CFD simulations of fluid dynamics in sports science for better performance of athletes

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19503
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59020:Sports sciences-related
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Bale Rahul 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 計算科学研究センター, 研究員 (20728737)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Biomechanics / Sport Fluid Dynamics / Immersed boundary method

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Simulating how air or water flows around athletes during sports is quite difficult because of the many factors that need to be considered. We have created a cutting-edge tool that can mimic real-life conditions in computer simulations with good accuracy. This tool is a result of two major breakthroughs: one that can precisely represent complex shapes and situations, and another that makes the computer program more efficient when working with moving or changing shapes. With this new tool, we have been able to study real-life sports, like swimming and ski-jumping, in a way that was never possible before. This could lead to new discoveries and improvements in sports science and engineering.

Free Research Field

Computational Fluid Dynamics

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

This advanced CFD framework enhances the understanding of real-world sports simulations, enabling improved performance analysis and optimized equipment design, ultimately benefiting both athletes and sports science by fostering innovation and facilitating data-driven decision-making.