Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

Design Analysis, Manufacturing, Testing and Model Updates

Under NASA Performance Adaptive Aeroelastic Wing (PAAW) project, we developed various capabilities ranging from airplane design, manufacturing, ground static/vibration testing, flight testing and numerical model updating

Half-wing model GVT

Full model "free-free" GVT

Flight Test

Relevant Papers:

Zhao, W., Gupta, A., Miglani, J., Regan, C. D., Kapania, R. K. and Seiler, P. J., "Component Data Assisted Finite Element Model Updating of Composite Flying-wing Aircraft using Multi-level Optimization,'' Aerospace Science and Technology, Vol. 95, pp. 105486, 2019, DOI: 10.1016/j.ast.2019.105486

Zhao, W. and Kapania, R. K., “BLP Optimization of Composite Flying-wing with SpaRibs and Multiple Control Surfaces,” 2018 AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, AIAA SciTech Forum, Kissimmee, Florida, AIAA 2018-2150, 2018, DOI: 10.2514/1.J057892

Zhao, W., Jrad, M., Gupta, R. and Kapania, R. K., “Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis and Optimization of Performance Adaptive Aeroelastic Wings,” AIAA Atmosphere Flight Mechanics Conference, AIAA SciTech, Grapevine, TX, 2017, AIAA 2017-1392, DOI: 10.2514/6.2017-1392 (This work on mAEWing2 design has been reported in AIAA Aerospace America 2017 Year in Review)

MDO of Large Transport Wing

D8_FSI.pdf

(Credit: PAAW team)

Fully-coupled aeroelastic analysis including trim analysis and flutter analysis:

Composite beam model for D8 wingbox design
six degrees-of-freedom considered
Cross-sectional analysis based stiffness/mass properties for beam modeling
Panel method based aerodynamics corrected with the high-fidelity aerodynamic analysis results
Direct computation of static aeroelastic analysis equations

Bi-level programming optimization:

- We have developed a program for large airplane design, Bi-Level Integrated Design Optimization (BLIDO)
  - Optimizers:
    - Particle Swarm Optimization (upper-level optimization)
    - Gradient based optimization (lower-level optimization
  - Bionic Structures
    - Spars, ribs, stringers shape
    - Tow-steered laminates, i.e. curvilinear fiber path laminates

Relevant Papers:

Zhao, W., Gupta, R.,Kapania, R. K. and Schmidt, D. K., “Fuel Weight Minimization for Large N+3 Composite Transports with Multiple Control Surfaces,” AIAA SciTech 2020, Orlando, FL, 2020, AIAA 2020-0663, DOI: 10.2514/6.2020-0663

Zhao, W. and Kapania, R. K., “Bilevel Programming Weight Minimization of Composite Flying-wings Aircraft with Curvilinear Spars and Ribs,” AIAA Journal, Vol. 57, No. 6, pp. 2594–2608, 2019, DOI:10.2514/1.J057892

Gupta, R., Zhao, W. and Kapania, R. K., “Investigation of Controllability Gramian as Control Objective in MDAO Framework,” AIAA Aviation 2019, Dallas, Texas, June, 2019, AIAA 2019-3550, DOI:10.2514/6.2019-3550

Morphing Wings

Employ innovative NASA Variable-Camber Continuous Trailing-Edge Flap (VCCTEF) for Blended-wing-body (BWB) trailing-edge surfaces to investigate the resulting benefits regarding both total actuator energy consumption and aerodynamic drag
Multiobjective optimization studies conducted
Demonstrated benefit of using VCCTEF for a reduced aerodynamic drag while using least actuator energy during the cruise flight condition

Case I: Conventional flap design; Case IV: All three segments in the VCCTEF with individual flap rotations ; Cases II and III: Two of the three segments in the VCCTEF have the same rotations

Relevant Papers:

Zhao, W. and Kapania, R. K., “Actuator Energy and Drag Minimizations of Blended-Wing-Body with Variable Camber Continuous Trailing-edge Flaps,” Engineering Optimization, Vol. 52, No. 9, pp. 1561-1587, 2020, DOI: 10.1080/0305215X.2019.1660776

Zhao, W. and Kapania, R. K., “Static Aeroelastic Optimization of Aircraft Wings with Multiple Surfaces,” 18th AIAA/ISSMO Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization Conference, AIAA Aviation Forum, Denver, Colorado, 2017, AIAA 2017-4320, DOI: 10.2514/6.2017-4320