High-Fidelity Aero-Structural Design Optimization of a Supersonic Business Jet

This paper focuses on the demonstration of an integrated aero-structural method for the design of aerospace vehicles. Both aerodynamics and structures are represented using high-fidelity models such as the Euler equations for the aerodynamics and a detailed finite element model for the primary structure. The aerodynamic outer mold line OML and a structure of fixed topology are parameterized using a large number of design variables. The aero-structural sensitivities of aerodynamic and structural cost functions with respect to both aerodynamic shape and structural variables are computed using an accurate and efficient coupled-adjoint procedure. K-S functions are used to reduce the number of structural constraints in the problem. Sample optimization results of the aerodynamic shape and structure of a natural laminar flow supersonic business jet are presented together with an assessment of the accuracy of the sensitivity information obtained using this procedure.