Abstract
Immersed boundary methods have evolved over the past 50 years from a specialized technique in biofluid dynamics and applied mathematics to a cornerstone of computational fluid dynamics. Many recent advancements in immersed boundary methods have centered on sharp-interface immersed boundary methods, which offer enhanced accuracy and fidelity for flow simulations. This paper outlines the key principles that have driven our own efforts in the development of sharp-interface immersed boundary methods over the past twenty-five years. We also highlight the power and versatility of these methods by showcasing a range of applications, spanning biolocomotion (i.e. swimming and flying), physiological flows, compressible aerodynamics, fluid-structure interaction, and flow-induced noise.
