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The University of Southampton
Engineering
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Dr Laura Marimon Giovannetti MEng (Hons) Ship Science, Yacht and Small Craft

Visiting Researcher

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Dr Laura Marimon is currently a Visiting Researcher within Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton.

Along with my academic career I have been sailing at international level. I am now campaigning for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the NACRA 17 class.

My personal achievements in sports (National champion several years, 6th at the World Cup Final 2017 etc.) helped me managing my time in the best possible manner. This skill allowed me to graduate with First class Honors and complete my PhD in three years at the University of Southampton still taking part to major competitions and training almost every day in the gym and in the water.

My main area of expertise at the moment regards Computational Fluid Dynamics, Finite Element Analysis of composite materials, Wind tunnel testing using Digital Image Correlation and Particle Image Velocimetry techniques to capture the structural behaviours of tailored foils under aerodynamic forces.

My university Master project allowed me to work to an America’s cup sailing simulator, especially looking at the wing sail aerodynamics, and the performance changes given by twisting the rear wing section and flying the hulls.

Following the master project, my PhD was based on improving the performances of high performance catamaran foils, investigating the interactions involved between the fluid and the structures and the bending and torsion of the foils under load.

Given my technical knowledge in foil design and the recent interest in foiling boats, I was involved as a fluid-structure interaction intern in the America’s Cup Team Land Rover BAR for the 35th America’s Cup (November 2015 – June 2017).

As a Visiting Researcher in the Sport Performance Laboratory I am involved in a number of projects with the English Institute of Sport on how to help an athlete improve their performances.

Research interests

The PhD project investigates passive adaptive foils, especially looking at the bend-twist coupling interaction of composites materials.

The study involves experimental and numerical Fluid Structures Interaction techniques (coupling Digital Image Correlation with Particle Image Velocimetry and Finite Element Analysis with Computational Fluid Dynamics) to ultimately find a material layup configuration that will change the effective angle of attack of the foil accordingly to the flow speed.

The research is applicable to wind and tidal turbines as well as to propeller blades, but it is mainly focused on foils of high performance catamaran such as the Nacra 17, the new sailing Olympic class.

PhD Supervisors

Dr. S.W.Boyd and Prof. S.R.Turnock

Other research projects

Performance sports

Research group

Maritime Engineering

Research project(s)

Tailored composites for deformation control in unsteady fluid-structure interactions

Demonstrator of:

Dr Laura Marimon Giovannetti
Engineering, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton. SO17 1BJ United Kingdom


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