Aerodynamic shape optimization by means of sequential linear programming techniques

A Sequential Linear Programming technique, known as the method of centers, is the driver of an aerodynamic shape optimization framework on unstructured meshes. The first order information required by this technique, functional values and their gradients, are computed by a median-dual flow/adjoint solver which is coupled to an analytical shape parameterization. Functional and geometric constraints are easily handled by the algorithm which appears to be very effective in obtaining efficiently near-optimal designs. Shape optimization results are presented for transonic as well as supersonic flows involving appreciable shape deformations.