Time Integration and Steady-State Continuation for 2d Lubrication Equations

Lubrication equations describe many structuring processes of thin liquid films. We develop and apply a numerical framework suitable for their analysis employing a dynamical systems approach. In particular, we present a time integration algorithm based on exponential propagation and an algorithm for steady-state continuation. Both algorithms employ a Cayley transform to overcome numerical problems resulting from scale separation in space and time. An adaptive time-step allows one to study the dynamics close to hetero- or homoclinic connections. The developed framework is employed, on the one hand, to analyze different phases of the dewetting of a liquid film on a horizontal homogeneous substrate. On the other hand, we consider the depinning of drops pinned by a wettability defect. Time-stepping and path-following are used in both cases to analyze steadystate solutions and their bifurcations as well as dynamic processes on short and long time-scales. Both examples are treated for two- an...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2010
• Where: SIAMADS
• Authors: Philippe Beltrame, Uwe Thiele
• Keywords: Algorithms, Liquid Film, Lubrication Equation, SIAMADS 2010