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Stability-constrained Aerodynamic Shape Optimization with Applications to Flying Wings

A set of techniques is developed that allows the incorporation of flight dynamics metrics
as an additional discipline in a high-fidelity aerodynamic optimization. Specifically, techniques for including static stability constraints and handling qualities constraints in a high-fidelity aerodynamic optimization are demonstrated. These constraints are developed from stability
derivative information calculated using high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Two techniques are explored for computing the stability derivatives from CFD. One technique uses an automatic differentiation adjoint technique (ADjoint) to efficiently and accurately compute a
full set of static and dynamic stability derivatives from a single steady solution. The other technique uses a linear regression method to compute the stability derivatives from a quasi-unsteady time-spectral CFD solution, allowing for the computation of static, dynamic and transient stability
derivatives. Based on the characteristics of the two methods, the time-spectral technique
is selected for further development, incorporated into an optimization framework, and used to conduct stability-constrained aerodynamic optimization. This stability-constrained optimization
framework is then used to conduct an optimization study of a flying wing configuration. This study shows that stability constraints have a significant impact on the optimal design of flying wings and that, while static stability constraints can often be satisfied by modifying the
airfoil profiles of the wing, dynamic stability constraints can require a significant change in the planform of the aircraft in order for the constraints to be satisfied.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:OTU.1807/32758
Date30 August 2012
CreatorsMader, Charles
ContributorsMartins, Joaquim R. R. A.
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
Languageen_ca
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis

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