Genetic algorithm for aerodynamic inverse optimization problems

A genetic algorithm (GA) has been applied to optimize target pressure distributions for aerodynamic inverse design methods. Since GAs do not require any derivative information, the resulting aerodynamic optimization algorithm is robust. Once target pressure distributions are obtained, corresponding airfoil geometries can be computed by an inverse design code using a Navier-Stokes solver. Design samples indicate that supercritical airfoil shapes are reproduced by the simulated evolution of a GA.