Neumann-Michell theory-based multi-objective optimization of hull form for a naval surface combatant

A numerical multi-objective optimization procedure is proposed here to describe the development and application of a practical hydrodynamic optimization tool, OPTShip-SJTU. Three components including hull form modification module, hydrodynamic performance evaluation module and optimization module consist of this tool. The free-form deformation (FFD) method and shifting method are utilized as parametric hull surface modification techniques to generate a series of realistic hull forms subjected to geometric constraints, and the Neumann-Michell (NM) theory is implemented to predict the wave drag. Moreover, NSGA-II, a muti-objective genetic algorithm, is adopted to produce pareto-optimal front, and kriging model is used for predicting the total resistance during the optimization process to reduce the computational cost. Additionally, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method is introduced to represent the influence of each design variable on the objective functions. In present work, a surface combatant DTMB Model 5415 is used as the initial design, and optimal solutions with obvious drag reductions at specific speeds are obtained. Eventually, three of optimal hulls are analyzed by NM theory and a RANS-based CFD solver naoe-FOAM-SJTU respectively. Numerical results confirm the availability and reliability of this multi-objective optimization tool.