Computational technology for optimal automatic design of aerodynamic shapes

A computational technology for optimal automatic design of aerodynamic shapes, developed by the authors, is described and applied to multi-point design of an industrial aircraft configuration. The optimization, which is driven by a multi-constrained genetic algorithm, employs high-accuracy viscous compressible Navier-Stokes solutions in combination with Reduced-Order-Models. The method features novel approaches to constraint handling and multi-level parallelization on distributed multi-processors which allow for realistic turn-around times.
The method was applied to practical design of a wing-body configuration optimized for minimum drag at given lift subject to multiple aerodynamic and geometric constraints.
The presented results indicate the applicability of the method to practical aircraft design due to its accuracy, robustness and computational efficiency.