Sensitivity analysis of the performance of olympic rowing boats

A multidisciplinary approach is implemented to model and analyze the performance of Olympic rowing boats. A reduced-order model that couples rowers motions with the hull, oars and hydrodynamic and hydrostatic forces is detailed. This model is complemented with a sensitivity analysis carried out by means of a non intrusive polynomial chaos expansion. Different strategies for the evaluation of the polynomial chaos expansion coefficients are implemented and tested. Sensitivity analysis results for a lightweight single scull are presented and discussed. This analysis contrasts the effects of varying forces exerted by the rowers, weights of rowers and cadence of motions on the boat performance. © 2010 by A. Mola, M. Ghommem and M. R. Hajj.