Aircraft Geometry Design and Optimization for Sonic Boom Reduction

Abstract

An improved approach for conceptual supersonic aircraft design is developed and presented. The proposed approach consists of two basic elements: 1) geometry parameterization and discretization, and 2) improved linearized analyses. The geometry generation and discretization scheme creates arbitrarily refined, unstructured geometries quickly and efficiently. Improved linearized tools allow geometric effects to be better captured than existing linearized analysis. The geometry generation and improved linear analyses are coupled to a shape optimization procedure to obtain the geometric shape parameters that simultaneously optimize sonic boom intensity on the ground and lift to drag ratio. Results of this preliminary optimization are presented and discussed.