Structural Config Studies Question

[KlausMikalson]

Hi,
I am looking for some pointers on how to get started estimating preliminary structural aspects while doing configuration studies. Without giving out too much about the project, we will be doing some config studies on a Flying Wing.

The aero folks will be playing around with Aspect Ratio, Airfoil shape etc. What I want is to determine is the impact of changes on weight, CG, Moment of Intertia and some prelim strength & deflection analysis (low fidelity values only i.e. no FEM usage or anything). Mostly the changes would be around Wing region.

https://showbox.bio/

https://tutuapp.uno/

https://vidmate.cool/

Before I start off on my research, just wanted to post here to get some pointers. Are there any dedicated software programs available to carry out the above?

Also I would appreciate if experienced members could provide pointers on good reference materials & books. Thought I will start off with Roskam & Niu (Conceptual design book) but if there are better & more specific materials, it would be awesome.

Thanks...
Great

 

[rb1957]

plenty of text for design development … Raymer, Torenbeek

you may try a google search.

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[verymadmac]

its old but there is "Weight-Strength Analysis of Aircraft Structures"

https://www.amazon.com/Weight-Strength-Analysis-Aircraft-Structures-Edition/dp/B0045QJQ1Y

 

[Burner2k]

Hi,
There is this tool called OpenVSP developed by NASA. It's freeware and it contains a FEM module in it where in you can build a prelim FEM model of the internal structures right in the software. Can use either shell elements or 1D elements for spars, ribs etc. Unfortunately, I don't think software has the actual solver. I do believe you will be needing an external commercial solver like Nastran. I tried to play around it but I was not able to "complete". As in freeware, at least I found the documentation lacking and there is not much support online for FEM part but it is quite rapid to setup FE models and I'd imagine it would be a good fit for prelim analysis like deflections etc. The software can also compute CG but when I used it, there was not internal structure (I just had the skins surface) and software gave me a CG value.

What OpenVSP excels is its ability to rapidly create conceptual 3D models, especially for Flying Wings. The models won't be "smooth" as in the transitions between various airfoil sections are rough but the 3D models can be exported to any commercial CAD software for further processing/smoothing.

You can try it out

http://openvsp.org/