This study investigates the aerodynamic tradeoffs of a box-wing aircraft configuration using high-fidelity aerodynamic optimization. A total of five optimization studies are conducted, where each study extends the previous one by progressively adding a combination of design variables and constraints. Examples of design variables include wing twist and sectional shape; examples of constraints include trim and stability requirements. In all cases, the objective is to minimize inviscid drag at a prescribed lift and a Mach number of 0.78. Aerodynamic functionals are evaluated based on the discrete solution of the Euler equations, which are tightly coupled with an adjoint methodology incorporating a gradient-based optimizer. For each study, an equivalent conventional tube-and-wing baseline is similarly optimized in order to enable direct comparisons. It is found that the transonic box-wing aircraft considered here, for which the height-to-span ratio is about 0.2, produces up to 43% less induced drag than its conventional counterpart. This larger than expected benefit is attributed to the unique capability of the box wing to redistribute its optimal lift distribution, as it enables trim and other constraints to be satisfied with almost no performance degradation. The impact of nonlinear aerodynamics on the box wing is explored further through a series of subsonic optimization studies.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Aerodynamic Optimization Trade Study of a Box-Wing Aircraft Configuration


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Journal of Aircraft ; 53 , 4 ; 971-981


    Publication date :

    2016-03-11


    Size :

    11 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English







    Aerodynamic Optimization Trade Study of a Box-Wing Aircraft Configuration (AIAA 2015-0695)

    Gagnon, Hugo / Zingg, David W. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2015


    Aerodynamic Optimization of High-Wing Configuration for Near Future Aircraft

    Hashimoto, A. / Obayashi, S. / Jeong, S. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2014