Integrated multi-disciplinary design of a sailplane wing

Abstract

The objective of this research is to investigate the techniques and payoffs of integrated aircraft design. Lifting line theory and beam theory are used for the analysis of the aerodynamics and the structures of a composite sailplane wing. The wing is described by 33 - 34 design variables which involve the planform geometry, the twist distribution, and thicknesses of the spar caps, spar webs, and the skin at various stations along the wing. The wing design must satisfy 30 â 31 aeroelastic, structural, aerodynamic, and performance constraints.

Two design procedures are investigated. The first, referred to as the iterative, sequential procedure, involves optimizing the aerodynamic design for maximum average cross-country speed at E1 constant structural weight, and then optimizing the the structural design of the resulting wing geometry for minimum weight. This value is then used in another aerodynamic optimization, and the process continues iteratively until the weight converges. The other procedure, the integrated one, simultaneously optimizes the aerodynamic and the structural design variables for either maximum average cross-country speed or minimum weight.

The integrated procedure was able to improve the value of the objective function obtained by the iterative procedure in all cases. This shows The objective of this research is to investigate the techniques and payoffs of integrated aircraft design. Lifting line theory and beam theory are used for the analysis of the aerodynamics and the structures of a composite sailplane wing. The wing is described by 33 - 34 design variables which involve the planform geometry, the twist distribution, and thicknesses of the spar caps, spar webs, and the skin at various stations along the wing. The wing design must satisfy 30 â 31 aeroelastic, structural, aerodynamic, and performance constraints. Two design procedures are investigated. The first, referred to as the iterative, sequential procedure, involves optimizing the aerodynamic design for maximum average cross-country speed at E1 constant structural weight, and then optimizing the the structural design of the resulting wing geometry for minimum weight. This value is then used in another aerodynamic optimization, and the process continues iteratively until the weight converges. The other procedure, the integrated one, simultaneously optimizes the aerodynamic and the structural design variables for either maximum average cross-country speed or minimum weight.

The integrated procedure was able to improve the value of the objective function obtained by the iterative procedure in all cases. This shows that definite benefits can be gained from taking advantage of aerodynamic/structural interactions during the design process.