Automated structural design with aeroelastic constraints - A review and assessment of the state of the art

A review and assessment of the state of the art in automated aeroelastic design is presented. Most of the aeroelastic design studies appearing in the literature deal with flutter, and, therefore, this paper also concentrates on flutter. The flutter design problem is divided into three cases: as isolated flutter mode, neighboring flutter modes, and a hump mode which can rise and cause a sudden, discontinuous change in the flutter velocity. Synthesis procedures are presented in terms of techniques that are appropriate for problems of various levels of difficulty. Current trends, which should result in more efficient, powerful and versatile design codes, are discussed. Approximate analysis procedures and the need for simultaneous consideration of multiple design requirements are emphasized.