Airfoil Optimization using Design-by-Morphing

We present Design-by-Morphing (DbM), a novel design methodology to create a search space for topology optimization of 2D airfoils. Most design techniques impose geometric constraints or designers' bias on the design space itself, thus restricting the novelty of the designs created, and only allowing for small local changes. We show that DbM methodology doesn't impose any such restrictions on the design space, and allows for extrapolation from the search space, thus allowing for truly radical and large search space with only a few parameters. We apply DbM to create a search space for 2D airfoils, and optimize this shape design space for maximizing the lift-over-drag ratio, $CLD_{max}$, and stall angle tolerance, $\Delta \alpha$. Using a genetic algorithm to optimize the DbM space, we show that we create a Pareto-front of radical airfoils that exhibit remarkable properties for both objectives.