A Fluid Based soft Object Model
Daniel A. Nixon, MSc thesis 1998
Abstract
Soft objects are those everyday objects that deform significantly in
response to their normal environment. Examples include cushions, plasticine
and balloons filled with treacle. We present a new physically based model
for animating soft objects. The model consists of two components: an elastic
surface and a compressible fluid. The surface envelops the fluid, and is
represented as a mass spring system. The fluid is modelled using finite
difference approximations to the Navier-Stokes equations of fluid flow.
Where the fluid and surface are in contact, their behaviour is defined by
the no-slip condition. Unlike models that use implicit surfaces, surface
tension is a natural feature of the model. Furthermore, the volume of the
object is maintained depending on the properties of the fluid, and no explicit
volume adjustment is necessary. We develop the model in one, two and three
dimensions. We illustrate the behaviour of the soft object in environments with
gravity and collisions with planes.
Thesis
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