Computational Aerodynamics With Isogeometric Analysis

The superior accuracy isogeometric analysis (IGA) brought to computations in fluid and solid mechanics has been yielding higher fidelity in computational aerodynamics. The increased accuracy we achieve with the IGA is in the flow solution, in representing the problem geometry, and, when we use the IGA basis functions also in time in a space–time (ST) framework, in representing the motion of solid surfaces. It is of course as part of a set of methods that the IGA has been very effective in computational aerodynamics, including complex-geometry aerodynamics. The set of methods we have been using can be categorized into those that serve as a core method, those that increase the accuracy, and those that widen the application range. The core methods are the residual-based variational multiscale (VMS), ST-VMS, and arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian VMS methods. The IGA and ST-IGA are examples of the methods that increase the accuracy. The complex-geometry IGA mesh generation method is an example of the methods that widen the application range. The ST Topology Change method is another example of that. We provide an overview of these methods for IGA-based computational aerodynamics and present examples of the computations performed. In computational flow analysis with moving solid surfaces and contact between the solid surfaces, it is a challenge to represent the boundary layers with an accuracy attributed to moving-mesh methods and represent the contact without leaving a mesh protection gap.