Effects of Design Speed and Normal Acceleration On Aircraft Structure Weight
Effects of Design Speed and Normal Acceleration On Aircraft Structure Weight
Effects of Design Speed and Normal Acceleration On Aircraft Structure Weight
h i
C.P. No. 490 ;4,)Y.\L /$I,~--*‘, *jyj,-‘i ..hp;*?,; C.P. No. 490
(15,167) I ,.: “. (15,167)
A.R.C. Technical Report A.R.C. Technical Report
MINISTRY OF AVIAtION
I960
June, 1952
Introduction 4
Pr oceaum 4
Results 4
wing~~aa'ulg ~3 Ge0metry 5
Sm-eepback
Typ of Construction
Aircraft Size
Conclusions
References
eend*.
LIST OF '?ABZS
Table
-2-
LIST or' ILLT3Sx.UIom
Fimre
Fighter Aircraft - Variation of Structure Y/eight with V'
and Tli , for Values of A , t/c and X I
Fighter Aircraft - Variation of Structure T/eight with VD
and M , for Values of T::ing Loading (w) 2
Bar,ber A5rcraf't - Variation of Structure Teight with VD
and TJ' , for Values of A , t/c and h 3
RoTher Aircraft - Variation of Structure Keight with VI>
and N, for Values of Xng Loading (w) 4
Variation of Structure i'ie@t with Svee>back for Star&rd
Fighter 5
Wing Beight for Spar and Box-BearnDesigm - Standard Bomber 6
Variation of Stzucture height with Aircraft Size for Similar
Fighter Aticraft 7
Variation of Structure Keight -66th Aircraft Size for S5milar
Bomber Aircraft 8
-3-
1 Introduction
The specified values of design diving speed and maximum no?X&l
acceleration form the foundation of aircraft strength and stiffness
req#remcnts, and thus affect both airworthiness and structure vrcight.
The aim of this report is to give a general pictuj% of their effect on
structtire weight for use in project investigations.
Graphs show the struoture weight of @pica1 fighter and bomber
aircraft for ranges of design diving speed and normal acceleration, at
severs3 vs3ues of x5.n.g loading, aspect ratio, thickness/chord ratio and
taper ratio. Changes in structur e Veight for various conditions are
deduced. Tls effects of aircraft size ‘and of spar or box-beam sting con-
struction are considered. The effects of wing sweep-baok are also
considered.
The calculations of structure weight are based upon methods developed
at the R.A.E. and are &scribed in an Appendix. Simiiar graphs may be
constructed for cases not covered by this report.
2 Procedure
The structure weights of two "standard"* aircraft, a fighter and a
bcxnber, are calculated for ranges of design diving speed and factored
maximum normal acceleration coefficient. The oaloulations are repeated
with alternative values of some characteristics which may vary and alter
the structure weight. These are wing loading, aspect ratio, thickness/
chord ratio, taper ratio and s~cp. The standard values, and the other
values investigated, are listed in Table I.
3 Results
--
The results of the calculations are plotted in Figs.1 - 8, and are
discussed beloG.
-4-
The lighter form of 1tin.g construction, spar or box-beam, is assumed
in each case. The change from spar to box-besm construction is marked on
Figs.1 - & and is characterised by an abrupt reduction in slope of the
cuxves. The abrupt increases in slope occur when the weight of cover
required for torsion&l stiffness first exceeds that required for local
strength and stiffness under airloads, ard when the weight of shear webs
require-d for torsional stiffness first exceeds that for vertical shear
strength.
4 Design Speed (VD) and Normal Acceleration (N)
7 a of Constn~otion
At lovf v,n;Lues of VD the wLng cover is thin, and the lightest way
to provide ben&i.ng strength Is to use concentrated spar flanges. As VD
is increased the cover weight rapidly ' ecomes greater, because the required
torsional stiffness inoreases v,$.th VD!! , and above some "oritical" value
Of VD it is lighter to rcinforco the cover to provide the bending strength
( i.e. to uso box-beam construction). The critical value of VD is reduced
as N , wing loading and thiclmess/ohora ratio are reduced. Fi .6 shows
the full spar and box-beam curve s for three values of thickness 7 chord ratio.
The critical value of VD is lo-;~r for the bomber than for the fighter,
because there is a larger proportion of relief loads in the bcmber %'ing,
and because, as size increases, the weight of material requi~d for torsion
increases more rapidly than that roqaired for bending.
These facts explain several features noted in paragraph 4.. For spar
oonstruotion the bending material, affected by N , Luzd.the torsion
material, sffected by VD~ , are separate. The curves have the same slope,
~~hich increases as VD is i;ncreaseci, and the same spaoing. For box-hem
construction bending and torsion materijl are oorrmon. Usually the outer
part of the semi-span is designed by torsional requirements, BM the inner
part by bending. The outer part has a reserve of strength in bending and
a @Ten change in N involves less change in structure Weight than for
spar construotion. The survcs thus tend to oonverge abcrre the critical
v&he of vD .
8 Aircraft Size-
The tot&i. structure v?eight, expressed as a percentage of the airGraft
Treight, varies as the aircraft size is varied. The relative weights of the
various stXuc2;ural qononts also cknge. Cam is therefore necessary in
applying the results af this report to aircraft of sizes different from
those examined.
The structure weights Crc a fa&?ily of fighters ayld a family of bombers
are o&culated as a guide and sho~vn on Figs,7 and 8 respectively. These
airoraft have varying wfng are.2 but llstLandaral~ oharacteristics in other
respects, i.e. the ~-me '"r, , N , x 9 A , t/c , h, and the same proportion
of relief ILoGs, fuselage an3 tail areas, et3.
The curves suggest that the total structure weight of similar air-
oraft varies with (&.rcraPt ?Yeight)'*2C, instead aF (aircraft Weight)'o5o
as suggested by the theoretical "square-oube" l&W, vh?re’by aircraft weight
varies with the square, and the structure weight with the cube of the
Zinear dimension.
9 Conclusion
(1) A change in structure [email protected] of 1% of airoraft weight oorres-
ponds to change of about:-
(i) 35 knots in VT) ., or 1.5 in N for the flstanda~' fighter,
-6-
(2) These values are greatly affected ‘bTj variations in ting
loabing and geometry, and by the value of 'I'I, at lfiich the ohanges are
made.
-2
NO Author Title, etc.
-7-
Jle-tails of Structure Weight Calculations_
1 wing weipglt
1.1 The method used is substcentially due to Ripley', but with some
simplifications in the treatment of relief loads and weight allowances
for speci~el features. It is described as briefly as possible exoept for
the dcprtures from the full method.
The %i.ng structure weight is given by
= WC f WB + i$ + v;Is
WS = Weight of shearmaterial
i.2 The weight of cover material for both sRar and box-beam construo-
tions is given by
K5 = x(m-wlq 19
%I = K7 N (W - WR) 7I2 19 I4 54
IiBBh
I-J, = (P + s) do 2 b set A CT
where p and q are the ratios of the depth of the aerofoil section at
the front and rear web positions to the maximum depth.
3.1 The tail unit structure weight j.s calculated Y~J Ripley's methcd3.
ALlowance is made for svveep'back and la% added to the total for mass-
ba.2.ance vtei pjht 8.
4 Undercqriage Wei&t
Design Diving Speed knots E.A.S. 600 400 r 500 400 200, 300
700, 800 500, 600
ThicknessiiZhord Ratio
t.
/c 11 1% .%, 1% 10% 5% 15%
I
I
I
1.60
T 1.25
I
Wing Area I
Fuselage Fineness Ratio / 2.5
I a I 1.50 I 1.55
constants
Equation,
in Fuselage Xoight
Appendix I b 1 0.02 i 0.02
I
I’ 4.0 1 10.0
Fuselage llidth at Wing Level ft.
II L --
A--- I
i
Tailplane am Elevator Area ,/ 0.16 0.16
wm Area , 1 /
i /
Fin end Rudder Area
I
/ ;
0.08 , 0.08
Wing Area ,
TAEiII
I
Changes
VD at
iii
I
Clknge in
1J fmm y iiit
t
-I1 1.7 i
; 4.6 I.9 I.3
1i ----I-
1.6 2.6 I.3 1.0
Thic&xess/Chord ) j% 4.0 4.9 1 3.1 i 2.7 I Thic'kness/Chord 57; 4.3 14c.3 3.1 0.4
Ratio Ratio
15% 1.3 2.0 I1 -I.7 q-7 I 1 13% 1.6 2.5 1.6 I.4
Taper Ratio lo.25 1.3 1 2.7 1.6 -1.6 / Taper Ra4io / C.25 1.8 0.6
I
,0.75 4.7 3.2 2.9 2.3 I i 0.75 1.9 5.0 2.3 1.6
(o>
65 65-
6- WRlATlffl OF TAPER RATIO
STANDARD FIWTER U’ARIATION OF TH(TKt.ESS-CHORD RATIO
5 = 300 5 = 300 5=‘00 wJ;,$i,ooo
w = IE$OOO w= 15.000
60. w = 50 3 60- w= 50 w= 50 I
A= 4 A=4 A= 4
% = IO% A so5 ‘t/c= IO%
55 - A= 05
55-
- A=2 - A=025
--- --- A=075
50
50/
45 45 -
*9
‘“IN I2
40-
s 354
6
.I2
.9
‘O- STRUCTURE
6
.I2
,6
3
3 20
ii
ii
3
; ‘5
IO IO-
0 O-
4co SO0 700 4oc
KNOT:
FIG. l (A-6) FIGHTER AIRCRAFT -VARIATION OF STRUCTURE WEIGHT WITH V, & N, FOR VALUES OF A,% & )?
6 (A) 65 (B> 65 cc>
I
w = so w = 15,000 4Ir =I00
s w = 30,000
= 300 S = 300 I
45a 9x060 lecco60
A=4 A :4
45
soot IZCOD 40
35.
2250 3000 30
25. !
TOTAL
STRUCTURE
-
1500 mo 20-/-e/ I
A’
IS
750
FUSELAGE
5 UNDERCARRIAGE
5---s-------------
TAIL UNDERCARRIAGE
TAIL
0 0 - I
1 “I
.--
400 500 603 700 000 400 500 600 700 0C)o 4-o 500 600 700 000
DESIGN DIVING WEED - vr, - KNOTS
FIGZ(A-dFIGHTER AIRCRAFT-VARIATION OF STRUCTURE WEIGHT WITH V. & N, FOR VALUES OF WING LOADING (0).
l * .
.
65 (A)
STANDARD
BOtmER
65
VARIATION
(B)
Of ASPECT RATIO
65-
VARIATION Of
cc>
TUICKNESS-
65
1 VARIATION Of
(0)
TAPER RATIO
CHOP.0 RATIO 5 8 2000
5 = 2000
s D 2000 w * 100,000 w = 100,000
5 i 2000
w = 10q000 w= 50 1 w .100,ooa W’ 50
4&l= 50 y= 50 ) 60
60 w- A= 5
flc = IO%
A= s A =os I: 25 % ’ IO%
‘t/c = IO% - A=3 - A=025
55 - 55
55 A -05 -- A=7 -- A -075
I
TOTAL ,
50
““FT-r-r- so-
45 .,I! 45-
Rw
40-
35 -
/
/
30-
25 :
2Oi
,
75
I5 - 60
45
z 30
IO,
5. I I I
FUSELAGE, UNDERCARRIAGE 5 FUSELAGE, UNDERCARRIAGE &
TAIL A5 STANDARD. TAIL A5 STANDARD.
O-
W 0 300 400 500 600 200 300 400 500
DESIGN DIVING SPEED - b- KNOT5
50
I E STANDARD SOWER Of F,G 3A
45
4D N
--
35 30
30
25
YI I I I
I 5 L-----w/l :I,
75
30 20=Mi 44@JfJ
20,owJ
TAIL I
TAIL
FIG~(A-c)BOMBER AIRCRAFT-VARIATION OF STRUCTURE WEIGHT WITH V. 8, N, FOR VALUES OF WING LOADING (w).
1 * .
IO.
O-
SWEEPBACK
iO-
SPARS
-B---b 00X BEAM
-5 - u= 50
S= 2000
A=5
x * 03
ro - N=4.5 _
lf
/
/
/I
I5 - /
I
I
O-
s-
3,
/
7’//1’
7,//’ /’
5-
L
3-
5-
I- I
2oc 1 300 4 500 6
OESl4N DIVING SPEEO - vn - KNOTS.
FIG.6 l WING WEIGHT FOR-SPAR AND BOX
BEAM DESIGNS. STANDARD BOMBER.
‘URE .
/WC
-FUSE -AGE.
-UNDERCARRIAGE.
I
-TAIL
AAl = 50 ‘URE.
= 4
$i = IO%
-A = l5
q-J = 600 KNOTS.
N = I2
-I- f WING
/UNDERCARRIAGE.
FUSELAGE
UNDERCARRIAGE
TAIL
u =50 TOTAL
STRUCTURE
A =5
SO- . 7C = lO”/a
h = o-5
v, =400 KNOTS
N = 4%.
50 -
i
WING.
FUSELAGE
UNDERCARRIAGE.
TAIL.
c
cc
C.P. No. 490
(15,167)
A.R.C. Technical Report
Printed in England