Call for contributions to About Flow Adjoint Optimisation Benchmark:

Further details can be obtained from Dr. Jens-Dominik Müller and Prof. Tom Verstraete . Please register your interest to participate in the benchmark workshop by 30/11/2015 with either Jens or Tom.

The About Flow project is organising a workshop to benchmark adjoint-based shape and topology optimisation methods. Four testcases are proposed:

1. VKI U-Bend (VKI): a U-shaped hairpin bend cooling channel of a turbomachinery blade is to be optimised for minimal pressure loss. 3-D case with either shape or topology optimisation.
2. VKI LS89 cascade (VKI): 2-D shape optimisation of a turbomachinery cascade.
3. Berlin compressor (TU Berlin): 3-D shape optimisation of a turbomachinery compressor stator blade.
4. Drivaer vehicle (LSTM, TU München): 3-D shape optimisation of the side view mirror of the Drivaer vehicle (smooth underbody, closed engine bay, closed wheels, stationary floor, with mirror). Two objective functions are considered; Variant A: minimise drag on the side view mirror; Variant B: minimise the acoustic signature on the side window measured by the integral of the turbulent dissipation of a RANS model in a defined volume box.

Details of the testcases with boundary conditions, geometry, meshing guidelines, sample meshes, and definition of objective functions and constraints will be provided at the end of October 2015.

Participants are expected to present:

1. A comparison of their flow simulation to the provided exp. data and a provided benchmark CFD simulation, initial values for objective functions and constraints.
2. A description of their parametrisation approach and number of degrees of freedom used.
3. A description which optimisation algorithm is used. If sensitivities are used, a documentation of these sensitivities along prescribed sections.
4. Values for optimised objective and constraints, computational cost normalised by the cost of the flow simulation, profiles of the optimised shape along specific sections.
5. A discussion of their results, in particular which flow alterations due to the optimisation are responsible for the improvement in objective function.

The results of the benchmark will be collated in a jointly authored journal paper for each case.

Further details can be obtained from Dr. Jens-Dominik Müller (j.mueller@qmul.ac.uk) and Prof. Tom Verstraete (t.verstraete@qmul.ac.uk). Please register your interest to participate in the benchmark workshop by 30/11/2015 with either Jens or Tom.