Design-Oriented Aeroservoelastic ZAERO Capability for 3D Configuration Shape MDO

Design-oriented steady and unsteady aerodynamic analysis tools for Aeroelastic / Aeroservoelastic evaluation lag significantly behind other multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) developments for aerospace vehicle design. In almost all MDO studies to date involving configuration shape optimization, dynamic Aeroelastic/Aeroservoelastic constraints were left out. Flutter, gust stresses, vibration, fatigue, ride comfort, handling qualities ? all extremely important ? still cannot be accounted for in an automated design process involving configuration shape variations. Proposed here is the creation of a comprehensive design-oriented unsteady-aerodynamic methodology to enhance current MDO/MSO capabilities with Aeroelastic/Aeroservoelastic shape sensitivities. ZONA Technology?s proven ZAERO code will serve as the aerodynamic base for this development. In phase I the new methodology will provide sensitivities with respect to planform shape design variables for aerodynamic matrices, pressures, and loads. Subsonic, sonic, supersonic, and hypersonic Mach numbers will be covered as well as order reduction techniques for repetitive generation of aerodynamic matrices during optimization. Easy interfaces with general finite element codes will be introduced and validated. In phase II non-planar surfaces and general 3D wing-body sensitivity solutions and reduced-order approximations will be obtained and validated. This new general capability will fit any aerospace vehicle MDO environment, and will provide a crucial critically needed MDO building block.