Application of Cubic B-Spline Curves for Hull Meshing

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a regular hull meshing code using cubic B-Spline curves. The discretization procedure begins by the definition of B-Spline curves over stations, bow and stern contours of the hull plan lines. Thus, new knots are created applying an equal spaced subdivision procedure on defined B-spline curves. Then, over these equal transversal space knots, longitudinal B-spline curves are defined and subdivided into equally spaced knots, too. Subsequently, new transversal knots are created using the longitudinal equally spaced knots. Finally, the hull mesh is composed by quadrilateral panels formed by these new transversal and longitudinal knots. This procedure is applied in the submerged Wigley hulls Series 60 Cb=0.60. Their mesh volumes are calculated using the divergence theorem, for mesh quality evaluation.