Numerical analysis of ARJ21 passenger aircraft ditching dynamics using meshless methods

Abstract

This study investigates the ditching dynamics of the ARJ21 regional airliner under both calm and wave-influenced water conditions using the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method. The DualSPHysics platform is adopted to simulate water entry events, with the modeling framework validated against experimental data from canonical wedge and cylinder impact tests. A numerical wave tank incorporating an Active Wave Absorption System (AWAS) is constructed to suppress boundary reflections and produce a stable wave environment. Comparative analyses of the aircraft's hydrodynamic responses reveal that wave conditions significantly intensify vertical acceleration and pressure loads, while amplifying the secondary rise effect. The SPH method demonstrates strong agreement with experimental results, particularly in early-stage impact behavior. These findings support the feasibility of using meshless SPH-based methods for simulating complex aircraft–wave interactions in ditching scenarios.