Numerical simulation and validation of the topological deformation of the corrosion interface based on the conservative level set method

Purpose To efficiently and accurately calculate the evolution of topological deformation on the material surface caused by corrosion. Design/methodology/approach The conservative level set method (CLSM) has replaced the explicit Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method for tracking moving interfaces. The differences between these two methods and the traditional method (which does not account for corrosion deformation) were analyzed and compared. Immersion tests were conducted to verify the accuracy of the simulation, focusing on aspects such as corrosion depth and morphology. Furthermore, CLSM was extended to track interfaces with larger topological deformations caused by micro-galvanic corrosion, and its calculation efficiency and accuracy were compared to the ALE method. Findings The results indicate that the traditional mode differs significantly from the ALE and CLSM. The ALE and CLSM models are consistent with one another and align closely with the experimental results. The CLSM can more effectively simulate the corrosion deformation at the interface between dissimilar metals, successfully avoiding mesh distortion during micro-galvanic corrosion simulation while maintaining calculation accuracy. Compared to the ALE method, it significantly enhances calculation efficiency. Originality/value This novel numerical calculation method provides an efficient and accurate solution for analyzing the evolution of corrosion damage in aircraft structures and holds substantial application value in engineering corrosion prediction.