Composite wing elastic axis for aeroelasticity optimization design

Purpose - Computational efficiency is always the major concern in aircraft design. The purpose of this paper is to investigate an efficient aeroelasticity optimization design method. Analysis of composite wing elastic axis is presented in the current study and its application on aeroelasticity optimization design is discussed. Design/methodology/approach - Elastic axis consists of stiffness centers. The stiffness centers of eight cross sections are analyzed and the wing elastic axis is obtained through least-squares procedure. In the analysis of the cross section stiffness center, the wing model is approximated by assuming the wing cross section as a thin walled structure with a single cell closed section and assuming the composite material to be a 3D anisotropic material. In aeroelasticity optimization design, objective functions are taken to be the wing weight and elastic axis position. Design variables are the thickness and area of wing components. Findings - After aeroelasticity optimization design, the wing weight decreases while the divergent velocity increases. Meanwhile, it can achieve an expected result but costs much less computational time than the conventional method. Practical implications - The results can be used for aircraft design or as an initial value for the next detailed optimization design. Originality/value - The computational time can be dramatically reduced through the aeroelasticity optimization design based on the elastic axis. It is suitable for engineering applications.