additive manufacturing. The use of an auxiliary laser can help to avoid this defect by decreasing the maximum tensile stress. The process mode of this auxiliary laser remains an interesting subject to be studied and some guidelines have been given by the presented simulations. The model is validated by the comparison of melt pool shape with experiments under different process conditions. Simulations can also reveal the tendency of track surface variation for certain cases. By the application to multi-track deposition, the influence of hatch distance on layer surface, temperature and stress evolution is emphasized.

[pt] Emulsões podem ser usadas como agentes de controle de mobilidade em métodos de recuperação avançada de óleo de forma a conseguir um varrido mais eficiente do reservatório. A aplicação de tal técnica requer um entendimento completo de como as emulsões escoam em um material poroso. O comportamento macroscópico do escoamento deve ser determinado baseado no escoamento na escala de poros, em que as emulsões não podem ser tratadas como líquidos não Newtonianos monofásicos, uma vez que os diâmetros das gotas são da mesma ordem de magnitude das gargantas de poros. Experimentos realizados por Cobos et al.(1) sobre o escoamento de emulsões através de micro-capilares com garganta, que serviu como modelo para a geometria de uma garganta de poro conectando dois poros adjacentes, mostrou o efeito da fase dispersa na queda de pressão para diferentes condições de escoamento e características das emulsõs. De forma a ampliar a faixa de número de capilaridade e tamanhos de gota explorados nos experimentos, determinar o efeito da tensão interfacial, razão de viscosidades, geometria do capilar e determinar características do escoamento com mais de uma gota, é estudado o escoamento de gotas suspensas em uma fase contínua escoando através de um micro-capilar. A evolução da interface das gotas é determinada pelo método de level-set, que é acoplado a solução das equações de Navier Stokes, baseada no método de elementos finitos. Foi investigado o efeito da distância inicial entre duas gotas, assim como o efeito da tensão interfacial na velocidade de cada uma das gotas. Os resultados obtidos fornecem uma descrição mais detalhada do escoamento de emulsões em gargantas de poros. / [en] Emulsions can be used as mobility control agent in enhanced oil recovery methods in order to achieve a more efficient sweep of the reservoir. The application of such technique requires full understanding of how emulsions flow in a porous material. The macroscopic flow behavior can be determined based on the pore scale flow, at which emulsions cannot be treated as a single phase non Newtonian liquid, since the drop diameters are in the same order of magnitude of the pore throats. Experiments by Cobos et al.(1) of flow of emulsions through constricted micro capillaries, wich served as a model to the geometry of a pore throat connecting two adjacent pore bodies, have shown the effect of the dispersed phase on the pressure drop for different flow conditions and emulsions characteristics. In order to widen the range of capillary number and drop size explored in the experiments and to determine the effect of interfacial tension, viscosity ratio, capillary geometry and determine the characteristics of the flow with more the one drop, we study the flow of a drops suspended in a continuous phase flowing through a constricted micro capillary. The evolution of the drop interface is determined by the level set method which is incorporated to a fully coupled implicit Navier Stokes solver based finite element method. We investigate the effect of an initial distance between the two drops, as well as the effects of the interfacial tension on the drops speed. The results provide a more detailed description of the flow of emulsions through pore throats.

Les propriétés mécaniques et fonctionnelles des matériaux métalliques sont conditionnées par leurs microstructures, qui sont elles-mêmes héritées des traitements thermomécaniques subis. Etre capable de prévoir et simuler la microstructure et ses hétérogénéités lors des procédés de mise en forme complexes est récemment devenu crucial dans l'industrie métallurgique. C'est également un véritable challenge d'un point de vue numérique qui met en évidence l'importance des matériaux numériques dans les nouvelles méthodes de modélisation. Dans ce travail, nous nous intéressons à un modèle en champ complet récent basé sur la méthode level set (LS) dans un cadre éléments finis (EF) pour la modélisation des mécanismes de recristallisation.Les points forts de cette approche par rapport à l'état de l'art ont motivé le développement d'un logiciel appelé DIGIMU® par la société TRANSVALOR avec le soutien de grandes entreprises industrielles. Toutefois, le principal inconvénient de cette approche, commun aux autres méthodes en champ complet utilisant des maillages EF non structurés, reste son coût numérique important.Le principal objectif de ce travail a donc été d'améliorer considérablement le coût numérique de la formulation LS utilisée dans le contexte de maillages EF non structurés. De nouveaux développements génériques ont été réalisés pour améliorer l'efficacité globale du modèle. La formulation 2D LS existante, déjà utilisée pour modéliser la croissance de grains, la recristallisation statique et l'effet d'ancrage de Smith-Zener, a été étendue et améliorée afin de modéliser ces mécanismes en 3D pour des polycristaux à grand nombre de grains en des temps de calcul raisonnables. / Mechanical and functional properties of metallic materials are strongly related to their microstructures, which are themselves inherited from thermal and mechanical processing. Being able to accurately predict and simulate the microstructure and its heterogeneities after complex forming paths recently became crucial for the metallurgy industry. This is also a real challenge from a numerical point of view which highlights the importance of digital materials in new modeling techniques. In this work, we focus on a recent front-capturing full field model based on the level set (LS) method within a finite element (FE) framework to model recrystallization mechanisms.The strengths of this approach comparatively to the state of the art have motivated the development of a software package called DIGIMU® by the company TRANSVALOR with the support of major industrial companies. However, the main drawback of this approach, common with other front-capturing full field approaches working on unstructured FE meshes, is its important computational cost, especially in 3D.Main purpose of this work was finally to drastically improve the numerical cost of the considered LS-FE formulation in context of unstructured FE meshes. New generic numerical developments have been proposed to improve the global efficiency of the model. The existing 2D LS formulation, already used to model grain growth, static recrystallization and the Smith-Zener pinning effect, has been extended and improved in order to model these mechanisms in 3D for large-scale polycrystals with reasonable computational costs.

O presente trabalho trata da formulação e implementação de modelos numéricos baseados no Método dos Elementos de Contorno (MEC). Inspirando-se em problemas de engenharia, uma abordagem multidisciplinar é proposta como meio de representação numérica mais realista. Há materiais de uso corrente na engenharia que possuem resposta dependente do tempo. Nesta tese os fenômenos dependentes do tempo são abordados por meio da Mecânica Viscoelástica Linear associada a modelos reológicos. Neste trabalho, se apresenta a dedução do modelo constitutivo de Maxwell para ser utilizado via MEC. As equações deduzidas são verificadas em problemas de referência. Os resultados mostram que a formulação deduzida pode ser utilizada para representar estruturas compostas, mesmo em casos envolvendo uma junção entre materiais viscoelásticos e não viscoelásticos. Adicionalmente as formulações apresentadas se mantém estáveis na presença de fissuras de domínio e bordo. Verifica-se que a formulação clássica dual pode ser utilizada para simular o comportamento de fissuras com resposta dependente do tempo. Essa constatação serve de base para maiores investigações no campo da Mecânica da Fratura de materiais viscoelásticos. Na sequência, mostra-se como o MEC pode ser aliado a conceitos probabilísticos para fazer estimativas de comportamentos a longo prazo. Estas estimativas incluem as incertezas inerentes nos processos de engenharia. As incertezas envolvem os parâmetros materiais, de carregamento e de geometria. Por meio do conceito de probabilidade de falha, os resultados mostram que as incertezas relacionadas às estimativas das cargas atuantes apresentam maior impacto no desempenho esperado a longo prazo. Esta constatação serve para realizar estudos que colaborem para a melhoria dos processos de concepção estrutural. Outro aspecto de interesse desta tese é a busca de formas otimizadas, por meio da Otimização Topológica. Neste trabalho, um algoritmo alternativo de otimização topológica é proposto. O algoritmo é baseado no acoplamento entre o Método Level Set (MLS) e o MEC. A diferença entre o algoritmo aqui proposto, e os demais presentes na literatura, é forma de obtenção do campo de velocidades. Nesta tese, os campos normais de velocidades são obtidos por meio da sensibilidade à forma. Esta mudança torna o algoritmo propício a ser tratado pelo MEC, pois as informações necessárias para o cálculo das sensibilidades residem exclusivamente no contorno. Verifica-se que o algoritmo necessita de uma extensão particular de velocidades para o domínio a fim de manter a estabilidade. Limitando-se a casos bidimensionais, o algoritmo é capaz de obter os conhecidos casos de referência reportados pela literatura. O último aspecto tratado nesta tese retrata a maneira pela qual as incertezas geométricas podem influenciar na determinação das estruturas otimizadas. Utilizando o MEC, propõe-se um critério probabilístico que permite embasar escolhas levando em consideração a sensibilidade geométrica. Os resultados mostram que os critérios deterministas, nem sempre, conduzem às escolhas mais adequadas sob o ponto de vista de engenharia. Assim, este trabalho contribui para a expansão e difusão das aplicações do MEC em problemas de engenharia de estruturas. / The present work deals with the formulation and implementation of numerical models based on the Boundary Element Method (BEM). Inspired by engineering problems, a multidisciplinary combination is proposed as a more realistic approach. There are common engineering materials that have time-dependent response. In this thesis, time-dependent phenomena are approached through the Linear Viscoelastic Mechanics associated with rheological models. In this work, the formulation of Maxwell\'s constitutive model is presented to be used via MEC. The resultant equations are checked on reference problems. The results show that the presented formulation can be used to represent composite structures, even in cases involving a junction between viscoelastic and non-viscoelastic materials. Additionally the formulations presented remain stable in the presence of cracks. It is found that the classical DUAL-BEM formulation can be used to simulate cracks with time-dependent behaviour. This result serves as the basis for further investigations in the field of Fracture Mechanics of viscoelastic materials. In the sequence, it is shown how the BEM can be associated with probabilistic concepts to make predictions of long-term behaviour. These predictions include the inherent uncertainties in engineering processes. The uncertainties involve the material, loading and geometry parameters. Using the concept of probability of failure, the results show that the uncertainties related to the estimations of loads have important impact on the long-term expected performance. This finding serves to carry out studies that collaborate for the improvement of structural design processes. Another aspect of interest of this thesis is the search for optimized forms through Topological Optimization. In this work, an alternative topological optimization algorithm is proposed. The algorithm is based on the coupling between the Level Set Method (LSM) and BEM. The difference between the algorithm proposed here, and the others present in the literature, is a way of obtaining the velocity field. In this thesis, the normal fields of velocities are obtained by means of shape sensitivity. This change makes the algorithm adequate to be treated by the BEM, since the information necessary for the calculation of the sensitivities resides exclusively in the contour. It is found that the algorithm requires a particular velocity extension in order to maintain stability. Limiting to two-dimensional cases, the algorithm is able to obtain the known benchmark cases reported in the literature. The last aspect addressed in this thesis involves the way in which geometric uncertainties can influence the determination of optimized structures. Using the BEM, it is proposed a probabilistic criterion that takes into consideration the geometric sensitivity. The results show that deterministic criteria do not always lead to the most appropriate choices from an engineering point of view. In summary, this work contributes to the expansion and diffusion of MEC applications in structural engineering problems.

Nesta dissertação de Mestrado será apresentada uma poderosa técnica numérica, conhecida como método Level Set, capaz de simular e analisar movimentos de curvas em diferentes cenários físicos. Tal método - formulado por Osher e Sethian [1] - está sedimentado na seguinte idéia: representar uma determinada curva (ou superfície) Γ como a curva de nível zero (zero level set) de uma função Φ de maior dimensão (denominada função Level Set). A equação diferencial do tipo Hamilton-Jacobi que descreve a evolução da função Level Set é discretizada através da utilização de acurados esquemas hiperbólicos e, como resultado de tal acurácia, obtém-se uma formulação numérica capaz de tratar eficazmente mudanças topológicas e/ou descontinuidades que, eventualmente, podem surgir no decorrer da propagação da curva (ou superfície) de nível zero. Em virtude da eficácia e versatilidade do método Level Set, esta técnica numérica está sendo amplamente aplicada à diversas áreas científicas, incluindo mecânica dos fluidos, processamento de imagens e visão computacional, crescimento de cristais, geometria computacional e ciência dos materiais. Particularmente, o propósito deste trabalho equivale ao estudo dos fundamentos do método Level Set e, por fim, visa-se aplicar tal modelo numérico à problemas existentes na área de crescimento de cristais. [1] S. Osher and J. A. Sethian, Fronts propagating with curvature-dependent speed: Algorithms based on Hamilton-Jacobi formulations, J. Comp. Phys., 79:12, 1988. / In this dissertation, we present a powerful numerical technique known as Level Set Method for computing and analyzing moving fronts in different physical settings. The method -formulated by Osher and Sethian [1] - is based on the following idea: a curve (or surface) is embedded as the zero level set of a higher-dimensional function Φ (called level set function). Then, we can link the evolution of this function Φ to the propagation of the curve itself through a time-dependent initial value problem. At any time, the curve is given by the zero level set of the time-dependent level set function Φ. The evolution of the level set function Φ is described by a Hamilton-Jacobi type partial differential equation, which can be discretised by the use of accurate methods for hyperbolic equations. As a result, the Level Set Method is able to track complex curves that can develop large spikes, sharp corners or change its topology as they evolve. Because of its versatility and efficacy, this numerical technique has found applications in a large number of areas, including fluid mechanics, image processing and computer vision, crystal growth, computational geometry and materials science. Particularly, the aim of this dissertation has been to understand the fundamentals of Level Set Method and its final goal is compute the motion of bondaries in crystal growth using this numerical model. [1] S. Osher and J. A. Sethian, Fronts propagating with curvature-dependent speed: Algorithms based on Hamilton-Jacobi formulations, J. Comp. Phys., 79:12, 1988.

Nesta dissertação de Mestrado será apresentada uma poderosa técnica numérica, conhecida como método Level Set, capaz de simular e analisar movimentos de curvas em diferentes cenários físicos. Tal método - formulado por Osher e Sethian [1] - está sedimentado na seguinte idéia: representar uma determinada curva (ou superfície) Γ como a curva de nível zero (zero level set) de uma função Φ de maior dimensão (denominada função Level Set). A equação diferencial do tipo Hamilton-Jacobi que descreve a evolução da função Level Set é discretizada através da utilização de acurados esquemas hiperbólicos e, como resultado de tal acurácia, obtém-se uma formulação numérica capaz de tratar eficazmente mudanças topológicas e/ou descontinuidades que, eventualmente, podem surgir no decorrer da propagação da curva (ou superfície) de nível zero. Em virtude da eficácia e versatilidade do método Level Set, esta técnica numérica está sendo amplamente aplicada à diversas áreas científicas, incluindo mecânica dos fluidos, processamento de imagens e visão computacional, crescimento de cristais, geometria computacional e ciência dos materiais. Particularmente, o propósito deste trabalho equivale ao estudo dos fundamentos do método Level Set e, por fim, visa-se aplicar tal modelo numérico à problemas existentes na área de crescimento de cristais. [1] S. Osher and J. A. Sethian, Fronts propagating with curvature-dependent speed: Algorithms based on Hamilton-Jacobi formulations, J. Comp. Phys., 79:12, 1988. / In this dissertation, we present a powerful numerical technique known as Level Set Method for computing and analyzing moving fronts in different physical settings. The method -formulated by Osher and Sethian [1] - is based on the following idea: a curve (or surface) is embedded as the zero level set of a higher-dimensional function Φ (called level set function). Then, we can link the evolution of this function Φ to the propagation of the curve itself through a time-dependent initial value problem. At any time, the curve is given by the zero level set of the time-dependent level set function Φ. The evolution of the level set function Φ is described by a Hamilton-Jacobi type partial differential equation, which can be discretised by the use of accurate methods for hyperbolic equations. As a result, the Level Set Method is able to track complex curves that can develop large spikes, sharp corners or change its topology as they evolve. Because of its versatility and efficacy, this numerical technique has found applications in a large number of areas, including fluid mechanics, image processing and computer vision, crystal growth, computational geometry and materials science. Particularly, the aim of this dissertation has been to understand the fundamentals of Level Set Method and its final goal is compute the motion of bondaries in crystal growth using this numerical model. [1] S. Osher and J. A. Sethian, Fronts propagating with curvature-dependent speed: Algorithms based on Hamilton-Jacobi formulations, J. Comp. Phys., 79:12, 1988.

The level set method offers a simple and robust approach to modeling liquid-vapor interfaces that arise in boiling and condensing flows. The current liquid-vapor phase-transition techniques used with the level set method are not able to account for different thermal conductivities and specific heats in each respective phase, nor are they able to accurately account for latent heat absorption and release. This paper presents a new level set based technique for liquid-vapor phase-transition that accounts for different material properties in each respective phase, such as thermal conductivity and specific heat, while maintaining the interface at the saturation temperature. The phase-transition technique is built on the ghost fluid framework coupled with the standard level set method. A new technique is presented for constructing ghost nodes that implicitly captures the immersed boundary conditions and is second order accurate. The method is tested against analytical solutions, and it is used to model film boiling. The new phase-transition technique will greatly assist efforts to accurately capture the physics of boiling and condensing flows. In addition to presenting a new phase transition technique, a coupled level set volume of fluid advection scheme is developed for phase transition flows. The new scheme resolves the mass loss problem associated with the level set method, and the method provides an easy way to accurately calculate the curvature of an interface, which can be difficult with the volume of fluid method. A film boiling simulation is performed to illustrate the superior performance of the coupled level set volume of fluid approach over the level set method and the volume of fluid method.