Toward a framework for structural modelling strategies for future airframe-propulsion system interactions

Novel, unconventional aircraft configurations which have been proposed to facilitate achievement of sustainable aviation goals are anticipated to require more tightly integrated design disciplines than conventional aircraft. The design of such configurations is likely to be dictated by the configuration of major sub-systems, such as the propulsion system, and vice versa. Existing design methodologies do not readily accommodate the design of unconventional configurations due to limited availability of appropriate empirical data. Consequently, the industry is largely uninformed regarding potentially significant variation in structural performance requirements relative to conventional Tube-And-Wing configurations. The capability to generate representative analysis models during early design stages enables evaluation of changes in key structural performance metrics arising from fundamental architectural changes thereby assisting key design stage decisions. This paper evaluates existing modelling and analysis strategies, defines generic key whole-aircraft level structural performance metrics for propulsion systems, and details development and subsequent evaluation of a reference flight dynamics model for use in future work. The reference flight dynamics model has been verified relative to a conventional Tube-And-Wing aircraft for which significant publicly available data exists. This work informs development of a modelling and analysis framework which will be employed to investigate the influence of changes in key architectural design decisions e.g. wingspan, propulsion system location, and mass, on key structural aircraft-level performance metrics.