Hydroelastic tailoring of foils
The basic idea
By considering the two-way coupled effect of fluid flow and structural deformation, we can design marine lifting surfaces that are more efficient (less fluid drag or less material to build) and robust (less prone to material failure or loss of control surface effectiveness) at multiple operating conditions.
Scaling laws
It is important for the engineer and scientist to understand how performance of the specimen scales with length, time, mass, and temperature. Non-dimensional parameters (sometimes called Pi terms) are a common medium for assessing the performance of a system and making comparisons across scales. Common examples of non-dimensional parameters are the Reynolds number, lift and drag coefficients, and the Froude number. The prototypical example of using non-dimensional parameters is in making comparisons between several experimental models that are smaller (or bigger) than the real thing.
The Buckingham Pi Theorem is a powerful approach for understanding governing physics by deriving non-dimensional Pi terms.
Hydroelastic optimizations
One-dimensional models are good for gaining rapid insights into the hydroelasticity of slender structures. Composite beam and unsteady lifting line prove to be accurate enough to conduct design space exploration of sweep and fiber angle variables for reducing flow-induced vibrations. However, detailed models with all the 3D effects are necessary for accurate drag minimization. The best approach should use a mixture of both.
Optimization of an uncambered composite hydrofoil using the MACH Framework