Abstract:
In the present work IsoGeometric Analysis is applied to the solution of the Boundary
Integral Equation associated with the Neumann-Kelvin problem and the calculation of the
wave resistance of ships. As opposed to low-order panel methods, where the body is
represented by a large number of quadrilateral panels and the velocity potential is assumed
to be piecewise constant (or approximated by low degree polynomials) on each panel, the
isogeometric concept is based on exploiting the same NURBS basis, used for representing
exactly the body geometry, for approximating the singularity distribution (and, in general,
the dependent physical quantities). In order to examine the accuracy of the present method,
numerical results obtained in the case of submerged and surface piercing bodies are
* Corresponding author. Tel: (+30) 2107721138, Fax: (+30) 2107721397, e-mail: kbel@fluid.mech.ntua.gr
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compared against analytical solutions, experimental data and predictions provided by the
low-order panel or other similar methods appeared in the pertinent literature, illustrating
the superior efficiency of the isogeometric approach. The present approach by applying
Isogeometric Analysis and Boundary Element Method to the linear NK problem has the
novelty of combining modern CAD systems for ship-hull design with computational
hydrodynamics tools.