An Evolutionary Aeroelastic Design Approach for Spars and Ribs of Flying Wing Aircraft

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine how rib configurations and spar configurations influence flying wing stability. Flying wing aircraft exhibit enhanced flutter characteristics when stresses flow smoothly through the wing. We prevent stress strangulation through spar cross-sections by changing the configuration in the plunge direction. We employ and develop computer programs Gmsh, Variational Asymptotic Beam Sectional Analysis, MATLAB scripts, and Nonlinear Aeroelastic Trim and Stability of High Altitude Long Endurance Aircraft. The configurations are designed by considering the same material, mass, and flight conditions. The results indicate that the design with the smoother stress distribution through the wing has a higher flutter speed. It is shown that the σ11 and Von-Misses stress distributions have an important effect on the stability of a flying wing aircraft.