Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Commons^™

Tooling Design Modeling For Composite Fuselage Of Beechcraft King Air 250 Using Catia, Miazor Fidelis Ekom

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Aircraft’s constant operation in tough conditions necessitates the need for structural components of high strength yet low weight. Composite materials are being used as an alternative to conventional aluminum alloys because of their competitive strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios. In this paper, the detailed design procedure of a light-aircraft composite material fuselage tooling in three dimensions is shown. In its operation, the layup tools provide a surface for the composite part which is the correct shape of the part and is stable through the cure cycle, and also providing a means of indexing the part for the next manufacturing operation. This …

Hybrid Models As Transdisciplinary Research Enablers, Andreas Tolk, Alison Harper, Navonil Mustafee

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Faculty Publications

Modelling and simulation (M&S) techniques are frequently used in Operations Research (OR) to aid decision-making. With growing complexity of systems to be modelled, an increasing number of studies now apply multiple M&S techniques or hybrid simulation (HS) to represent the underlying system of interest. A parallel but related theme of research is extending the HS approach to include the development of hybrid models (HM). HM extends the M&S discipline by combining theories, methods and tools from across disciplines and applying multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary solutions to practice. In the broader OR literature, there are numerous examples of cross-disciplinary approaches in …

Spacecraft Informatics, K. L. Yung, Lida Xu, Chris Zhang

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Kentucky Re-Entry Universal Payload System (Krups): Orbital Flight, James Tyler Nichols

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Due to the uniqueness of atmospheric entry environments, ground facilities cannot accurately replicate re-entry conditions. Consequently, scientists primarily rely on numerical models to predict these conditions and inform Thermal Protection System (TPS) designs. These models often lack flight validation, which is necessary for increasing their fidelity. Thus, there is a substantial need to obtain such data to advance modeling capabilities.

The Kentucky Re-entry Universal Payload System (KRUPS) is an adaptable test-bed for scientific experimentation with initial application to TPS. This vehicle was designed at the University of Kentucky to serve as an inexpensive means of obtaining validation data to enhance …

Structural Optimization Of Space Transit Vehicle Concept, Hercules, James Philip Rogers

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

STRUCTURAL OPTIMIZATION OF SPACE TRANSIT VEHICLE CONCEPT, HERCULES:

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF STRUCTURAL OPTIONS

Hercules is a vehicle concept developed by NASA Langley's Vehicle Analysis Branch to satisfy the need for sustainable transit between Earth, the moon, and Mars. Hercules features unprecedented abort capabilities and mission flexibility to aid in NASA's Mars campaign. By utilizing modern software to perform structural analysis and optimization for a large selection of stiffened panel concepts, beam concepts, and materials trends in the structural optimization emerge. These trends will be invaluable for the design of future spacecraft needed to fulfill similar roles.

The structural optimization …

Quantum Safety Metrics Framework For Commercial Unmanned Aircraft Operators, Tracy L. Lamb, Nathan A. Phillips, Trong Van Nguyen

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Commercial unmanned aircraft systems continue to increase in applications and diversity; however, mishaps and accidents erode safety, investment return, and efficiency. Most unmanned aircraft accidents are preceded by leading indicators; the ability to forecast and quantify these may provide increased safety and profitability. This mixed-method research study used a non-experimental parallel convergence approach with multiple instruments, multiple-case study n = 22, and one exemplar case design to develop a quantum safety metric program. This study used a combination of previously validated methods as development instruments, including; the HFACS, STAMP, 'Sierra Scale,' and Accident Prevention Effort equations. The study extended the …

Internet Of Things 36-Rotor Multicopter For Ionizing Radiation Surveying, Svetoslav Zabunov, Garo Mardirossian, Rositsa Miteva, Todor Kunchev

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This paper presents an Internet of things 36-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle suitable for radiological surveying of buildings and facilities. The design of the 36-rotor multicopter platform is disclosed. The aircraft is used as a testbed for a lightweight gamma/beta/neutron ionizing radiation sensor closely coupled with the autopilot of the multirotor aircraft. A prototype of the drone and sensor was developed and initial tests were conducted. Test results are presented with data from measuring different radiation sources. The proposed novel design is compared to existing work and advantages to the latter were established.

Influence Of The Inherent Safety Principles On Quantitative Risk In Process Industry: Application Of Genetic Algorithm Process Optimization (Gapo), Mehdi Jahangiri, Abolfazl Moghadasi, Mojtaba Kamalinia, Farid Sadeghianjahromi, Sean Banaee

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Inherent safety (IS) refers to a set of measures that enhance the safety level of processes and equipment, rendering additional equipment and/or add-ons. The early design phase of processes is suited best for implementation of IS strategies as some of such strategies either are impossible to be implemented at the operation phase or substantially increase costs. The purpose of this study is to present a new approach called genetic algorithm process optimization (GAPO), by which processes can be made inherently safer even at the operation phase. This study simulates the IS principle, assessing its impact on quantitative risk and the …

Design And Testing Of A Feed-Forward Control System For Deployable Vortex Generators Dependent On Angle Of Attack, Solomon B. Whitmire, Christopher J. Chapanar, Kirklin M. Anderson, Nickalus R. Amon, Daniel W. Chech

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

A vortex generator (VG hereafter) is a common feature of an aircraft wing that disturbs the flow on the leading edge of the wing, thus energizing the boundary layer and reducing flow separation. For an aircraft experiencing flow separation, VGs can increase the lift-to-drag ratio of the wing and prevent stall; however, if flow separation isn’t an issue, the unnecessary frontal area of the VGs has the potential to produce parasitic drag. This study seeks to determine whether the use of a deployment system can improve the performance of VG’s by raising or lowering them depending on the angle of …

Multidisciplinary And Multi-Objective Optimal Design Of A Cascade Control System For A Flexible Wing With Embedded Control Surfaces Having Actuator Dynamics, Christopher Stephen Greer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A multidisciplinary and multi-objective optimization approach that integrates the design of the control surfaces’ sizes, active control systems, and estimator for an aircraft’s wing with three control surfaces is developed. Due to its attractive stability robustness properties, a control system based on the LQR (Linear Quadratic Regulator) is built for each control surface. The geometrical parameters of the control surfaces such as the span wise and chord lengths, the design details of the LQR penalty matrices, and the locations of the estimator poles are tuned by a widely used multi-objective optimization algorithm called NSGA-II (Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm). Four objectives …