Numerical Interpolation

Abstract

To optimize the shape of a generic winged vehicle, we generate the exterior of the vehicle from a discrete number of points. Computing a continuous vehicle surface from these points requires an interpolation algorithm. In this work, we use cubic splines and spline surfaces as the interpolation scheme. In this chapter the basics of these methods, as well as some issues pertaining to their implementation, are discussed. The splines and spine surfaces are presented in both Hermite and Bézier formulation, and the link between the two is used to enforce that the spline surface net shows neither concavity nor self-intersection.