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Numerical Simulation of Sailing Boats: Dynamics, FSI, and Shape Optimization

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Variational Analysis and Aerospace Engineering: Mathematical Challenges for Aerospace Design

Part of the book series: Springer Optimization and Its Applications ((SOIA,volume 66))

Abstract

The numerical simulation of free-surface flows around sailing boats is a complex topic that addresses multiple mathematical tasks: the correct study of the flow field around a rigid hull, the numerical simulation of the hull dynamics, the deformation of the sails and appendages under transient external conditions like gusts of wind or wave patterns and, overall, the coupling among all these components. In this paper, we present some recent advances that have been achieved in different research topics related to yacht design and performance prediction. In particular, we describe the numerical algorithms that have been developped in the framework of open-source libraries for the simulation of free-surface hydrodynamics and boat dynamics, as well as for the analysis of the fluid-structure interaction between wind and sails. Moreover, an algorithm for shape optimization, based on the solution of the adjoint problem and combined with the Free Form Deformation (FFD) method for the shape parameterization and mesh motion, is presented and discussed. Theoretical and methodological aspects are described, and the first preliminary results are reported.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the EPFL University and the Alinghi Design Team for providing the financial support and the technical expertise necessary to accomplish this work.

We are also grateful to Prof. A. Frangi, Dr. M. Cremonesi and Dr. A. Giampieri from the Structural Engineering Department (DIS) of Politecnico di Milano for sharing their structural code and the collaboration undergone for the sail simulations.

The financial support for CADMOS and the Blue Gene/P system is provided by the Canton of Geneva, Canton of Vaud, Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, Louis-Jeantet Foundation, University of Geneva, University of Lausanne, and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

This work has been partially supported by Regione Lombardia and CILEA Consortium through a LISA Initiative (Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Advanced Simulation) 2010 grant assigned to the second author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MATHICSE, CMCS Chair of Modelling and Scientific Computing, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Matteo Lombardi, Alfio Quarteroni & Gianluigi Rozza

  2. MOX, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy

    Nicola Parolini & Alfio Quarteroni

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  1. Matteo Lombardi
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  2. Nicola Parolini
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  3. Alfio Quarteroni
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  4. Gianluigi Rozza
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Correspondence to Matteo Lombardi .

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  1. , Dept. of Mathematics "L. Tonelli", University of Pisa, Largo Bruno Pontecorvo 5, Pisa, 56127, Italy

    Giuseppe Buttazzo

  2. , Dept. of Aerospace Engineering, University of Pisa, Via G. Caruso 8, Pisa, 56122, Italy

    Aldo Frediani

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Lombardi, M., Parolini, N., Quarteroni, A., Rozza, G. (2012). Numerical Simulation of Sailing Boats: Dynamics, FSI, and Shape Optimization. In: Buttazzo, G., Frediani, A. (eds) Variational Analysis and Aerospace Engineering: Mathematical Challenges for Aerospace Design. Springer Optimization and Its Applications(), vol 66. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2435-2_15

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