Purpose of the Laboratory
Aerospace Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Laboratory, shortly AeroMDO Lab, conducts research on the development and application of multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization methods for air and space vehicles. In the laboratory, different physical disciplines such as aerodynamics, structural analysis, aeroelasticity, aeroacoustics, control, propulsion, and reliability are considered together to develop computational design processes for more efficient, reliable, and applicable aerospace systems.
Scope of the Laboratory
The foundations of AeroMDO Lab are based on the Multidisciplinary Optimization Group established by Prof. Dr. Melike Nikbay in 2006. The laboratory was officially opened in 2019 within the ITU Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Current research interests focus on aeroelasticity, aerodynamics, sonic boom reduction, reduced-order modeling, multidisciplinary design optimization, uncertainty quantification, and deep learning.
Research Areas
Research activities carried out within the laboratory focus on the following topics:
- Multidisciplinary design optimization
- Aerodynamic analysis and aerodynamic shape optimization
- Aeroelasticity and aeroelastic optimization
- Aeroacoustic analysis and sonic boom reduction
- Integration of propulsion systems into multidisciplinary design processes
- Computational fluid dynamics and computational structural analysis
- Reliability-based design optimization
- Uncertainty quantification, stochastic optimization, and robust design
- Reduced-order modeling and multi-fidelity analysis
- Machine learning and deep learning-supported computational design methods
- Sensitivity analysis, surrogate modeling, and surrogate-based optimization
Methods and Infrastructure
AeroMDO Lab works on the development, adaptation, and integration of advanced tools and methods in computational aerodynamics, structural mechanics, and acoustics. The laboratory approach is based on evaluating analysis results from different disciplines within the same design framework in order to produce more reliable and efficient design solutions. In this context, open-source and in-house software, high-fidelity numerical solutions, multi-fidelity modeling, optimization algorithms, and artificial intelligence-based prediction methods are used together.
Application Areas
The laboratory studies contribute especially to the following aerospace engineering applications:
- Conceptual and preliminary design processes of air vehicles
- Supersonic aircraft design and sonic boom reduction
- Aeroelastic analysis and optimization of high-aspect-ratio wings
- Aerodynamic and multidisciplinary design studies for UAV and fighter aircraft concepts
- Aircraft-propulsion system integration
- Flutter prediction and calculation of generalized aerodynamic forces
- Investigation of the effects of uncertainties on design performance
- Machine learning-supported rapid analysis and optimization processes
Projects and Collaborations
AeroMDO Lab carries out studies on multidisciplinary design optimization, aeroelasticity, supersonic aircraft design, sonic boom reduction, multi-fidelity modeling, and machine learning-based computational design methods within the scope of national and international research projects. The laboratory’s activities are supported through collaborations with universities, public institutions, industry, and international research organizations.
Laboratory Team
The current team members listed on the official AeroMDO Lab website are given below:
- Prof. Dr. Melike Nikbay: Principal Investigator
- Sihmehmet Yildiz: Research Assistant
- Dilan Kilic: Research Assistant
- Emre Guler: Research Assistant
- Dr. Pranesh Chandrasekaran: Post-Doctoral Researcher
- Burak Berkan Bedir: Graduate Researcher
- Murat Kurnaz: Research Assistant
Part-Time Members
- Enes Cakmak: Graduate Researcher
- Berkay Pirlepeli: Graduate Researcher
Contact
Laboratory Email: aeromdo@itu.edu.tr
Laboratory Phone: +90 212 285 31 16
Alternative Phone: +90 212 285 31 39
Web: https://aeromdo.itu.edu.tr/
Address: ITU Maslak Campus, Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, MED-C Building, 34469 Maslak, Istanbul