Explicit Interpolation-Based CFD Mesh Morphing

This paper describes mesh morphing methodology based on explicit interpolation. The method handles large displacements while maintaining high mesh quality, has a fast run time, scales linearly with mesh size, and can easily be parallelized to many processing units. The method was originally developed to morph multi-block structured CFD meshes. Blocking topology is used to establish connectivity between domain boundary surfaces and to guide domain decomposition strategy. Blocking layout also defines interpolation direction and drives decisions on interpolation order and smoothness which are important to control the mesh quality. The method is combined with several pre-processing concepts to extend it to the morphing of unstructured CFD meshes. Shrink-wrap, domain decomposition, and automated blocking are combined to generate a structured background mesh used as the backbone of the morphing process. The resulting process efficiently morphs unstructured meshes with large surface displacements. Morphing capabilities are illustrated in several turbomachinery and external flow applications.