A FEM-Matlab code for Fluid-Structure interaction coupling with application to sail aerodynamics of yachts

A Matlab-FEM code has been developed for deformation analysis of sails as a MSc final project. Sails are modelled as isotropic homogeneous membranes reinforced with cables. The problem, fully non-linear, is resolved by assembling the global stiffness matrix of a mesh of membrane and cable elements in the Matlab™ environment to get an N-equations N-unknowns system. The solution is found with a Quasi- Newton solver. Validation has been performed by comparing numerical results obtained from the developed code with analytical solutions of geometrically simple cases and with experimental data from tests carried out in the DINAV Ship Structures laboratory. A full Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) analysis of a main sail has been carried out coupling the code with an aerodynamics panel code developed as another MSc final project. The result is in accordance with the physics of the phenomena and engineering judgment.