Veenendaal, Justin2014-09-032014-09-032014-09-03http://hdl.handle.net/1993/23950A design engineer has a desire to obtain the best possible design configuration producing the most desirable result. This is especially true in designs involving aerodynamics. This thesis presents a way to design the optimum airfoil for a non-lifting strut-like application. This is achieved by combining the governing laws of aerodynamics with appropriate numerical models to simulate an inputted steady flow regime. By using a robust yet simple parameterization method to represent airfoils and by implementing a genetic algorithm, optimization is achieved and occurs in a timely manner. Performing the optimization across a range of flow fields and for struts in different applications also allows some trends to be deduced, thus providing valuable knowledge to design engineers.engoptimizationaerodynamicsturbulenceparameterizationmaster thesis