Optimization of spar mass and fuselage location to decrease loss of airplane lift force

Abstract

Considered in this paper is the problem of optimizing spar mass to minimize lift force loss for a set of spar cross‐section shapes in cases of constant and elliptical lift force distributions. The main idea is that the deformation of the spar under aerodynamic and gravitational forces causes a decrease in lift force and that there must be some optimal spar strength that gives a minimum for the sum of the loss of lift force and spar weight. The influence of fuselage location on the loss of lift force in the case of multi‐fuselage design is also investigated. The behaviour of lift loss as a function of the location of fuselages is discussed.

First published online: 14 Oct 2010