Blended wing body airframe mass prediction

Abstract: The blended wing body (BWB) concept is one in which the payload is carried within the inner wing of the aircraft, the local aerofoil sections being deepened to accommodate it. Difficulties, both in design and mass prediction, arise when the payload requires the pressurization of the non-circular cross-sections of the blended wing region. The paper presents a method by which the mass of the BWB airframe may be predicted using an empirically weighted theoretical approach. The ideal wing structure mass is modified by introducing penalties for the secondary structure and, in particular, the payload carrying function. Absolute validation of the method is not possible as no full-size aircraft of this category has been built and flown. Nevertheless, application of the method to several design studies gives reason to believe that it is acceptable for preliminary design purposes