Here in the AeroLab, we specialize in low-fidelity methods. We have found that we can leverage impact methods to quickly and effectively solve aircraft design and optimization problems.
Impact methods, which determine forces based on the local surface inclination, are orders of magnitude faster than CFD or even Euler codes.
Hypersonic Impact Method for Aerodynamics and Convective Heating
Unstructured impact method for computing aerodynamic and thermal loads to hypersonic vehicles.
Lightning-fast Fortran implementation.
Straightforward user interface.
SLT, VTK, and TRI mesh handling.
Built for data visualization using ParaView.
Surface pressure from local inclination methods
Surface streamline tracing
Approximate boundary layer model
Stagnation and acreage heating
Cold wall and radiation equilibrium
3 DoF flight analysis
Minimize fuel burn and thermal loads
Viscous optimization of hypersonic, conically derived waveriders
Consideration of stability constraints
This research is currently being funded by the US Air Force and is performed in collaboration with Research in Flight.