Sensitivity Analysis and Optimization of Aerodynamic Configurations With Blend Surfaces

A novel (geometrical) parametrization procedure using solutions to a suitably chosen fourth order partial differential equation is used to define a class of airplane configurations. Inclusive in this definition are surface grids, volume grids, and grid sensitivity. The general airplane configuration has wing, fuselage, vertical tail and horizontal tail. The design variables are incorporated into the boundary conditions, and the solution is expressed as a Fourier series. The fuselage has circular cross section, and the radius is an algebraic function of four design parameters and an independent computational variable. Volume grids are obtained through an application of the Control Point Form method. A graphic interface software is developed which dynamically changes the surface of the airplane configuration with the change in input design variable. The software is made user friendly and is targeted towards the initial conceptual development of any aerodynamic configurations. Grid sensitivity with respect to surface design parameters and aerodynamic sensitivity coefficients based on potential flow is obtained using an Automatic Differentiation precompiler software tool ADIFOR. Aerodynamic shape optimization of the complete aircraft with twenty four design variables is performed. Unstructured and structured volume grids and Euler solutions are obtained with standard software to demonstrate the feasibility of the new surface definition

Sensitivity Analysis and Optimization of Aerodynamic Configurations with Blend Surfaces

A novel (geometrical) parametrization procedure using solutions to a suitably chosen fourth order partial differential equation is used to define a class of airplane configurations. Inclusive in this definition are surface grids, volume grids, and grid sensitivity. The general airplane configuration has wing, fuselage, vertical tail and horizontal tail. The design variables are incorporated into the boundary conditions, and the solution is expressed as a Fourier series. The fuselage has circular cross section, and the radius is an algebraic function of four design parameters and an independent computational variable. Volume grids are obtained through an application of the Control Point Form method. A graphic interface software is developed which dynamically changes the surface of the airplane configuration with the change in input design variable. The software is made user friendly and is targeted towards the initial conceptual development of any aerodynamic configurations. Grid sensitivity with respect to surface design parameters and aerodynamic sensitivity coefficients based on potential flow is obtained using an Automatic Differentiation precompiler software tool ADIFOR. Aerodynamic shape optimization of the complete aircraft with twenty four design variables is performed. Unstructured and structured volume grids and Euler solutions are obtained with standard software to demonstrate the feasibility of the new surface definition

A Survey of Shape Parameterization Techniques

This paper provides a survey of shape parameterization techniques for multidisciplinary optimization and highlights some emerging ideas. The survey focuses on the suitability of available techniques for complex configurations, with suitability criteria based on the efficiency, effectiveness, ease of implementation, and availability of analytical sensitivities for geometry and grids. The paper also contains a section on field grid regeneration, grid deformation, and sensitivity analysis techniques

Splined version of FLEXSTAB: A critical analysis of alternate schemes

Recommendations are made for improved aerodynamic models and numerical schemes to be considered for inclusion into the FLEXSTAB computer program system. These recommendations are based on a critical analysis of numerical technology

Aeronautical engineering: A continuing bibliography with indexes (supplement 251)

This bibliography lists 526 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in April 1990. Subject coverage includes: design, construction and testing of aircraft and aircraft engines; aircraft components, equipment and systems; ground support systems; and theoretical and applied aspects of aerodynamics and general fluid dynamics

Grid sensitivity for aerodynamic optimization and flow analysis

After reviewing relevant literature, it is apparent that one aspect of aerodynamic sensitivity analysis, namely grid sensitivity, has not been investigated extensively. The grid sensitivity algorithms in most of these studies are based on structural design models. Such models, although sufficient for preliminary or conceptional design, are not acceptable for detailed design analysis. Careless grid sensitivity evaluations, would introduce gradient errors within the sensitivity module, therefore, infecting the overall optimization process. Development of an efficient and reliable grid sensitivity module with special emphasis on aerodynamic applications appear essential. The organization of this study is as follows. The physical and geometric representations of a typical model are derived in chapter 2. The grid generation algorithm and boundary grid distribution are developed in chapter 3. Chapter 4 discusses the theoretical formulation and aerodynamic sensitivity equation. The method of solution is provided in chapter 5. The results are presented and discussed in chapter 6. Finally, some concluding remarks are provided in chapter 7

Aeronautical Engineering: A continuing bibliography with indexes, supplement 128, November 1980

This bibliography lists 419 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in October 1980

Wavelet-based Adaptive Techniques Applied to Turbulent Hypersonic Scramjet Intake Flows

The simulation of hypersonic flows is computationally demanding due to large gradients of the flow variables caused by strong shock waves and thick boundary or shear layers. The resolution of those gradients imposes the use of extremely small cells in the respective regions. Taking turbulence into account intensives the variation in scales even more. Furthermore, hypersonic flows have been shown to be extremely grid sensitive. For the simulation of three-dimensional configurations of engineering applications, this results in a huge amount of cells and prohibitive computational time. Therefore, modern adaptive techniques can provide a gain with respect to computational costs and accuracy, allowing the generation of locally highly resolved flow regions where they are needed and retaining an otherwise smooth distribution. An h-adaptive technique based on wavelets is employed for the solution of hypersonic flows. The compressible Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations are solved using a differential Reynolds stress turbulence model, well suited to predict shock-wave-boundary-layer interactions in high enthalpy flows. Two test cases are considered: a compression corner and a scramjet intake. The compression corner is a classical test case in hypersonic flow investigations because it poses a shock-wave-turbulent-boundary-layer interaction problem. The adaptive procedure is applied to a two-dimensional confguration as validation. The scramjet intake is firstly computed in two dimensions. Subsequently a three-dimensional geometry is considered. Both test cases are validated with experimental data and compared to non-adaptive computations. The results show that the use of an adaptive technique for hypersonic turbulent flows at high enthalpy conditions can strongly improve the performance in terms of memory and CPU time while at the same time maintaining the required accuracy of the results.Comment: 26 pages, 29 Figures, submitted to AIAA Journa

A survey of computational aerodynamics in the United States

Programs in theoretical and computational aerodynamics in the United States are described. Those aspects of programs that relate to aeronautics are detailed. The role of analysis at various levels of sophistication is discussed as well as the inverse solution techniques that are of primary importance in design methodology. The research is divided into the broad categories of application for boundary layer flow, Navier-Stokes turbulence modeling, internal flows, two-dimensional configurations, subsonic and supersonic aircraft, transonic aircraft, and the space shuttle. A survey of representative work in each area is presented

Aerodynamic shape optimization of a HSCT type configuration with improved surface definition

Two distinct parametrization procedures of generating free-form surfaces to represent aerospace vehicles are presented. The first procedure is the representation using spline functions such as nonuniform rational b-splines (NURBS) and the second is a novel (geometrical) parametrization using solutions to a suitably chosen partial differential equation. The main idea is to develop a surface which is more versatile and can be used in an optimization process. Unstructured volume grid is generated by an advancing front algorithm and solutions obtained using an Euler solver. Grid sensitivity with respect to surface design parameters and aerodynamic sensitivity coefficients based on potential flow is obtained using an automatic differentiator precompiler software tool. Aerodynamic shape optimization of a complete aircraft with twenty four design variables is performed. High speed civil transport aircraft (HSCT) configurations are targeted to demonstrate the process