Rose M., Nagel B.

Multiple field calculations of acoustical and structural coupled problems need algorithms to interpolate data on different meshes, which are especially designed for the underlying physical theories. Particularly in three dimensional structural models with complicated vibrating surfaces, sophisticated algorithms have to be used for the propagation of e.g. pressure and velocity data between the different meshes. This paper describes a new algorithm, based on a branch and bound strategy, which interpolates arbitrary data onto a triangle mesh in logarithmic time complexity for each data point. It is implemented in MATLAB and successfully tested. Due to the coding in C++ and to the enhanced algorithm, it outperforms the available MATLAB tools with respect to precision and time complexity. The algorithm is used in an operational application for automatic Finite Element modelling, which also will be presented in the paper. Based on a parametric description of the structure and surface meshes like used in aerodynamic or acoustic simulations, direct modelling of aircraft structures is performed. This enables efficient high fidelity simulations in MDO applications with best possible match between the different disciplines' models.