Mono-block and non-matching multi-block structured mesh adaptation based on aerodynamic functional total derivatives for RANS flow

An enhanced goal-oriented mesh adaptation method is presented based on aerodynamic functional total derivatives with respect to mesh nodes in a Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) finite-volume mono-block and non-matching multi-block-structured grid framework. This method falls under the category of methods involving the adjoint vector of the function of interest. The contribution of a Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model is taken into account through its linearization. Meshes are adapted accordingly to the proposed indicator. Applications to 2D RANS flow about a RAE2822 airfoil in transonic, and detached subsonic conditions are presented for the drag coefficient estimation. The asset of the proposed method is patent. The obtained 2D anisotropic mono-block mesh well captures flow features as well as global aerodynamic functionals. Interestingly, the constraints imposed by structured grids may be relaxed by the use of non-matching multi-block approach that limits the outward propagation of local mesh refinement through all of the computational domain. The proposed method also leads to accurate results for these multi-block meshes but at a fraction of the cost. Finally, the method is also successfully applied to a more complex geometry, namely, a mono-block mesh in a 3D RANS transonic flow about an M6 wing.