S​IG45 Workshop

Uncertainty Quantification and Data Assimilation in Fluid Dynamics

A​utumn 2026, Italy

Location: TBD, Italy

Organizers:

• Marcello Meldi, Arts et Métiers - Campus Lille, France
• Lorenzo Tamellini, CNR-IMATI, Pavia, Italy

Workshop Objectives:

The workshop is designed to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration around the integration of data assimilation (DA) and uncertainty quantification (UQ) techniques in the study and control of fundamental flow configurations and complex flows of industrial interest—a central challenge in both academic research and industrial applications.

Turbulent flows are inherently complex, nonlinear, and sensitive to initial and boundary conditions. Despite advances in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), predictive modeling of turbulence remains limited by uncertainties in physical models, numerical approximations, and sparse or noisy experimental data. This workshop aims to address these challenges by showcasing how DA and UQ can be leveraged to improve the reliability, accuracy, and efficiency of turbulence analysis in real-world engineering systems.

Key objectives might include:

1. Bridging Theory and Practice:
   Introduce participants to state-of-the-art DA and UQ methodologies, including Bayesian inference, ensemble Kalman filters, adjoint-based techniques, and stochastic modeling, with a focus on their practical implementation in turbulent flow simulations.
2. Enhancing Predictive Capabilities:
   Demonstrate how DA can be used to fuse experimental measurements (e.g., PIV, pressure sensors) with numerical simulations to produce more accurate and physically consistent flow fields. Highlight the role of UQ in quantifying confidence levels in simulation outputs and guiding decision-making under uncertainty.
3. Industrial Relevance and Impact:
   Explore applications in sectors such as aerospace (e.g., jet engines, airframe aerodynamics), automotive (e.g., drag reduction, combustion), energy (e.g., wind turbines, heat exchangers), and environmental engineering (e.g., pollutant dispersion, HVAC systems). Emphasize how DA/UQ can support design optimization, performance monitoring, and risk assessment.
4. Data-Driven Modeling and Reduced-Order Techniques:
   Discuss the integration of machine learning and reduced-order modeling with DA/UQ frameworks to enable real-time analysis and control of turbulent flows, especially in scenarios where full-scale simulations are computationally prohibitive.
5. Experimental Design and Sensor Placement:
   Present strategies for optimal sensor placement and experimental design to maximize the information gain from measurements, thereby improving the effectiveness of data assimilation and reducing epistemic uncertainty.
6. Fostering Collaboration:
   Create a platform for researchers, engineers, and students to exchange ideas, share challenges, and initiate collaborations that advance the application of DA/UQ in turbulent flow analysis.

By the end of the workshop, participants will have a deeper understanding of how data-driven techniques can enhance turbulence modeling and will be equipped with practical tools and insights to apply these methods in their own research or industrial projects.

Target Audience:

• Researchers in fluid dynamics, applied mathematics, and computational science.
• Engineers and data scientists working in industrial R&D.
• Graduate students interested in turbulence modeling and data-driven methods.

Topics Covered:

• Bayesian and ensemble-based data assimilation methods.
• Surrogate modeling and reduced-order modeling for turbulent flows.
• Uncertainty propagation in CFD simulations.
• Sensor placement and experimental design for DA.
• Industrial case studies: combustion, aerodynamics, HVAC, etc.

Tentative Program:

09:00 – 09:30Welcome & Introduction
09:30 – 10:30Keynote: DA/UQ in Industrial Turbulence
10:30 – 11:00Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:30Technical Talks: Methods & Algorithms
12:30 – 14:00Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:30Technical Talks: applications in UQ
15:30 – 17:00Technical Talks: applications in DA
17:00 – 17:30Closing Remarks & Networking

Call for Contributions:

• We invite short presentations and posters on:
• Novel DA/UQ techniques.
• Applications to industrial turbulent flows.
• Software tools and frameworks.

M​ore information to be provided