Koshakji, AnwarQuarteroni, AlfioRozza, Gianluigi2014-02-242014-02-242014-02-24201310.1685/journal.caim.452https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/101169The purpose of this work is to analyse and study an efficient parametrization technique for a 3D shape optimization problem. After a brief review of the techniques and approaches already available in literature, we recall the Free Form Deformation parametrization, a technique which proved to be efficient and at the same time versatile, allowing to manage complex shapes even with few parameters. We tested and studied the FFD technique by establishing a path, from the geometry definition, to the method implementation, and finally to the simulation and to the optimization of the shape. In particular, we have studied a bulb and a rudder of a race sailing boat as model applications, where we have tested a complete procedure from Computer-Aided-Design to build the geometrical model to discretization and mesh generation.shape optimizationNavier Stokes equationsfree-form deformationYacht engineeringviscous energy dissipationbulbruddertext::journal::journal article::research article