Reference: AACE-CED-27b

Multi-disciplinary approaches are central to all large aerospace projects since they inevitably involve issues from aerodynamics, structures, loads, costing, manufacture, etc. In previous work the University collaborated with Airbus to build a design framework for concurrent computation of wing design analyses based on a shared blackboard approach for data-interchange. The framework developed showed much promise but needs to be more seriously developed and tested with industrial analysis codes and more complex geometries to demonstrate its worth. The existing framework and tools will be used as a basis for research into methods for supervising and controlling concurrent evolution of aircraft analysis domains focussing on medium fidelity analysis tools. This project will carry out research and development where individual analysis domains are themselves not straightforward and are constraint and multiple goal dominated. The aim being to allow the research tools developed to be transferred to Airbus so that they can be tested with Airbus geometries and analysis tools on their site in Filton.

The project will commence with six months of study in Southampton before transfer to Airbus Filton. It will then be based in Filton for one year before returning to Southampton for completion.

Value of Scholarship:

An enhanced stipend of £17,600 per year and £2000 support for living in Filton for one year will be payable.

More Information:

If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Prof AJ Keane, Computational Engineering and Design Research Group, Email: ajk@soton.ac.uk, Tel: +44 (0) 2380 59 2944.