Date of Award

12-1992

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

First Advisor

Peter J. Torvik, PhD

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the influence of structural optimization parameters on the structural and aeroelastic behavior of a vertical tail. The outside geometry of the tail is assumed fixed. The objective of the optimization is to reduce the structural member sizes so that the overall weight of the tail is minimized. The influence that design loads, design constraints, design variable linking has on the optimal design is observed examining several design cases. The static aeroelastic properties a flutter speeds of the various design cases are then compared. The doublet lattice method is used to calculate the steady and unsteady subsonic aerodynamic loads and finite element theory is used to model the vertical tail structure.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GAE-ENY-92D-24

DTIC Accession Number

ADA259140

Comments

The author's Vita page is omitted.

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