Aeroelastic Tailoring of Hinged High Aspect Ratio Wing Using Tow-Steered Composites

This study focuses on the aeroelastic tailoring of a composite high aspect ratio (HAR) wing, equipped with the Semi Aeroelastic Hinge (SAH) system, using the Discrete Stiffness Tailoring (DST) tow-steering technique. The objective is to reduce wing loads and therefore minimize structural weight allowing enhanced flight performance. It is documented in the literature that the SAH can significantly reduce wing loads during gusts and maneuvers. This paper is the first solid attempt to combine SAH with tow-steering on HAR wings. Genetic algorithm-based (GA) design optimization studies are conducted to obtain optimal steering paths on the wing skin and spar of a representative wing under critical loading conditions to minimize weight. The DST technique notably introduces favorable twist-bend coupling effects, enabling passive washout deformation that effectively reduces peak aerodynamic loads. A sequential optimization approach demonstrates that skin stiffness tailoring predominantly contributes to enhanced gust load alleviation (GLA), while subsequent spar optimization offers additional weight savings without compromising aeroelastic performance. Compared to a baseline configuration, the optimized wing achieves a 19% reduction in structural mass, a 14% reduction in Wing Root Bending Moment (WRBM), and an 11% decrease in Vertical Root Shear Force (VRSF). Furthermore, DST optimization significantly enhances flutter resistance, increasing the flutter speed by nearly threefold for the optimized configurations.