A Large-Scale Aero-Structural Optimization Framework for Electric Aircraft Design

A large-scale aero-structural optimization framework for the design and synthesis of an electric aircraft configuration is discussed. Key components of the multi-disciplinary framework include a novel high-fidelity dynamic aeroelastic module and an efficient parallel topology optimization module implemented on an unstructured finite element domain. The aeroelastic solver is evaluated using a strongly-coupled fluid-structure interaction problem and multiple sources of numerical artifacts are recognized. Higher order density filtering is applied to large design domains to resolve optimal material distributions for complex geometries. Topology optimization results at transonic dynamic aeroelastic equilibrium are obtained for both small and large aspect ratio wings. Two distinct material distribution patterns are obtained for these lifting surfaces, influenced by the degree of aeroelastic coupling.