Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Engineering (MSE)

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Committee Chair

Konstantinos Kanistras

Committee Member

Farbod Fahimi

Committee Member

Naga Venkat Adurthi

Subject(s)

Trailing edges (Aerodynamics), Wing-warping (Aerodynamics)

Abstract

This research aims to investigate parameterization and optimization methods to attain an optimum trailing edge (TE) deformation tailored to different aerodynamic objective functions (C(subscript l), C(subscript l)/C(subscript d), C(subscript l)³/C(subscript d)²). Discontinuous Modified Class/Shape Transformation (dMCST) is used to create the design parameters for the tE curvature. Gradient free optimization methods (sequential model-based, population-based) are tested to obtain a globally optimized design. Subsequently, surrogate-based computational models are trained and aim to replace high-fidelity CFD solvers, such as ANSYS Fluent, to expedite the optimization process. To verify the veracity of these models, a comparison between Xfoil and the trained best surrogate model result is conducted using the best population-based optimization method. Results indicate that dMCST as parameterization and sequential model-based optimization, with the variability of surrogate functions (Gaussian process for C(subscript l), C(subscript l)/C(subscript d), and Extra trees for C(subscript l)³/C(subscript d)², is found to be optimization method to attain the global optimum design for the wing’s TE deflection.

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