What is high-fidelity simulation?
Definition
A high-fidelity simulation is a numerical model that represents a system's physics in the detail needed for the accuracy a decision requires, usually on a fine mesh with few simplifying assumptions. It is the expensive reference run, such as a well-resolved CFD or FEA case, against which cheaper models are measured.
Example
In turbulent flow, scale-resolving methods such as large eddy simulation are too costly for most routine industrial use, so for a team running wing design studies a well-resolved RANS case is often the high-fidelity reference: too costly to run for every variant, and the run a cheaper model is checked against.
Sources
- Peherstorfer, Willcox, Gunzburger, "Survey of multifidelity methods in uncertainty propagation, inference, and optimization," SIAM Review, 2018, arxiv.org/abs/1806.10761
- Rumsey, "Turbulence Modeling Verification and Validation," AIAA 2014-0201, ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20140003976