interfacepreserving

Interfacepreserving is a term used in numerical analysis and computational modeling to describe methods that aim to maintain the sharpness and correct location of interfaces between different materials, phases, or regions over time. The central objective is to reduce artificial smearing or diffusion of the interface that often results from discretization and time stepping.

In multiphase flow and materials science, interfacepreserving techniques help track moving boundaries such as fluid-fluid interfaces, solid-liquid boundaries, or phase boundaries. Common approaches include volume-of-fluid (VOF) methods, level-set methods with reinitialization, and front-tracking methods that explicitly represent the interface as a lower-dimensional mesh. Phase-field models offer an alternative that captures interface dynamics through an order parameter, often at the cost of broader, diffused transitions.

Key considerations include mass conservation, momentum balance, and computational efficiency. Hybrid schemes combine multiple strategies to preserve sharp interfaces while maintaining stability and accuracy on complex geometries or under large deformations. The choice of method depends on the problem, including whether the interface may merge or break, the desired level of conservation, and the available computational resources.

In practice, interfacepreserving methods are used in simulations of inkjet printing, porous media flow, phase-change problems, and other applications where accurate representation of an interface is essential to predictive results.