Flight Simulation and Visualization of Very Flexible Aircraft

Faculty mentor: Prof. Carlos Cesnik

Prerequisites: The ideal candidate will have a passion for flying and flight simulation. Interested in computational analysis and creative visualization techniques. The project builds towards flight simulation capabilities focused on very flexible aircraft.

• Advanced experience with Python, MATLAB and/or C++ is desirable
• Strong computer science background

Description: Computer simulation tools, particularly novel, research-based academic software, suffer from a lack of real-time visualization capabilities. This project will leverage an existing flight simulation tool developed at U-M’s A2SRL and link its output to a professional visualization environment (Unreal Engine 5, a video game development engine used to create realistic visuals). The student will build APIs to interact with the results of and visualize flight simulations to enable tracking the aircraft (and their dynamic deformations) during flight. The outcome will be full 3D deformable mesh(es) representing the aircraft as it undergoes flight and an automated postprocessing method to interact with the results of such flight simulations. The student is expected to document their work in a timely and efficient manner and will be provided with helpful mentorship and guidance throughout the semester.

Research Mode: In-person or hybrid.

Expected Time Commitment: 12 hours/week (3 credits)

Conceptual Design of a Solar Powered Airplane

Faculty mentor: Prof. Carlos Cesnik

Prerequisites: Aerospace engineering BS degree, with skills in.

• Python, MATLAB and/or C++ programming
• Basic understanding of design optimization

Description: Solar powered airplanes provide the opportunity for very long duration flights in a very sustainable way. Working by extracting energy from the Sun light, the electric aircraft will not produce any emissions. The group at U-M’s A2SRL has worked on different aspects of the design of such vehicle, particularly focused on its dynamic behavior. For this project, we want to investigate the relation between aircraft size and payload size with the goal of developing the smallest high-altitude long-endurance solar-powered airplane for a given payload. The payloads of interest are small in size and in power requirements, making this new airplane a pseudo cube sat. A conceptual design tool to account for the energy cycle (collection and storage) while considering the dynamics of the vehicle will be developed and exercised. The student is expected to document their work in a timely and efficient manner and will be provided with helpful mentorship and guidance throughout the semester.

Research Mode: In-person or hybrid.

Expected Time Commitment: 12 hours/week (3 credits)

Thermoelastic Finite Element Analysis of a Hypersonic Vehicle Model

Faculty mentor: Professor Carlos E. S. Cesnik

Prerequisites: Familiarity with finite element analysis, knowledge of heat transfer, and programming skills.

Project description: A Finite Element Model (FEM) of a representative slender hypersonic vehicle will be provided. The student will set up a thermoelastic analysis in Abaqus, where the model is excited through the application of forces and heat and its deformation is computed. The results will be compared with available experimental data. The student will be responsible for developing and applying any calibration to the FEM, if needed. The expected outcome consists of generating several conditions (1000s) of combinations of different forces and thermal loads and their respective deformations.

Research Mode: In-person or hybrid.

Expected time commitment: 12 hours/week (3 credits)

Resin Transfer Method (RTM) Experimental Device to Support Nanoparticle-Infused-Resin Structural Tests

Faculty mentor: Prof. Carlos Cesnik

Prerequisites: The ideal candidate will have a background in composites materials and manufacturing them. Interested in computational and experimental analysis of composite materials. This project involves using a novel manufacturing technique to build and test composite coupons.

• Experience with carbon fiber wet layups or prepregs
• CAD and composite material computational analysis, AE 516 preferred

Description: The RTM process, developed in the 80s, involves resin injection into a mold to provide a matrix for fiber reinforcements. U-M’s A2SRL has a small resin transfer composite manufacturing device which will be used to build test articles to test the properties (mechanical, electric, etc.) of nanoparticle-infused-resin composite structures. The student will design and build various test articles and coupons using the RTM mold and perform tensile and static loading tests on the test pieces to identify the impact of the nanoparticle infused resin on the fibers. The outcome will be a manufacturing and testing process for the unique nanoparticle-infused-resin composite structures. The student is expected to document their work in a timely and efficient manner and will be provided with helpful mentorship and guidance throughout the semester.

Research Mode: In-person or hybrid (there will be lab work).

Expected Time Commitment: 12 hours/week (3 credits)

Aircraft Conceptual Design Using Gradient-Based Optimization

Faculty mentor: Professor Joaquim R. R. A. Martins

Prerequisites: AE481 Aircraft Design or equivalent. Good programming skills. Knowledge of or willing to learn Python and compiling C/C++.

Project description: This project consists in using an aircraft conceptual design toolbox in conjunction with several optimization algorithms to explore optimal aircraft designs with respect to cost, fuel burn and greenhouse gas emissions. The work involves setting up optimization problems, solving them and interpreting the results.

Expected Time Commitment: TBD